Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
134
An Introduction to Hindu Temples
The gopuram is the giveaway—the tiered roof piled high with brightly colored
statues of gods and goddesses. Definitely a Hindu temple. So what are they all
doing up ther e? It's because in I ndia, what with the cast e system and all , the
lower classes w ere at one time not permitt ed inside the t emple, so ha ving
these statues on the outside meant they could still pray without actually enter-
ing. Furthermore, although each t emple is dedicat ed to a par ticular deity, all
the gods are represented, in keeping with the Hindu belief that although there
are many gods, they are all one god. So everyone is up there, in poses or scenes
that depic t st ories fr om H indu r eligious lor e. S ometimes ther e ar e brightly
colored flowers, birds, and animals as well—especially sacred cows. So why are
some of them blue? I t's because blue is the c olor of the sk y, and t o paint the
gods blue meant that they, like the sky, are far reaching and ever present.
There's no special wa y to pray in these t emples, but b y custom, most will
pray first t o Ganesh, the god with the elephant head , who is the r emover of
obstacles, especially those that can hinder one 's closeness t o God . Another
interesting prayer ritual happens in the t emple's main hall around a small dais
that holds nine gods, one for each planet. Devotees who need a particular wish
fulfilled will cir cle the dais , praying to their astr ological planet god f or their
wish to come true.
The location of H indu temples is neither b y accident nor b y Raffles's Town
Plan. By tradition, they must always be built near a source of fresh water so that
every morning, before prayer, all of the statues can be bathed . The water runs
off a spout somewher e outside the main hall , from which dev otees take the
water and touch their heads.
Non-Hindus are welcome in the temples to walk around and explore. Tem-
ple etiquette asks that you first remove your shoes, and if you need to point to
something, out of r espect, please use y our right hand , and don 't point with
your index finger (use your knuckle instead).
7
Inside the cour tyard, an information office pr ovides r obes for those in shor ts and
sleeveless tops. As in every mosque, the main prayer hall is off-limits to non-Muslims.
41 Dunlop St., btw. Perak Rd. and Jalan Besar. & 65/6295-4209. Free admission. 15-min. walk from Little
India MRT.
Sakya Muni Buddha G aya ( Temple of a Thousand Ligh ts) Thai elements
influence this temple, fr om the chedi (stupa) r oofline to the huge Thai-style B uddha
image inside. Often this temple is br ushed off as strange and tacky , but all sor ts of sur-
prises are inside, making the place a v eritable Buddha theme park. On the right side of
the altar, statues of baby bodhisattvas receive toys and sweets from devotees. Around the
base of the altar, murals depict scenes from the life of Prince Siddhartha (the Buddha) as
he searches for enlightenment. F ollow them ar ound to the back of the hall, and y ou'll
 
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