Adventures in a Jain Temple

One Saturday, Joel and I wandered into a Jain Temple.  Wow!  We were so surprised at how open and friendly they were and how welcoming!  In the center of the main room there were women playing drums and cymbols and singing.  They saw us standing in the entry to the main area and motioned us in.  We were given our own private tour of the temple and shown all the gods and goddesses.  We were even allowed to take pictures!  Take a look:

Some interesting facts about Jains:  Jains believe in self-restraint and astheticism.  Jains are vegan, in fact, some Jains wear clothes covering their nose and mouth so they won't accidently inhale bugs and Jains won't eat root vegetables because insects might have been harmed by the harvesting of the vegetables.  As we were leaving the temple, the Guru for the temple came in and asked to speak with us.  He was a lovely man......and ok, dumb American thing to say, but you know the Indiana Jones movie that is set in India?  Remember when the old man with the white hair is telling the story of how the children were taken in the night?  The Guru looked EXACTLY like that!  He spends his time traveling Europe and India and his biggest concern is the problem with malnutrition in India.  We spent about 20 minutes speaking with him - we exchanged phone numbers and maybe we'll see him again one day.  What an experience!!!

Fast forward to today - September 19th.  I was very honored to be invited to the home of my Hindu friend for the first day of the Ganesha Chaturthi festival.  On this day, Ganesha is welcomed into the home as an honored guest.  He is set on an altar decorated with Marigolds (red and gold) and for the next ten days sweets, water, and fresh flowers are provided for him.  The Ganesha that is welcomed into the home is one that your family has made of clay and painted with red and gold paint.  Ganesha is the Lord of New Beginnings, the Remover of Obstacles, and the God of Prosperity and Success.  You wouldn't leave an honored guest alone in your home and so it is with Ganesha - a member of the family has to remain home with him for the ten days.  Because of this, my friend says even though you are "supposed" to keep him happy for ten days, some people get tired of him and take him off the altar. (I guess what Benjamin Franklin said about company and fish pertains to Hindu Gods, too). 

So on this first day of the festival, you invite a priest into your home to perform a puja (ceremony).  There was much chanting and annointing with water.  We expressed gratitude for the gifts of the previous year and asked for blessings for the new one.  The priest wove red and gold threads around all of our wrists (individually) and tied them - as a blessing -  and we were all marked with a third eye for wisdom. 

On the last day of the festival, which will be September 29th, all the Ganesha statues will be put into the water which signifies his return to his home.  We have been invited to participate in that, too, so more pics to come.

The mood around Powai is unbelievable.  Constant drumming, chanting, fireworks, and parades.  If you are lucky (and I was) you catch a glimpse of a huge Ganesha statue being moved into position.  There are young men in red dancing in the streets  - it's a huge party.  This is especially true in Maharashtra, the state that Mumbia is in.  Ganesha is their special deity, in fact, in Northern India, Ganesha Chaturthi isn't celebrated. 

The following pictures are of my friends Ganesha altar as well as the big Ganesha I caught sight of this afternoon.

That's all for now.  I hope you enjoy the pictures - this is quite an experience and every day something new happens.  Thanks for reading and I love and miss all of you!

Beth