Our first trip to a Hindu temple was a huge learning experience. With Charanya as our guide and teacher we learned all about the different Hindu gods and their powers, plus the customs of worship at each sanctum inside the temple. We visited the local Film Nagar Daiva Sannidhanam Temple here in Jubilee Hills. Before entering the temple you must remove your shoes and wash your feet. No cameras are permitted inside the temple, so
there are only outside pictures in this posting. There are different sanctums placed throughout the temple, each housing a different god. A priest is stationed just outside each sanctum to give each worshiper some blessed water (he pours it into your cupped hands, you drink some and pass some over your head). The waters are flavored with camphor or tulsi (Indian basil). Then the priest recites a blessing for you and you bow as he puts a silver cup on your head. Sometimes they will throw rice or turmeric on your head as part of the blessing. Keep in mind that when I say ‘priests’ they look nothing like Christian priests. They look more like Gandhi in their simple wraps of fabric.
Here is a photograph of the entrance to the temple, of what we think is a statue depicting the many avatars of Shiva or Vishnu.
We visited the following sanctums within the temple:
Ganesha, the elephant god (the remover of obstacles)
Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity (both material and spiritual), light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage, and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm.
Saraswathi, the goddess of knowledge, music and the arts.
Shiva, seen as the supreme god in the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism. In the Smarta tradition, he is regarded as one of the five primary forms of god. Shiva is an adjective meaning “auspicious, kind, gracious”.
Vishnu, the supreme god in the Vishnuvite tradition of Hinduism. Vishnu is the all-pervading essence of all beings, the master of-and beyond-the past, present and future, the creator and destroyer of all existences, and one who supports, sustains and governs the Universe and originates and develops all elements within (thanks Wikipedia! :o) Vishnu has a number of avatars (yes, Hinduism is where avatars originated, not Nintendo and Hollywood).
Hanuman, the monkey god is believed to be an avatar of Lord Shiva. Hanuman is worshiped as a symbol of strength, perseverance and devotion (reminds me of the flying monkeys in the Wizard of Oz).
Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism. He is considered the Perfect Man or Lord of Self Control or Lord of Virtue.
Krishna, many Vishnava groups recognize him as an avatar of Vishnu while others consider him to be the Supreme Being.
And there were still others………If you are interested to learn more about Hinduism and its gods, go to Google. Thank Shiva, Vishnu and Krishna for Google! :o)
Now, this next part is just for Jenni’s brother Ben.
My dear brother had been texting me asking me if ‘I’ve got the red dot on my forehead yet’. Well, Benny, as we were being blessed at one of the sanctums in the temple, a priest gave us our Bindi (or red dot as you call it). It is made from vermillion and turmeric powder and applied by the priest using his finger after he gives you the blessing. It is a symbol that we have worshiped today in the Hindu tradition. This photo is just for you! :o)
It was really fascinating to experience these Hindu traditions. There are volumes more to learn about this religion and its philosophies, gods and history. We can’t wait for our next temple visit.
