VISITING TEMPLES

There are many people in this world both young and old alike who do not see any compelling reason to believe or disbelieve in God and are generally regarded as agnostics. They are mostly strong willed people who would want hard evidence on the ground to believe in the existence of God. The atheists, on the other hand, are people who are not at all committed to the belief that God really exists. That aside, there are many who have been brought up with strong religious beliefs and practices since their childhood and therefore they have faith instilled in their psyche which apparently guides them through different stages of life in good times as well as in bad. Though a Hindu by birth and a firm believer of the existence of God, I personally do not subscribe to many of the rituals linked to the faith. Visiting a temple or going on a pilgrimage is not something I look forward to simply because of the large number of devotees thronging most well-known Hindu places of worship, making it extremely difficult to offer prayers in peace. In certain temples, the priests (known as "pandas" in some places) can be a nuisance. They are known to accost visitors who go there with great reverence and manage to spoil their mood by trying to sell products or services quite aggressively. In fact they have no qualms in harassing the visitors and subjecting them to pressures bordering on extortion. While it can be argued that these priests have the right to earn a living through sales, it would be beneficial to have some regulations in place to curb their aggressiveness and safeguard the privacy of visitors to the extent possible. ........................ As a retiree and a senior citizen I am naturally not keen on mingling in a crowd of unknown people to offer prayers. So I make it a point to say my prayers at home and do not feel any urge to visit a temple to do that. Even if I do visit an old historical temple once in a while, I prefer to stay far away from the crowd and the long queues leading to the consecrated place of worship and say my prayers from a distance. Thereafter I try to spend time admiring the exquisite temple sculptures and architecture of ancient times. There can be no gainsaying the fact that it is better to think, pray & meditate in a place of quiet and calmness rather than a place bustling with noise & disturbances. ........................ In many places of worship, particularly in the eastern part of our country, there is an ancient Hindu tradition of offering a spoonful of a mixture called "panchamrit" to each devotee who comes for prayers. This mixture consists of milk, honey, and other ingredients. The Pujari or Priest usually dispenses a portion of this liquid using a small copper spoon, which is to be consumed and the remaining liquid is wiped onto one's hair. As a child, I always felt uneasy about this practice, and even as I grew older, my discomfort persisted. Nowadays, whenever I visit a place of worship or attend a Puja at home or elsewhere, I make a conscious effort to avoid consuming the liquid offered by the Pujari, silently seeking forgiveness from God. Additionally, I see no reason to partake in certain items of "prasad" such as peeled fruits like oranges, bananas, cucumbers, etc. These items are often left exposed for extended periods in many places of worship, rendering them somewhat unsuitable for consumption. Unlike the eastern region, people from the northern part of the country offer mithai or sweets as "prasad," and sometimes even a variety of salted savouries. In fact, Puja offerings vary from place to place in our vast country, and there are numerous ancient temples that distribute large quantities of "prasad" in the form of "payasam" or "Khichdi" to feed hundreds of people every day. This is truly a commendable service provided by the temples, as it helps people, especially the less fortunate, to fulfil their basic needs to some extent. The practice of feeding the poor is also economically sustainable in most cases, thanks to the generous donations from devotees that pour into the temple's coffers in the form of thousands of rupees every single day. After all, when most devotees visit temples to pray or worship, they make it a point to make a substantial donation in cash or kind to the temple as an act of benevolence. They then seek redemption for their sins and any wrongdoings of the past, while praying for blessings for a prosperous and bright future. ........................ Embarking on a spiritual journey does not require one to visit a place of worship for prayers and meditation, nor does it necessitate being a religious person. Regardless of whether someone believes in God or not, they can seek peace, spirituality, or a deeper meaning in life that connects them to something greater than themselves. To begin this journey, one must seek ways to aid in their spiritual growth by letting go of ego, vices, selfishness, and any wrongdoing, and instead focus on living a virtuous life. This process can be initiated at any point in life and must be maintained for as long as one lives in this unpredictable world. If visiting a temple aids in these noble pursuits, then it should be done without hesitation.