Re-The other side of my thoughts on Puri

[Guest guest]

"Swami Vittalananda Saraswati" <swamiji

Mon, 10 Jul 2000 21:55:58

 

 

I am responding, because of an experience that I had in India, just two months

ago. The trend in India is changing. Temples like Puri, are now letting Hindu's

into there gates, no matter what color there skin is. I spent nine days in

Varanasi, in both Vishwanath and Anapurna temples. On both of there gates, there

is a sign stating that only Hindu's are allowed through there gates. This

formally meant only Indian born Hindu's, not even expatriate's were allowed. The

VHP gave our group special dispensation, to enter any temple, as Hindu's. Our

attitude and devotion won over many nay-sayers, and we were given a letter of

access for both temples. I believe that most temples that restrict access are

afraid of the typical American tourist, but the additional income and a new view

of many conservative foreign Hindu organizations are changing the way the west

is viewed in India. The worst problem, I had, was the commonly held notion that

all Americans Hindu's were Hari Krishna, and in fact, it was a common insult to

refer to some one as Hari Rama Hari Krishna. Even though I am not Vaisnava, I

found it difficult to stomach, that a name of god could be an insult.

 

 

Swami Vittalananda Saraswati

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Om Satyanandaya Vidmahe

Maha Bhaktaya Dhimahi

Tanno Chandih Prachodayat

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~