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.
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.
Here is a picture of the Sri Maha Mariamman temple that is near where I live.
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.
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.
Since no-one else has posted any pictures, I thought I'd post some of other temples that I've been to.
This is the Gopuram over the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur. It is the oldest and reputedly the richest temple in KL.
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.
Last edited by ScottMalaysia; 15 November 2009 at 11:54 AM.
Temple where I go for daily worship looks like this,pic taken with a cellphone so quality of pic is so so.
Namaste,
The temple I go to has a modest website with pictures at www.haritemple.org . I believe I was in several of the pictures taken today at the New Year Havan.
Shanti
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.
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.
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.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.
Here is a picture of the temple that I go to now that I'm in Wellington:
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.
@ 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.
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