Bonus post - Devalayam/Temple etiquette

Here is a little extra Note: this post is only to serve the purpose of being rough guidelines, and to add a dash of humour to our life.

With the visitors to temples going up by the day, we seem to have forgotten the etiquette our forefathers used to follow when they went to a temple. I want to put together a self-help checklist that will make life easy for not just us, but also our fellow worshippers. This post is only suggestive, please note, I am no authority on any of the religious texts. It is not meant to offend anyone, only to draw out the problems faced by devotees.

Some sort of physical hygiene must be maintained. Before we enter the temple, if facilities are provided, let us wash our hands and feet before we enter. It goes without saying that we should bathe before we enter. We need to remember that temples are crowded places, and sometimes rather most often, we brush against others. Let us have some consideration for our fellow worshippers!

Please place footwear in the designated place. Do not fling them haphazardly around the wall or near the gate. Think about it, your footwear will only face wear and tear if people trample on it in a bid to reach theirs. Or worse, trample on it on their way out with their footwear on.

Understand that we are at the temple to worship, not to ogle at women, pass judgement on someone’s choice of clothing, curse, or any of the other funny things we do when we are at a temple. Remember, you have come to the temple to pray, nothing else!

No nose-blowing strictly. Either keep a hanky or a tissue if you are suffering from a cold and need to blow your nose. At least try to keep the background noise to a minimum.

Here is one thing that I have noticed when I try to catch a glance of the deity from outdoors. Sometimes we are in a hurry, and are unable to enter the temple for darshan. Or say we are driving past the temple nada, and want to glance in and catch a glimpse of the deity. Or we have completed darshan, and before leaving the temple, want to see the deity once more. What do we see? The devotees are crowded around the deity even bang in front, thereby obstructing our view. All that I get to see are a bunch of heads instead of the smiling face of the God or Goddess. Some temples have installed rods on either side, in front of the sanctum sanctorum, to limit the devotees on either side. If there is someone outside, they can get a decent view.

In fact, there is a superstition that I have heard from friends. We must not stand directly in front of the idol. If we do, the extreme power of the idol will adversely affect us. I even recall friends in Kerala say that it is a sin to stand directly before the deity. This superstition was likely propagated by the wise old ones to allow everybody a fair chance to worship. So let us remember to adore the deity from the side, let everyone enjoy an unobstructed view of their deity!

We tend to get very cave-man-ish when we find ourselves in a huge crowd. In our frenzy to get to the top of the queue, and have a good darshan, we indulge in elbowing, nudging, and sometimes even downright pushing and shoving. There are times when we get territorial, and end up in verbal tussles as well. In Islam, there is a beautiful concept. Those who visit Mecca on the Haj pilgrimage are supposed to be in a state of Ihram. It means a state of modesty, humility, simplicity, and pure devotion. Those who are on the Haj pilgrimage are supposed to be modestly attired, not wear perfumes (or makeup), and refrain from speaking or thinking rude things. We can borrow a leaf from their book, and try to follow a similar practise. We must respect the fact that we are at the temple to pray, not fight! As it is, fighting is something we cannot avoid in our daily grind, let us at least try to be civil to our neighbours at a holy place.

Eating inside temples is a big no-no. Invariably what follows is littering inside the sacred premises (or worse, licking fingers or even palms). If the food in question is a handful of prasadam, or the temple’s designated dining halls, it is a different matter (no licking here either please!). However, if you plan on satisfying your hunger pangs, please make your way outside the temple compound, and find a cosy nook before you start munching.

Likewise, when accepting theertham, we tend to morph into water buffaloes, and a series of ‘hurrrrrrs’ emanate all around! Please only take brief sips from your palm and try not to make too much of an affair out of it.

Let us make this an ongoing post, and keep adding to it. Dear readers, please add your comments right here. Share your list of ‘don’ts at the temple’ and let us share the peace. Till we visit the next devalayam, take care, and stay devout!