ShivaFan
28 August 2012, 12:36 PM
Best "Temple Touring" Shoes or Sandal
We all know we are not to wear shoes or sandals into the temple. So this is not about the best shoe or sandal for the temple.
But when you are out and about, let's say on a pilgrimage, and there are visits to a temple or temples on the agenda, then planning for the best "temple touring" shoes or sandal can actually be an important consideration.
For example, I remember visiting some large temple grounds in Orissa. I was wearing sandal-like shoes which covered my front toes and wrapped over and partially covered about half of the front portion of my foot with a rattan like weave.
Well I was outside on the grounds, there were stone blocks here and there - and I was with 2 others, and skirting across the top of some blocks and even just about a foot from me moving wiggily on the ground, I see a couple of very large centipedes, hundreds of rapidly moving legs and I am pretty sure these centipedes sting.
Now most of my feet were exposed. I didn't flinch, but acted like this is just fine and dandy since the other two were Indian and I didn't want to look like an "outsider" or a jerk if you will. Their feet were as exposed as mine.
So there is an example - I like to wear some kind of footwear that is easy to slip off and on (e.g. if entering a temple) but if you are getting on and off vehicles, rickshaws or scooters, you want protection too. And in the example of those sandal -shoes I gave, they were actually made from a plastic material and soon tore open from the side seam. Broken shoe or sandal can turn into a disaster, in some situations, let's say in India for example and mulling through a Kolkata street by foot.
I have seen a Westerner wearing those wooden sandals with the peg that goes between your big toe and adjacent toe, but that isn't ever going to work for me. But wearing tennis shoes, sometimes that is just "too western" if you will. Not so for Western temples, but again I don't want to fumble with the shoe, or laces..
Any personal choices for the best "temple shoes" or "sandals"? This might be a fun Canteen subject for Hindus.
Om Namah Sivaya
We all know we are not to wear shoes or sandals into the temple. So this is not about the best shoe or sandal for the temple.
But when you are out and about, let's say on a pilgrimage, and there are visits to a temple or temples on the agenda, then planning for the best "temple touring" shoes or sandal can actually be an important consideration.
For example, I remember visiting some large temple grounds in Orissa. I was wearing sandal-like shoes which covered my front toes and wrapped over and partially covered about half of the front portion of my foot with a rattan like weave.
Well I was outside on the grounds, there were stone blocks here and there - and I was with 2 others, and skirting across the top of some blocks and even just about a foot from me moving wiggily on the ground, I see a couple of very large centipedes, hundreds of rapidly moving legs and I am pretty sure these centipedes sting.
Now most of my feet were exposed. I didn't flinch, but acted like this is just fine and dandy since the other two were Indian and I didn't want to look like an "outsider" or a jerk if you will. Their feet were as exposed as mine.
So there is an example - I like to wear some kind of footwear that is easy to slip off and on (e.g. if entering a temple) but if you are getting on and off vehicles, rickshaws or scooters, you want protection too. And in the example of those sandal -shoes I gave, they were actually made from a plastic material and soon tore open from the side seam. Broken shoe or sandal can turn into a disaster, in some situations, let's say in India for example and mulling through a Kolkata street by foot.
I have seen a Westerner wearing those wooden sandals with the peg that goes between your big toe and adjacent toe, but that isn't ever going to work for me. But wearing tennis shoes, sometimes that is just "too western" if you will. Not so for Western temples, but again I don't want to fumble with the shoe, or laces..
Any personal choices for the best "temple shoes" or "sandals"? This might be a fun Canteen subject for Hindus.
Om Namah Sivaya