Hindu Temple Etiquette

Temples and holy places...

I was pondering if I should start to write about this subject. To be honest, I don't know too much about temple customs. Instead of just writing once and moving on, I will continue to update this article as soon as I learn something new. Thank you for being patient.

Well, let's get started.

Entering the temple

One thing a friend of mine told me is when you are approaching a temple or a mosque, the street people will approach you with their hands extended. Most of the time you might think that these people want to shake your hand, but in fact what the Indian people want to do is put a bracket onto your hand and demand a donation. Don't be surprise when it happens, and for donation a couple rupees will be fine.

As you arrive at the temple, remember to take your shoes off before walking through the threshold. When entering the temple, you will see some natives performing Puja, a ritual that people perform to honor the gods. During the ritual, people will lay some offerings to their chosen gods and they will receive a mark on their head as a sign of blessing.

Indian women have a tendency to cover their head when entering the temple. I heard the rule is a little more lenient for foreign women. However, as a sign of respect for Indian customs, women should wear something to cover up the body, especially the shoulders, arms, and legs. Once you have entered, it is best to keep your hands to yourself and not touch the painting or statue (common sense).

Wow, it looks good...

There are temples that have a custom of passing out Prasad, a sacred food consisting of coconut and banana. One simple rule is that you should always accept the offer. Even if you are not going to eat it, you may hold on to it and give it to someone else. Refusing the offer is considered extremely rude. Yes, rude with a capital "ARRR, Matey." Sorry, just watched Pirates of the Caribbean yesterday. As I have mentioned in my Indian customs in public article, when the priest hands the Prasad to you, it is best to receive it with your right hand or both.

A couple of quick Indian customs related to when you enter a Hindu temple. First, if you are a woman who is on your period (menstruating), then you should not enter the temple. I know that the majority of the temples (if not all) will not allow woman who are menstruating to come inside the temple. It is considered that the woman is unclean during this time.

Second, if you not a Hindu, try to avoid going into the place that has a sign saying "Non-Hindu may not enter." The sign is there for a reason; try to respect it if you can.

For Muslim mosques, you just know that women and men sit in separated areas.

Thank you for your support. Because of your support, the site can be what it is today. From where I am and whenever you are, have a good night and good luck everybody.

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Raphita Tobing