Re: [Assam] re: why conscetious Hindus should not go to GuruVayoor

Tue, 02 Aug 2005 05:13:43 -0700


I fully agree with the views. This goes to say, religion is what it is and not what it should be. Any Sect of Hinduism is what it is. Nobody has a say from outside to tell what it ought to be. If some temple does not allow others to enter, that is what it is. And I don't see any problem. As the saying goes, every dog has its tail. The problem arises when someone wants to equate Hinduism with something else and try to dictate what the different sects should be in order to conform to certain common assumed norms of Hindusim.
 
Some sects of Hindusim believe in animal sacrifice. some in human sacrifice, some in vegetable sacrifice, some in snake worshiping, some in tree worshiping, some in Ma-Kali worshiping, most religions even believe in the existence of a God who is in charge of everything.
I donot believe in any of these, and I donot have any problem when anybody believes and practice any of these.
 
Rajen Barua
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, August 01, 2005 4:05 AM
Subject: Re: [Assam] re: why conscetious Hindus should not go to GuruVayoor

The prohibition of foreigners, non-Hindus and even low caste Hindus to certain temples of India is not a new thing. First Hindu religion is not a universal religion. It is only in modern times that the concept of universality has arisen. Vaisnavism as preached by Shankaradeva and Chaitanya is a universal religion.  It was Swami Vivekananda who preached that exclusiveness in Hinduism must be eschewed and thus the Ram Krishna mission was founded. The ascetics in ancient India held that religion is an intensely personal matter and the devotee has to find out his God or salvation by his own efforts, if need be, with the help of a Guru of his choice. That is why many went to the deep forests of the Himalayas to pray alone and ultimately achieve salvation. The great Shankaracharrya did that at a very young age. Modernists like Shankaradeva didn’t  choose that way. Orthodox or Sanatan Hindu dharma was not aimed either at conversion or publicity.    

 

Restricted temples are run by groups of Brahmins and anyone visiting those                     temples must follow their guidelines. If the temple authority wants to close the doors to foreigners, they can. However, if these temples propagate an universal religion, they should not prohibit entries. I know there is a Hindu temple in London where women are not allowed. Men just do not go there.

 

If foreigners or scholars want to visit certain Hindu temples for either research or devotional purposes it is up to the temple authority to make the facilities available. In a temple at Guwahati I saw one foreign Hindu monk being welcomed in to the sanctuary.

 

Hindus usually  enter their places of worship with veneration. An atheist or a  non-Hindu lacks this sense of humility and may be critical of  the management in a lot of things even though he may be justified..

 

Should a temple run by a group of orthodox Brahmins for their exclusive clientele be opened to the harijans because untouchability in public places is prohibited under the Constitution of India. Well, non-believers have no need to be offended but believers should certainly not be discriminated

 

The matter has been dealt with within the existing law of India. I’ve not refreshed my memory on the point. So I want others to tell me what it is at the moment.

 

In this particular instance, I do not see any problem in allowing the donor to enter the temple.The temple authority should not beunduly censorious.

 

Bhuban

 

 

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