Jodhaa
15 April 2013, 08:25 AM
Namaste All,
I was blessed to have the chance to visit a new temple this past weekend. The Hindu Temple of Wisconsin is located about 30 minutes outside the center of Milwaukee in an almost rural setting. I say 'almost' because the area looks like the suburbs are slowly moving in, but there is still plenty of farmland and trees.
Despite the use of a GPS I couldn't find it at first! The GPS couldn't pinpoint the exact place on the road the Temple was on. I kept my eyes pealed for the characteristic white roof, but didn't see any signs.
I actually did say to Devi at that moment, "If I'm not supposed to go, then I won't go, but please help me find it!"
Making one last loop I drove a little farther down the road the Temple was supposed to be on, and sure enough, just a few more miles down the road and I saw the white roof peeking over the trees =)
The Temple has a lovely arched entrance-way and is actually built next to a small Jain Temple. They share the same parking lot.
It was a Friday morning and the weather was rainy and cold, so it was quiet. I was the only on there besides a priest and a helper in the office. They were both preoccupied with various tasks for the day, so I just removed my shoes and entered the main sanctum.
While it is smaller and not as architecturally impressive at the Minneapolis Temple, The murtis are beautiful with a mix of white marble and black granite figures.
While no deity affiliation is indicated in the name of the Temple, Lord Vishnu is clearly the presiding deity. The choice and configuration of the deities was a little different then other temples I have been to, so perhaps someone can explain the choices to me.
Central is lord Vishnu and Ma Lakshmi. On either side there is Radha-Krishna and Ram Parivar. That makes sense. Then on one side there is also Balaji with SriDevi and Bhudevi, and on the other side, Siva Lingam (The largest I've seen so far, in person. I know there are much larger ones but I have only seen pictures of those :) All this seems fairly logical but then:
Flanking the ends on either side there were TWO Ganeshes. THe One on the right was white marble and labled 'Sri Siddhi Vinayaka' and the one at the far left was black granite and labled 'Sri Ganapati'
I thought it was interesting to have two Ganesh prominently displayed and treated with equal weight in one temple. Is this a North/South Indian distinction?
Also, dispite Lakshmi's place by Vishnu's side in the main shrine, when one turns around to face the back wall there, to the left is an enormous white marble statue of Lakshmi on her own. I'm certainly not complaining as it was wonderful to be able to sit before her and pray when there is only her to focus on. :) I just found it interesting.
Ma Durga was also there to the right of the door with her own shrine as well, but that didn't strike me as unusual, as she seems to always get her "own space" whether she is the presiding deity or not.
Anyway, I brought flowers for Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi (I suppose in their form standing together they are Lakshmi-Narayan?)
And for the first time I was able to do something I'd been too shy to do. I was able to bow down and prostrate before the deities. Maybe it was the fact that I was the only one there besides the priest so I didn't feel self-conscious, but I was happy to finally be able to express devotion in that way. It's small and certainly not the most important show of devotion, but I am glad I was able to do it because I was thankful for being able to find the temple at all!
I stayed for about an hour and then left feeling really good. I always feel really good after temple, but this visit was particularly good.
I was blessed to have the chance to visit a new temple this past weekend. The Hindu Temple of Wisconsin is located about 30 minutes outside the center of Milwaukee in an almost rural setting. I say 'almost' because the area looks like the suburbs are slowly moving in, but there is still plenty of farmland and trees.
Despite the use of a GPS I couldn't find it at first! The GPS couldn't pinpoint the exact place on the road the Temple was on. I kept my eyes pealed for the characteristic white roof, but didn't see any signs.
I actually did say to Devi at that moment, "If I'm not supposed to go, then I won't go, but please help me find it!"
Making one last loop I drove a little farther down the road the Temple was supposed to be on, and sure enough, just a few more miles down the road and I saw the white roof peeking over the trees =)
The Temple has a lovely arched entrance-way and is actually built next to a small Jain Temple. They share the same parking lot.
It was a Friday morning and the weather was rainy and cold, so it was quiet. I was the only on there besides a priest and a helper in the office. They were both preoccupied with various tasks for the day, so I just removed my shoes and entered the main sanctum.
While it is smaller and not as architecturally impressive at the Minneapolis Temple, The murtis are beautiful with a mix of white marble and black granite figures.
While no deity affiliation is indicated in the name of the Temple, Lord Vishnu is clearly the presiding deity. The choice and configuration of the deities was a little different then other temples I have been to, so perhaps someone can explain the choices to me.
Central is lord Vishnu and Ma Lakshmi. On either side there is Radha-Krishna and Ram Parivar. That makes sense. Then on one side there is also Balaji with SriDevi and Bhudevi, and on the other side, Siva Lingam (The largest I've seen so far, in person. I know there are much larger ones but I have only seen pictures of those :) All this seems fairly logical but then:
Flanking the ends on either side there were TWO Ganeshes. THe One on the right was white marble and labled 'Sri Siddhi Vinayaka' and the one at the far left was black granite and labled 'Sri Ganapati'
I thought it was interesting to have two Ganesh prominently displayed and treated with equal weight in one temple. Is this a North/South Indian distinction?
Also, dispite Lakshmi's place by Vishnu's side in the main shrine, when one turns around to face the back wall there, to the left is an enormous white marble statue of Lakshmi on her own. I'm certainly not complaining as it was wonderful to be able to sit before her and pray when there is only her to focus on. :) I just found it interesting.
Ma Durga was also there to the right of the door with her own shrine as well, but that didn't strike me as unusual, as she seems to always get her "own space" whether she is the presiding deity or not.
Anyway, I brought flowers for Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi (I suppose in their form standing together they are Lakshmi-Narayan?)
And for the first time I was able to do something I'd been too shy to do. I was able to bow down and prostrate before the deities. Maybe it was the fact that I was the only one there besides the priest so I didn't feel self-conscious, but I was happy to finally be able to express devotion in that way. It's small and certainly not the most important show of devotion, but I am glad I was able to do it because I was thankful for being able to find the temple at all!
I stayed for about an hour and then left feeling really good. I always feel really good after temple, but this visit was particularly good.