The biggest controversy is whether to allow famous singer Yesudas to pray in Guruvayoor or not. Then there is the occasional hiccups created by the cleansing ceremony performed in the temple when a non-Hindu visits the temple. The recent controversy involved Union Minister Vayalar Ravi’s Son.
Now there is a debate going on in Kerala whether to allow non-Hindus or not into the
The Kerala State Government is ready to enact a law to allow non-Hindu believers entry into temples provided there is a consensus on the issue.
An apex body of priests and Brahmin organizations in Kerala (Yogashema Sabha) is ready to explore the possibilities of reforming temple practices and traditions in tune with times.
The Guruvayur Kshetra Paramparya Paricharaka Samithy, consisting of the temple priests of Guruvayur, is not ready to allow non-Hindus into the temple.
The opinion of the poor Hindu devotee who stands in the long queue to visit the temple is not needed mainly because they are not organized and is not a pressure group. And sometimes the collective opinion of the poor Hindu devotees might usher in aggressive changes in which the priests and the temple governing body might be blown away. So for the priests, it is better to keep them away.
In rural Kerala, Christians and Muslims often ask their Hindu neighbors to offer prayers and alms in their name at Hindu temples. For these innocent souls, praying to the Hindu gods are yet another way to solve their day-to-day problems.
If a non-Hindu wishes to visit a temple, he/she knows very well how to behave there. For them the Hindu temple is like a church or mosque and all they want is to pray to the almighty at that particular place. Simply because, they believe in the power of that particular deity.
The temple priests or the authorities might be able to identify a Yesudas or a Vayalar Ravi’s son. But what about the millions of other non-Hindus? Thousands of non-Hindus have already visited the
The priests and other organizations have every right to demand that only Hindu believers should occupy positions in the governing body of the temple. But they don’t have any right to stop a non-Hindu believer from praying at the temple.
And to clean a temple after the visit of a particular person is humiliating and insulting. Such monstrous practices should be banned and should have no place in a civilized society.
By the way, where is Lord Krishna (Unnikrishnan) in this whole episode? So much of cleaning might have driven him out of the temple. He might be sitting outside watching this entire show with that smile which conquers the entire universe. Or he might be playing with the kids outside the temple.
12 comments:
well said.
However, on a personal level, I do not care if one temple among many put a rule like this. That's its problem/way/etc, and I would just let it be - among the scores of different ways of things. If this were to be a trend among many temples, I would be disheartened.
If I were given the task to make a temple and decide its rule, I would allow all - considering people connect to a place at different levels and than grow with it. Not everyone entering the first time comes as a believer, but than things do happen thereon...
But I do not mind a variation of practises if enough choices exist.
"So much of cleaning might have driven him out of the temple. He might be sitting outside watching this entire show with that smile which conquers the entire universe. Or he might be playing with the kids outside the temple."
Amen to that!
Hindu temples, by definition, are places of worship by the Hindus in Hundu ways. A non Hindu cannot claim it as his natural snd religious human right to enter a Hindu temple. None of of his rights are violated this way or that.
If it is treated as as legal right for them, then they will have a legal right to worship according to their way. How will a muslim be stopped from slaughtering a cow on bakrid in Guruvayur??
Hinduism is for entire mankind as I understand it. Not in the propogating sense but in its benevolence, when trying to explain this universe.
I would trust mankind. I do not think instances such as mentioned above are typical occurences in any religious place around the world? If that would typically happen, there is a case.
Krishna in the bhagavad gita says unequivocally that krishna is the Supreme Lord "Mattah parataram nanyad kincid asti Dhananjaya" which means nothing is more superior to me so Krishna is not just the lord of hindus alone. He is the lord of all living entities of all creation. that is wat the lord himself is saying. Another shloka the lord says that a scholar sees all living entities equally a scholar as well as a dog eater. So i think nowhere the lord discriminates. I think it is some stupid narrow minded people who have made all these rules. All interested people who are interested to receive the blessings of the lord must be welcome.Who are we to judge someone's faith in the lord. I think today such kind of people who have made all these foolish rules have done the greatest disservice to the hindhu cause. No wonder so many hindhus are getting converted to christianity and other such religons. Our so called protectors of our religon do not even know wat our religon is, The case in point is the recent incident of the sabarimala priest who doesnot even know ganesha pooja. Similar must be the case with the guruvayoor priests. Im 100% sure they will not know one verse of bhagavad gita. Sad that such people are serving guruvayoorappan, I think all intellegent hindus shood stand up and bring this hoax into public and expose these fraudsters. Im a hindhu and i want to see real hindhuism develop not some stupid archaic and foolish dogmas being propagated as hindhuism. Hindhuism is the most tolerant and compassionate religon we must protect our religon from all these foolish people who dont know anything about hindhuism.
it is not just the case of non-hindus.
it is among hindus that a whole evaluation is needed. from nature worship to mothergod worship to sivaradhana to vishnupooja , hindu temples and worships have come a long way and now all temples have come a long way from worship of the almighty. v have priests who decide on what to do abt places of worship.or maybe the management system. and mostly the debate wld b to make an attack on personnel or political lvl not to mention caste.
take a poll and see what the people have to say. one becomes hindu or muslim bcause one is born in that religion. muslims and hindus r people left their mother-religions because either they became outcastes or they felt they can fetch better lifestyles in another identity. there r so many people who live like a hindu and wld b happy to b treated like one - but then which caste will he/she choose? nair,namboothiri,ezhava? sure they wldnt want to be a pulaya or thattan isnt it? why? rather than making guruvayoorappan accept all people the people representing hinduism - if there is any - should do that first.
I completely agree with Abhi on the view that all temples are meant for all believers (irrespective of what community / religion they belong to). I also believe that God makes no distinction between different beings and the same spirit / atman prevades in all beings.
It is we humans who (in our foolishness / low thinking) try to create artificial differences and practices that propagate it.
However, we should also recognise that each institution has hte right to carry out practices that it thinks is right and should not feel "humiliated" if they practice cleansing processes... We might smile in indulgence at their navity / ignorance.. but to feel "humiliated" is like succumbing to the same delusion that we accuse others of..
Vish
The basic tenet of Hinduism states that "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" means humanity is one large family. God does not discriminate then why should we, who are the priests to stop the Lord's devotees from meeting him ?? Do they think that they are holding the Lord inside the temple and saving him from muslims and christians. For the Lord of the universe nobody is a muslim or christian they are all his children and the temple authorities should now realise this. They are the ones in fact who are offending the Lord by preventing his children from entering the temple.
by the way considering Yesudas has sung most number of hindhu devotional songs during our era.. he should be allowed to pray anywhere he wants as a citizen of india.. otherwise we should stop listening to his devotional songs as well.
Most Hindus I know are amicable people and don't want controversy. However, before you challenge some Hindu practices... Think about how many other religions are equally tolerant of other religions. Would you ever hear of a fight to allow Muslim women into main mosque, forget non-Muslims
One cannot help bening amused at the demand that non Hindus should be given right of entry to Hindu temples. It becomes even more hillarious when we do not hear any non Hindu demanding such a right. Has the church demanded it?? Has the AIMPLB demanded it?? NO, NO, NO.
Does not the Constitution gaurantee the right of undisturbed worship to everybody, irrespctive of religion?? It does. Like it or not, Hindus too are covered by it. Parliament cannot enact a law for compulsory opening of Hindu temples for non Hindus, inspite of threats to such an effect.
all humans agree that there is only one suprme power.and this power dwells in each of us.then how can we eat poor animals and visit temples?we know there are many hindus eating non veg.but am sure they will not have it when visiting temples.in other religion people they will not obey.then it is good not to allow them.if they want to see guruvayoorapan truly then pray to him and he will help them to view his hevenly beautifull smile
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