Equinox
20 June 2012, 01:38 PM
Vannakkam,
I've been going to temple everyday now beginning last Monday, minus the weekend. These 'temple escapades' would be either during the morning, afternoon or evening puja. The temple is located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur and is a massive tourist magnet, being one of the oldest and richest temples in the country. I love visiting temples and God has perhaps given me the chance to attend these pujas everyday. Besides, I enjoy watching the minute details of prayers and rituals conducted by the priests. :)
So anyway, the reason I'm writing this is to share with you guys my experiences with the many tourists who drop by at this temple while sightseeing.
Two days ago on Monday, while waiting for the evening puja to start, I noticed an older man entering the temple. He was with his camera and busy snapping away at the temple's ornate structure and statues. At the same time there were many other tourists in the temple compound. I noticed later a wheelchair-bound woman (the older man's wife) waiting at the entrance of the temple below the 'gopuram'. Now the entrance has 2 raised stone paths, which you have to cross-over to enter. In India this would be to prevent floodwater from entering the temple, but in areas not known to be flood-prone, I'm unsure of the reason as to why it's there. Maybe someone more knowledgeable here can explain the reason. It was probably difficult to get her wheelchair in, so the man entered alone. I was wondering if I could bring her in, but didn't want to meddle in their visit, lest she decided earlier already in not wanting to enter.
After circling the temple taking photos, the older man returned to the waiting woman at the entrance. To my astonishment, she started crying. This is an example of the profound effect temples have on many people. There's some sort of emotional serenity which would leave anyone, tourist or not, awestruck.
I was sitting in front of the sanctum sanctorum observing this scene taking place at the entrance. The man calmed her down and decided to bring her in. After crossing the first raised path, the wheelchair landed heavily with a thud. Me and another young couple (also tourists who were earlier scolded for walking in with their footwear despite the many warning signs at the entrance) rushed to the older couple's aid. We lifted her up the second raised path and her husband then took her around the temple. She was delighted. I left them to themselves and sat in the mandapa. When they were ready to leave, the man again had to lift her up the raised paths. I rushed to help him and lifted the front of the wheelchair while he held the back. They were so thankful after that while I felt enlightened. Their accent sounded Australian and they appeared to be in their late 50s or early 60s.
On another day, a Japanese woman entered the temple asking someone which God to pray to if she wanted a son. She was then directed to a Goddess. Then there's the tourists who are respectful enough to sit awhile in the mandapa, instead of just taking photos and leaving. Some even meditate in front of the sanctum sanctorum till they sweat and vibrate. On yet another day, an Australian-looking mother encouraged her two young children to follow us around the temple while the priest was performing the puja for all the deities. These kids were a sight to see. They did everything we did; folded palms, raised to the head when the arati was performed and took the sacred ash and theertam water.
And then there's the annoying ones. These are very very troublesome and disturb the peace in the temple. One tourist wore sunglasses even inside the shaded mandapa. Others talk loudly and love pointing at the various Gods and Goddesses and even at the priests as if they just entered a zoo. Some insist on carrying their footwear in, even if they cant wear them, only to be scolded again to leave the footwear out for good. There's even workers to guard the footwear yet tourists insist on bringing them in. Some even take the opportunity to apply sunblock lotion in the mandapa, though this act isn't exactly an offense, haha. :rolleyes:
In other words, I learn something new from these tourists everyday. Each of them have their own profound experience in visiting the temple, which in turn provides me with my own experiences. I am now stronger than ever in my path towards becoming an ambassador of Hinduism, and when I go again tomorrow, I'll readily guide any tourist who looks lost in the temple. Though I might look like a tourist myself to some of them, I'll still try guiding them whenever I can.
In case you're wondering, the temple is the Sri Mahamariamman Temple of Kuala Lumpur. Here's a link from Youtube of the temple recorded by someone just two weeks ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o1kq23ssiY
Do notice some tourists standing around with the devotees.
A documentary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6txzvoXvSI&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SDHK9vUME0&feature=related
Thinking back, I have this eerie feeling of appearing in many Youtube videos and Google images soon. Most tourists enjoy filming the pujas conducted by the priests, and I'm always around there somewhere, while others love taking photos of devotees(myself included) in the temple. :)
I've been going to temple everyday now beginning last Monday, minus the weekend. These 'temple escapades' would be either during the morning, afternoon or evening puja. The temple is located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur and is a massive tourist magnet, being one of the oldest and richest temples in the country. I love visiting temples and God has perhaps given me the chance to attend these pujas everyday. Besides, I enjoy watching the minute details of prayers and rituals conducted by the priests. :)
So anyway, the reason I'm writing this is to share with you guys my experiences with the many tourists who drop by at this temple while sightseeing.
Two days ago on Monday, while waiting for the evening puja to start, I noticed an older man entering the temple. He was with his camera and busy snapping away at the temple's ornate structure and statues. At the same time there were many other tourists in the temple compound. I noticed later a wheelchair-bound woman (the older man's wife) waiting at the entrance of the temple below the 'gopuram'. Now the entrance has 2 raised stone paths, which you have to cross-over to enter. In India this would be to prevent floodwater from entering the temple, but in areas not known to be flood-prone, I'm unsure of the reason as to why it's there. Maybe someone more knowledgeable here can explain the reason. It was probably difficult to get her wheelchair in, so the man entered alone. I was wondering if I could bring her in, but didn't want to meddle in their visit, lest she decided earlier already in not wanting to enter.
After circling the temple taking photos, the older man returned to the waiting woman at the entrance. To my astonishment, she started crying. This is an example of the profound effect temples have on many people. There's some sort of emotional serenity which would leave anyone, tourist or not, awestruck.
I was sitting in front of the sanctum sanctorum observing this scene taking place at the entrance. The man calmed her down and decided to bring her in. After crossing the first raised path, the wheelchair landed heavily with a thud. Me and another young couple (also tourists who were earlier scolded for walking in with their footwear despite the many warning signs at the entrance) rushed to the older couple's aid. We lifted her up the second raised path and her husband then took her around the temple. She was delighted. I left them to themselves and sat in the mandapa. When they were ready to leave, the man again had to lift her up the raised paths. I rushed to help him and lifted the front of the wheelchair while he held the back. They were so thankful after that while I felt enlightened. Their accent sounded Australian and they appeared to be in their late 50s or early 60s.
On another day, a Japanese woman entered the temple asking someone which God to pray to if she wanted a son. She was then directed to a Goddess. Then there's the tourists who are respectful enough to sit awhile in the mandapa, instead of just taking photos and leaving. Some even meditate in front of the sanctum sanctorum till they sweat and vibrate. On yet another day, an Australian-looking mother encouraged her two young children to follow us around the temple while the priest was performing the puja for all the deities. These kids were a sight to see. They did everything we did; folded palms, raised to the head when the arati was performed and took the sacred ash and theertam water.
And then there's the annoying ones. These are very very troublesome and disturb the peace in the temple. One tourist wore sunglasses even inside the shaded mandapa. Others talk loudly and love pointing at the various Gods and Goddesses and even at the priests as if they just entered a zoo. Some insist on carrying their footwear in, even if they cant wear them, only to be scolded again to leave the footwear out for good. There's even workers to guard the footwear yet tourists insist on bringing them in. Some even take the opportunity to apply sunblock lotion in the mandapa, though this act isn't exactly an offense, haha. :rolleyes:
In other words, I learn something new from these tourists everyday. Each of them have their own profound experience in visiting the temple, which in turn provides me with my own experiences. I am now stronger than ever in my path towards becoming an ambassador of Hinduism, and when I go again tomorrow, I'll readily guide any tourist who looks lost in the temple. Though I might look like a tourist myself to some of them, I'll still try guiding them whenever I can.
In case you're wondering, the temple is the Sri Mahamariamman Temple of Kuala Lumpur. Here's a link from Youtube of the temple recorded by someone just two weeks ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o1kq23ssiY
Do notice some tourists standing around with the devotees.
A documentary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6txzvoXvSI&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SDHK9vUME0&feature=related
Thinking back, I have this eerie feeling of appearing in many Youtube videos and Google images soon. Most tourists enjoy filming the pujas conducted by the priests, and I'm always around there somewhere, while others love taking photos of devotees(myself included) in the temple. :)