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April 20, 2006
Barefoot in Bangalore
I wasn’t really worried about my health while traveling to India, that was until I talked with the folks at the travel clinic at the hospital. I guess I was sort of expecting some sort of recommended inoculations, but when she said “and take this if you get dysentery” I started to worry. I’ve traveled a lot, and having dysentery bad enough to take something has never even crossed my mind. Perhaps I’m just naive.
I’m pretty relaxed about “germs” (generic term for all things bad that might attack the body), but having to remember to take Malarone every day to ward off malaria, and having my backup dose of stuff (can’t remember what) for dysentery, I have a lightened sense of awareness.
I had a small adventure Wednesday evening – Nandeesh from the office suggested I go to a famous temple in Bangalore after we got done with work. What I was expecting was to walk around the temple – I thought it would be similar to a cathedral. It wasn’t.
Mind you, I’ve always been slightly uncomfortable about touring religious landmarks. These things are sacred for someone – it seems irreverent to gawk at something others believe are holy. So it was only after being urged by several people from Bangalore to see this particular temple that I decided to go to the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Chandra temple.
There were a couple of key, interlocking facts that made this a very notable experience: First, there’s only one way through the temple, and it’s the way of the faithful, i.e. one is compelled to participate in the worship. Second, all worshipers (and tourists) can only enter the temple barefoot.
The temple is constructed primarily out of marble blocks, and is quite impressive both in size and construction. The tour first began by processing through the area in front of, and then up a set of steps chanting “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna …”. The procession area was marked by square marble steps, raised up from the floor by 2 inches. The entire chant of 8 lines was recited on each step, and then one proceeded forward. The voice of a priest chanting was heard, and there were signs everywhere admonishing the worshipers to cant audibly so others around could hear.
Following that, the tour/worship service led through a series of gradually larger shrines, culminating in a very large hall containing a number of icons. (NB: These were fantastic pieces of art - I was very impressed.) There were so many worshipers (included me at this point) that we were all pressed together – no personal space here. It’s difficult to describe the sensation – chanting walking up the steps, then pressed together with others as we walked (more like oozed) through the temple.
I'll be honest – I was pretty baffled by the whole thing, and even now, doing a little research on Hindu worship, I’m not sure of the significance of what I saw.
At the end of the tour, there was a smaller area where you could purchase treats (baked goods and candy). Following that, there was a pretty large hall (I think it was underneath the large hall containing all the shrines) where one could purchase religious schwag. Neither of these last two areas seemed particularly sacred – it actually seemed pretty mercantile.
While the whole thing was very interested and I enjoyed it immensely, it did cross my mind that I was wandering around barefoot in this area where people were munching on their sweet treats. The flow was sticky. And then finally I had to walk through the parking lot outside to find my car.
Posted by pgutwin at April 20, 2006 9:47 PM