Guest guest Report post Posted April 1, 2004 Even in those temple mentioned by the guest here, there will be board kept before entering the inner sanctum of the temple which reads "Only for Hindus" but iam not sure how they check it. But iam sure they would have a problem letting in a westerner,provided he/she dresses in a traditional way with tilaks in their foreheads.I assume all these are done to allow only believers in to the temples or else for a non believers all those things that happen in temple might look funny and might offend other devotees Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted April 1, 2004 it seems that you are suggesting to cheat... if a complete criminal is in dhoti, shaved head and tilaka he can be considered a devotee and see the archa murti, if he's dressed with shirt and pant and he's a real devotee or a good person with peaceful behaviour he has to go away (in temples where "non hindus" are discriminated they do not care even for dress and tilaka) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted April 1, 2004 I went to the temple with my Jeans on. They stopped me at the entrance, said, Only Dhoties allowed, No shirts. No Pants, No lungies, no shorts. Fortunately I carried a dhothi, and wore it, removed my shirt and went inside. Each and every temple has its own procedures. If you cannot follow them, just dont go. Obviously you dont loose anything by wearing a dhoti. Standing with a shorts in front of god, and all devotees, and ladies will certainly look funny. And most of the temples in Kerala dont have electric lights. Its the traditional oil lamps. And there is a Temple in madras ( Raja Rajeswari temple), where males are to remove their shirts. This is because, the temple has Chakras embedded and the body when exposed to the energy get the benifit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted April 1, 2004 the problem is not on the dress, if there's a tradition it is not a problem at all (even in christian churches you are not allowed to enter in short pants or skirts), the problem is on race discrimination bharata varsa is another name for WORLD not for india Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted April 1, 2004 Hare Krishna, It is neither race nor dress. What I think is that the temple authorities do not want a non-believer to enter the temple. A few years back I watched(in TV) a guy named Paul(owner of TBN network) enter a Murugan(Skanda) temple in Tamil Nadu. He even had the guts to preach about bible to the priest himself who was performing puja to the deity. So what can you say to these temple authorities, if they treat you like that. The only solution is to convince them that you believe in Vedas. May be a few Slokas or reciting Bhagavad Gita may help them or it is best to go with an Indian Hindu friend. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted April 1, 2004 It is neither race nor dress. What I think is that the temple authorities do not want a non-believer to enter the temple. -it is very wrong and it is lack of faith for sri murti, if the murti is really divine a non believer can believe after seing her.. a temple is for offer darshan, if they refuse to do it what's the use of temple, brahmins, donations, personneel...? He even had the guts to preach about bible to the priest himself who was performing puja to the deity. So what can you say to these temple authorities, if they treat you like that. -i think that among the people not admitted in the temple only a very little percentage (near to zero) wants to disturb... the same surveillance engaged in recognize "dharmis" and "mlecchas" can be used to look for real disturbance and not for racial discrimination The only solution is to convince them that you believe in Vedas. -in churchs and even in mosquees you can enter without showing any belief, the right behaviour of a brahmana could be to call everyone without discrimination to see god (these objections of course are not for you ... i appreciate your suggestions) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted April 1, 2004 In tirupathi non hindus are supposed to sign a book saying the have complete faith in lord balaji there and only then they are allowed to enter the temple. There was controversy when Sonia gandhi was allowed inside the temple without signing this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted April 2, 2004 do you not agree, that maybe some people would want to go to a temple before converting to see what its like, or to learn things from wiser people who would be there? when i was in india lots of people who were with me were turned away, and none were dressed in a way to offend anyone. god made us all, surely he wouldnt want this kind of discrimination? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yasodanandana 0 Report post Posted April 2, 2004 There was controversy when Sonia gandhi was allowed inside the temple without signing i live near the city where sonia gandhi is born, i have heard that she was allowed in jagannatha puri temple (i am not allowed.. if i try they comes with sticks) (the power of politic!!) /images/graemlins/smile.gif /images/graemlins/smile.gif /images/graemlins/smile.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
subroto 0 Report post Posted April 2, 2004 You are a hindu in your heart, not by the way you dress. We should never judge a book by its cover. Krishna doesn't care if you wear jeans or not..krishna cares about the purity and dedication in your heart not your outward appearance. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
