szalvias
26 February 2012, 12:29 PM
Namaste!
Last night I made my first visit to a Hindu Temple. I could have gone earlier but I thought Maha Sivaratri would be an auspicious time for my first temple visit.
I am very much used to mediating and worshiping alone, so it was an odd experience... but a very good one in an unexpected way. ( If you want to make God laugh, make some plans.)
Everyone was friendly and respectful. The entrance is not straightforward, but it is beautiful. There is a shoe room to the left once you find the proper entrance. There is a fountain with a large marble- looking base for washing, as well as a shower.. which makes me wonder, since there are no gender designated areas around it that I could see.. The temple itself is upstairs and carpeted, which startled me; I am more used to rugs.
On Mahasivaratri they had food available in the foyer, which also startled me, but to each his own.
The whole building is beautiful. Just driving by you would know it is a temple. The shrines within are also beautiful. They have all of the Devas I am familiar with there, and some I am not!
Bajan was lovely. They have little books you can use with Sanskrit text written in roman letters. I did not know what the little books were for until someone was kind enough to hand me one.
The main shrines there are Ganesha in the middle, Siva to the left, to the right I believe there is Venkateshwara, and there are smaller shrines all around the temple. The main shrine is surrounded by different forms of Ganesha, all quite lovely.
If you are going to be in the southeast of USA anytime, you owe it to yourself to come here. Everyone there is really nice.
They also have a website at www.ganeshatemple.org
Om Namah Sivaya
Last night I made my first visit to a Hindu Temple. I could have gone earlier but I thought Maha Sivaratri would be an auspicious time for my first temple visit.
I am very much used to mediating and worshiping alone, so it was an odd experience... but a very good one in an unexpected way. ( If you want to make God laugh, make some plans.)
Everyone was friendly and respectful. The entrance is not straightforward, but it is beautiful. There is a shoe room to the left once you find the proper entrance. There is a fountain with a large marble- looking base for washing, as well as a shower.. which makes me wonder, since there are no gender designated areas around it that I could see.. The temple itself is upstairs and carpeted, which startled me; I am more used to rugs.
On Mahasivaratri they had food available in the foyer, which also startled me, but to each his own.
The whole building is beautiful. Just driving by you would know it is a temple. The shrines within are also beautiful. They have all of the Devas I am familiar with there, and some I am not!
Bajan was lovely. They have little books you can use with Sanskrit text written in roman letters. I did not know what the little books were for until someone was kind enough to hand me one.
The main shrines there are Ganesha in the middle, Siva to the left, to the right I believe there is Venkateshwara, and there are smaller shrines all around the temple. The main shrine is surrounded by different forms of Ganesha, all quite lovely.
If you are going to be in the southeast of USA anytime, you owe it to yourself to come here. Everyone there is really nice.
They also have a website at www.ganeshatemple.org
Om Namah Sivaya