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ScottMalaysia
12 August 2009, 04:07 AM
If you don't mind taking a camera into your temple, it would be good if you could post some pictures of the temple that you worship at regularly.

ScottMalaysia
12 August 2009, 04:15 AM
Here is a picture of the Sri Maha Mariamman temple that is near where I live.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6EGjAQ-bw7o/SVtaVBoIl9I/AAAAAAAAAdI/j-ZO8S5E_So/s400/Malaysia%20018.jpg

From left to right, we have Lord Balaji (picture), Lord Ganesha (shrine), Sri Maha Mariamman (shrine and two statues flanking the shrine), and Lord Murugan. There is a picture of Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesha, and Lord Murugan (dare I call it the Holy Family?!) next to the Murugan shrine. This picture isn't worshipped, but the one of Lord Balaji is.

Outside the main temple area we have shrines to Durga, Nagammah (Mother of Snakes), the Navagrahas, Hanuman and Bhairava. I'm curious as to why Hanuman, a Vaishnava Deity, is present in a Saivite temple.

The picture was taken not long after Deepavali 2007. The temple has been renovated since then, and the ceiling has been painted and looks much nicer now. The decorations hanging from the ceiling aren't there now, nor is the orange cloth around the flag pole.

Spiritualseeker
12 August 2009, 06:28 AM
Namaste,

Thanks for sharing this scott. You know I went to a Shaivite temple in my area and they also had Krsna, hanuman, and another deity. I dont know if they just want to make other hindus feel accepted and able toworship there as a community.

ScottMalaysia
15 August 2009, 08:27 AM
Since no-one else has posted any pictures, I thought I'd post some of other temples that I've been to.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6EGjAQ-bw7o/SVtZl9nX5UI/AAAAAAAAAbE/Vj3FCdx1p0U/s400/KL%20106.jpg

This is the Gopuram over the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Mahamariamman_Temple,_Kuala_Lumpur). It is the oldest and reputedly the richest temple in KL.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6EGjAQ-bw7o/SVtZogNDyFI/AAAAAAAAAbM/yLWEQtznoPg/s400/Malaysia%20067.jpg

This is the interior of the Mariamman Temple. The main shrine is blocked from view by a portable shrine. On the left there is a shrine to Lord Ganesha, and on the right a shrine to Lord Murugan. There are statues (not Deities) of the Eight Forms of Lakshmi around the main temple hall. On the right side there are three shrines, I'm not sure what their significance is, but one has a statue of Lord Ganesha, one Lord Shiva as Nataraja, and the other Lord Murugan. On the left there is a shrine to Lord Nataraja and the 65 saints of the Periya Purana, and a shrine to Lord Muneeswarar, Pechayee Amman and Karuppanar Sami (also called Sanggili Karuppan). There are also shrines to Durga, Maha Vishnu and the Navagrahas.

lighthouse
31 December 2009, 01:08 PM
Temple where I go for daily worship looks like this,pic taken with a cellphone so quality of pic is so so.

MananAtma
01 January 2010, 07:00 PM
Namaste,
The temple I go to has a modest website with pictures at www.haritemple.org (http://www.haritemple.org) . I believe I was in several of the pictures taken today at the New Year Havan.

Shanti

kshama
01 January 2010, 09:42 PM
Here is a picture of the Sri Maha Mariamman temple that is near where I live.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6EGjAQ-bw7o/SVtaVBoIl9I/AAAAAAAAAdI/j-ZO8S5E_So/s400/Malaysia%20018.jpg

From left to right, we have Lord Balaji (picture), Lord Ganesha (shrine), Sri Maha Mariamman (shrine and two statues flanking the shrine), and Lord Murugan. There is a picture of Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesha, and Lord Murugan (dare I call it the Holy Family?!) next to the Murugan shrine. This picture isn't worshipped, but the one of Lord Balaji is.

Outside the main temple area we have shrines to Durga, Nagammah (Mother of Snakes), the Navagrahas, Hanuman and Bhairava. I'm curious as to why Hanuman, a Vaishnava Deity, is present in a Saivite temple.

The picture was taken not long after Deepavali 2007. The temple has been renovated since then, and the ceiling has been painted and looks much nicer now. The decorations hanging from the ceiling aren't there now, nor is the orange cloth around the flag pole.

Namaskar ScottMalaysia Ji,

In Malaysia, for the past 100 years, people do not recognize themselves belonging to a specific school of thoughts. So in many places, you can find a mixture Lord Ganesh, Lord Muruga, Devi, Mahadeva, Lord Krishna and even village deities of the Tamils all in one place.

Until recently, perhaps like late 90's, there were movements that advocates sectarianship here. But altogether, Hindus here view all Gods in Hinduism the same Brahman. Namaste.

ScottMalaysia
02 January 2010, 05:51 AM
Namaskar ScottMalaysia Ji,

In Malaysia, for the past 100 years, people do not recognize themselves belonging to a specific school of thoughts. So in many places, you can find a mixture Lord Ganesh, Lord Muruga, Devi, Mahadeva, Lord Krishna and even village deities of the Tamils all in one place.


Thank you for the information, Kshama. I didn't really understand how regular Hindus weren't sectarian until Devotee posted a very informative post in another thread. My father-in-law, for example, probably wouldn't know what a Vaishnava or a Saivite was. My mother-in-law may know. My wife's grandfather also has a picture of Hanuman in his shrine, along with Lord Shiva, Goddess Durga and Sathya Sai Baba (the latter I do not agree with). He also has pictures of his deceased parents, wife and brother on a separate table on the right-hand side of his prayer room.


Until recently, perhaps like late 90's, there were movements that advocates sectarianship here. But altogether, Hindus here view all Gods in Hinduism the same Brahman. Namaste.

I know that ISKCON are highly sectarian, and I think that the followers of Subramuniyaswami are as well, but I don't know of any other highly sectarian organisations.

ScottMalaysia
05 January 2010, 06:00 AM
Here is a picture of the temple that I go to now that I'm in Wellington:

http://www.wia.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Mandir.jpg

My wife and I went to the Gita class on Sunday evening - and the whole thing was in Gujarati (except the Arati, which was in Hindi!). One man lent my wife an English copy of the Bhagavad-Gita (which was his own) but the rest of the books were in Gujarati. Nevertheless, I like the temple, and I went there this evening because I fast on Tuesdays.

kshama
05 January 2010, 06:54 AM
@ ScottMalaysia Ji,

The temple is so beautiful and serene. Well you can always pray to God in any language, as He listens to anyone. I suggest why not doing service for temples, e.g. volunteering for a temple activities etc, in a way you get to know the local people and more people will get to know you and help you to understand somethings abt Hinduism there. Namaste.

Eastern Mind
05 January 2010, 08:20 AM
Scott: So you're changing your handle to ScottNewZealand? I will be interested in watching this transition. So far so good. Glad you have found a temple you like. The language thing and customs can often be a barrier, mostly I think because you just get used to having it a certain way. I'm guessing your Malaysian spouse will find the transition somewhat harder. (She is now in the minority culture/race wise, and you aren't whereas previously it was the other way around.) I know here where our choice of temples is limited to 6 I go to the one I fell most comfortable with. Two other are closer. I've seen newcomers to cities often go to one, and then switch over after awhile. Its quite normal.

I think quite a few people on HDF aren't as aware of the differences as those of us in the west. here Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujurat can all be two blocks apart. In India its 2 days apart.

One here I believe may even die off, losing its congregation entirely. It was the first one, and it was built in the outskirts. (probably cheaper land) Most people who attended however lived on the opposite side of the city. After awhile they got together to build a new one that is very similar to the old one. So now this new one gets the crowd, mostly just because its closer.

Please keep us posted.

Is there a Tamil temple in Wellington as well?

Aum Namasivaya

ScottMalaysia
05 January 2010, 02:46 PM
Scott: So you're changing your handle to ScottNewZealand? I will be interested in watching this transition.

Would it be possible for the admins to change my handle to ScottNZ?


So far so good. Glad you have found a temple you like. The language thing and customs can often be a barrier, mostly I think because you just get used to having it a certain way. I'm guessing your Malaysian spouse will find the transition somewhat harder. (She is now in the minority culture/race wise, and you aren't whereas previously it was the other way around.) I know here where our choice of temples is limited to 6 I go to the one I fell most comfortable with. Two other are closer. I've seen newcomers to cities often go to one, and then switch over after awhile. Its quite normal.

I'm not sure if she wants to go again or not. She mentioned that she didn't understand the service. I, on the other hand, have got a book out from the library on learning Gujarati. What you say is very true. Most Malaysian Hindus are Tamils, and my wife can at least understand Tamil, even if she can't speak it.


I think quite a few people on HDF aren't as aware of the differences as those of us in the west. here Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujurat can all be two blocks apart. In India its 2 days apart.

I'm assuming that each of these areas has different styles of worship. I expected the Wellington temple to be like the Lakshmi-Narayan temple in KL with regards to Arati. At the Lakshmi-Narayan temple, everyone came up and took a turn waving the Arati plate around first the deity of Durga, and then Lakshmi-Narayan. Here in Wellington the priest just offers the five-wick lamp to the Deities himself.


Is there a Tamil temple in Wellington as well?

There is a South Indian Murugan temple in Newlands, about 45 mins away from where I live. My wife and I may go there for Thaipusam at the end of the month, but it's too far away to become our regular temple. Possibly we'll get the priest from the Murugan temple to perform the house-warming ceremony, as my wife can at least understand Tamil and it would be more familiar to her than if the priest from the other temple did it in a mix of Sanskrit and Gujarati.

Eastern Mind
05 January 2010, 03:30 PM
Scott: Thanks for the update. I find it interesting. We are the only Tamil temple in all of western Canada except for two small ones in Vancouver. We get people from Calgary which is 2 and a half hours about 6 times a year. So 45 minutes isn't bad once a month or so but not daily or even weekly. I understand totally your wife's unfamiliarity as I've seen the same thing a lot here. She would feel very familiar im my temple. Keep us posted.


Aum namasivaya

Krsna Das
19 February 2010, 06:11 AM
Lord Siva in Nobodwipa Dham wears a vaisnava tilaka instead of tripunda !

http://www.cintamani.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/gopisvara-mahadeva.jpg

shian
19 February 2010, 07:46 PM
Lord Siva in Nobodwipa Dham wears a vaisnava tilaka instead of tripunda !

http://www.cintamani.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/gopisvara-mahadeva.jpg


OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

very great paragon from Lord Shiva, who come to this temple can learn much from LORD SHIVA how to tolerant to other sect.

ScottMalaysia
19 February 2010, 09:19 PM
Lord Siva in Nobodwipa Dham wears a vaisnava tilaka instead of tripunda !

http://www.cintamani.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/gopisvara-mahadeva.jpg

This is because Gaudiya Vaishnavas think Shiva is a Vaishnava.

shian
20 February 2010, 12:38 AM
This is because Gaudiya Vaishnavas think Shiva is a Vaishnava.

Hi Scott ^_^

i know that, also some peoples think Shiva is the great devotess of Krsna.

This is no any problem, because in Shaivism , Vishnu is devotess of Shiva

in Shakta., Brahma - Vishnu and Maheshvara is devotee of DEVI

so that is what THEY do to teach us !

Krsna Das
20 February 2010, 05:16 PM
ha ha ha ...

response as expected. thanks.