Can you place Amman's garland at your home pooja photos?

Hi Everyone,

Usually when I go to temple, the priests there gives me the garland worn by the amman that day. Usually, I place those garland in my home puja photos in my prayer room.

However, I was told by friends that I cant place those garlands worn by Amman at my home puja photos as its disrespectful.

Can anyone please advise on this whether what I did was correct??

Thanks for your time.

venka said:

Hi Everyone,

Usually when I go to temple, the priests there gives me the garland worn by the amman that day. Usually, I place those garland in my home puja photos in my prayer room.

However, I was told by friends that I cant place those garlands worn by Amman at my home puja photos as its disrespectful.

Can anyone please advise on this whether what I did was correct??

Thanks for your time.

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According to what we believe, the garland from the temple is what is called "Nirmaalyam" or without any defects, because it had been in contact with the Amman's deity. Such Nirmaalyam should not be kept in our pooja room in touch with our pooja idols/photos because it will amount to disrespecting the deities in our pooja. We, therefore, usually dispose of such garlands/prasaadams, etc., brought from temples by placing them in the Thulaseematham (place where the Thulasi is grown, in our compound), or, we keep those items in a room other than the pooja room and dispose them off as per convenience. One more belief among us is that nothing should be brought from a Siva temple outside of that temple itself.

sangom said:

According to what we believe, the garland from the temple is what is called "Nirmaalyam" or without any defects, because it had been in contact with the Amman's deity. Such Nirmaalyam should not be kept in our pooja room in touch with our pooja idols/photos because it will amount to disrespecting the deities in our pooja. We, therefore, usually dispose of such garlands/prasaadams, etc., brought from temples by placing them in the Thulaseematham (place where the Thulasi is grown, in our compound), or, we keep those items in a room other than the pooja room and dispose them off as per convenience. One more belief among us is that nothing should be brought from a Siva temple outside of that temple itself.

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Thanks for the reply back. I appreciate it but can you address my following questions as well with regards to your reply:

1. Isnt Amman's positive spirtual energy from the temple and the one found at our home pooja room are of the same nature? In what sense can this be considered disrespectful since the main reason why I wish to hang the garland is because I want to transfer the energy from the garland to my home deities?

2. When i do archan, they give me flowers from the temple. Can i still place this flowers at my pooja room as well or should I place is this at my homegrown thulasi?

3. Is there a reason why we should place the garland we bring back from amman temple at our homegrown thulasi plant instead of hanging it outside the main door?

Thanks for the reply back!

Hi
I would like to give my opinion for your questions.
You can bring the garlands from temple and keep it in your puja room by hanging in the door or by placing it in a bowl for one or two days till it becomes old and dry. It should not be placed in the photos of deities because it is like a prasadam from temple. Definitely it is like bringing the positive energy or blessings from the temple deity to our home. I used to collect the flowers from the puja room in a plastic cover daily and once in a while I will dispose it off in the dustbin. We live in flats and it is unnecessary to fear for everything we do. God is kind enough to understand our situations. One more thing I want to tell is that we should not misunderstand the quote sivan sothu kula naasam for bringing prasadam vibuthi kumkum etc., from the shiva temple.

sangom said:

.......... One more belief among us is that nothing should be brought from a Siva temple outside of that temple itself.

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Dear Sangom sirji,

Don't we bring out the ash (vibhuti) and the kumkum that is offered in a siva Temple by wearing them? Just a doubt.

sangom said:

According to what we believe, the garland from the temple is what is called "Nirmaalyam" or without any defects, because it had been in contact with the Amman's deity. Such Nirmaalyam should not be kept in our pooja room in touch with our pooja idols/photos because it will amount to disrespecting the deities in our pooja. We, therefore, usually dispose of such garlands/prasaadams, etc., brought from temples by placing them in the Thulaseematham (place where the Thulasi is grown, in our compound), or, we keep those items in a room other than the pooja room and dispose them off as per convenience. One more belief among us is that nothing should be brought from a Siva temple outside of that temple itself.

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As far as I know this is what is practiced at my parents house too.

That is what is brought back from the temple is considered 'Prasadam" hence not to be recycled and used again to garland pictures in the prayer room.

I dont know about it being 'disrespectful' but its all about one's intention..that is if we want to offer anything to God..it has to be something 'new' and not something previously used.

The garlands are usually disposed by placing them in the Tulasi tree..I also have a Mehendi tree and sometimes I place used flowers from temples there..flowers are biodegradable and will act as fertilizer for the plants and ground.

Vaagmi said:

Dear Sangom sirji,

Don't we bring out the ash (vibhuti) and the kumkum that is offered in a siva Temple by wearing them? Just a doubt.

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Shri. Vaagmi Sir,

Only the ash (vibhuti) is given in purely Siva temple, but Kumkum, Chandanam, etc., may be given if there are idols of Amman, Vishnu, Subrahmanyan, Vinayaka, etc., are also there within the Praakaaram. We make it a point to deposit all these, after wearing a little on our foreheads, in a separate place in such temples, which forms naturally over period of time. This place is cleaned periodically and, in the case of some temples, these are used in the temple garden from which flowers are collected.

What is worn on the forehead is exempted from this rule.

venka said:

Thanks for the reply back. I appreciate it but can you address my following questions as well with regards to your reply:

1. Isnt Amman's positive spirtual energy from the temple and the one found at our home pooja room are of the same nature? In what sense can this be considered disrespectful since the main reason why I wish to hang the garland is because I want to transfer the energy from the garland to my home deities?

2. When i do archan, they give me flowers from the temple. Can i still place this flowers at my pooja room as well or should I place is this at my homegrown thulasi?

3. Is there a reason why we should place the garland we bring back from amman temple at our homegrown thulasi plant instead of hanging it outside the main door?

Thanks for the reply back!

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Shri venka sir,

1. In our traditional belief system, there is no place for the so-called "positive spiritual energy" (PSE) and things like that. After all, if there is any such in the stone idol of the temple, why should not the idol or image in your pooja room not have more such PSE? If you have not thought so, it is because you are under a mistaken notion that your pooja room idol/photo is inferior to the idol in the temple interms of PSE capacity. So, how will such a pooja help you in any crisis? What use is doing pooja with such an in-built inferiority complex? Again, in our traditional brahmin way of living, 'going to Temple/s' is not at all included, though Sandhyaavandanam, Oupaasanam, Devapooja, etc., are mandatory.

What is used to adorn the temple deity becomes "nirmaalyam" (without blemish — due to its contact with the worshipped idol) and taking that garland and putting it on your pooja room photo is like your wife's friend taking the jasmine flowers from her "kondai" and giving it to your wife, saying, "now, you put it on your kondai, so that my positive spiritual energy to yourself." Hope you will like the idea!

2. The rule applies to flowers given after archanai also.

3. There is no specific reason except that we believe that any "prasaadam" from any temple should not be disrespected by actions like stepping our feet on it, spitting, urinating on it, etc. Thulasi plant and its platform are looked upon by us as equal to our pooja room and only birds and animals like cats may, if at all, do any sacrilege of items put under the Thulasi plant; not humans.

In today's atmosphere, I doubt very much whether a dried flower garland adorning the main door of the house will be applauded by anyone, especially the genxt!

A vaishnavite's perception of this matter:

1) The flower garland offered to the deity in the temple is given back to the devotee to be worn by him/her in turn with bhakti.

2) So the garland can be worn by your wife on her neck or on her kondai as the prasadam with veneration and bhakti.

3) Same applies to the clothes like saree, dhoti, pariyattam etc., offered to the deities. If they were given back to the devotee as prasadam they should be worn by the devotee.

4) after our wearing them they become our junk and hence can be thrown into a dustbin as usual. Only after our wearing them they become junk and this should be remembered.

5) In Vishnu temples the pariyatta maryathai involves tying the used paryattam of the deity to the devotee's head and then garlanding him with the garland worn by the deity. No new paryattam or garland (unused by the deity) is offered in this maryathai. Lest it will become a thalappakkattu of a new Naattaamai. LOL.

6) So Sri Venkaji, you may use the garland by wearing it or asking your wife/daughter to wear it and then throw it in dustbin. the bhava is more important than the physical treatment given to the garland. The flowers in the garland have already become immortal by adorning the deity. ( recall மலரே குறிஞ்சி மலரே!! பிறந்த பயனை நீ அடைந்தாய்)

All this is not from my own rule book. I have Alwar to quote:

"ஊடுத்துக் களைந்த நின் பீதகவாடை உடுத்துக் கலத்தது உண்டு,
தொடுத்த துழாய் மலர் சூடிக்களைந்தன சூடும் இத்தொண்டர்களோம்.........(பெரியாழ்வார்/திருப்பல்லாண்டு)

It is simple Tamil and I hope you understand.

hi

some more in vaishnavites.....AANDAAL SOODI KUDUTHA MAALAI......

If Rama can accept the half eaten fruit from Sabri, would he care if the flower was recycled?

I do not think God (by any name) will really care what was offered in Bhakti.
Human beings with their ego can not accept hand me down, and apply the same logic to God.
In this age of plastic, and artificial Garlands, "Nirmaalyam" has completely new meaning.

prasad1 said:

If Rama can accept the half eaten fruit from Sabri, would he care if the flower was recycled?

I do not think God (by any name) will really care what was offered in Bhakti.
Human beings with their ego can not accept hand me down, and apply the same logic to God.
In this age of plastic, and artificial Garlands, "Nirmaalyam" has completely new meaning.

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Prasad ji,

I understand your argument. Coming to a similar related topic of naivedyams, it is said even water can be offered if nothing else can be afforded (due to poverty, lack of supplies...).

However, have you heard of the great Shaiva saint 'Sri Vyagrapadha Maharishi' (aka புலிக்கால் முனிவர்). He is said to have acquired the legs of a tiger out of his tapasya, in purpose to enable him climb trees better in order to pluck flowers for Shiva puja early in the morning. It seems he used to rise up very, very early on in the morning as he thought the bees would contaminate the flowers with their saliva and thus early morning 2 am before the bees swarmed the flowers, he would rise up and gather the sweet smelling flowers...

JRji,

I understand the faith, but I have my own philosophy. I respect others faith and their philosophy.
Why does tree or plant produce flowers? It is for procreation and not for adoring some woman, Idol, house or some perfume factory.
Some animals eat the flower, but that is nature. If bees and butterfly are attacted to the nectar and help the plant in pollinating the flower has done its purpose.

I do not think we help nature by breeding flowers to please us.
I am not against using flowers for decorations, but that is not the main purpose of a flower.

In India a lady used to come and steal all flowers from my mothers garden, I used to fight with her to save the flowers. That lady used to curse me saying that I am depriving God of the flowers because she was using it for puja. I told her that God will not accept stolen flowers. I do not know what God will or will not accept.
Gita 9.26

patram pushpam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahritam
asnami prayatatmanah

If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.

prasad1 said:

In India a lady used to come and steal all flowers from my mothers garden, I used to fight with her to save the flowers. That lady used to curse me saying that I am depriving God of the flowers because she was using it for puja. I told her that God will not accept stolen flowers..

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LOL!


How can she say that you are depriving God when she is stealing the flowers?LOL

If she really wanted to do Pooja she should asked permission from your mother to take the flowers.

renuka said:

LOL!


How can she say that you are depriving God when she is stealing the flowers?LOL

If she really wanted to do Pooja she should asked permission from your mother to take the flowers.

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In India, particularly in Tamilnadu, the culture is different and unique.

I have seen many people going for a morning walk carrying a bag. They collect flowers from many houses on the way as these flowers are usually never plucked by the owners and are wasted as they wilt away by noon. They do not wake up these owners of houses in the early morning to seek permission. They presume there will not be any objection.

As I drive my car in the busy traffic a biker coming opposite me dangerously swerves and show his hands to me indicating that my car door on the other side is not fully closed or that my head lights are on even though it is midday in the sunny Chennai street. I do not consider it nuisance, stop my car and take the fellow to task. He could have gone without bothering about me and my car. But something in him told him to do what he did. In Canada where I have lived this would have been considered madness. The culture is different and the values are different.

i am thankful to the biker's concern for me the stranger.

similarly I do not m in d any one pluckin g away the flowers from my flower tree projecting outside the wall on the street.

india may be chaotic but there is beauty in it. You can discern beauty and value in the chaos if you have the mind. LOL. Chaos theory.

Raji Ram said:

Can we name it 'thiruttu poojai' if done with stolen flowers? :decision:

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Well there has been an incidence in the past where a golden statue of Lord Buddha was stolen by a revered personality of a well known religious sect to construct and renovate a equally well known temple.

So what can we call that?

Vaagmi said:

similarly I do not m in d any one pluckin g away the flowers from my flower tree projecting outside the wall on the street.

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My neighbor has a mango tree which leans into my garden and when it fruits I give her all the fruits cos the tree is not mine.

For me taking another person's property..be it flowers or even fruits without consent is theft....I would not want to call theft as a unique culture.

Hi All,

Thanks for taking the time your time to reply back. Appreciate it. Now I will change my practise of placing those garlands and flowers in my thulasi leave. For the flowers, I can give it to my family members to wear in their head.

Santhom ji,

Definately, the purity of the temple is unmatched and I cant compare it to my puja room in any sense. I just categorised all these energies from the temple and as well as the one in my home as positive energy generally.

renuka said:

My neighbor has a mango tree which leans into my garden and when it fruits I give her all the fruits cos the tree is not mine..........

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:clap2: Renu! I do it the other way!

I permit my neighbour to pluck the fruits from the branches of the mango tree in my garden, which are near her terrace.

Okay, okay. Hold fire.

All I did was to try to pull up the mundane discussion to a higher level. I give up.

I have flower trees in my garden and people pluck flowers from these trees everyday without bothering to ask me and I do not mind it. The tree remains healthy and has many flowers left inspite of people plucking a few of them. The garden remains beautiful always.

I consider myself lucky in beeing an indirect factor in the contribution of flowers for puja in unknown homes.

I also understand there can be people (in India too) who consider it an offence to pluck flowers like this because it affects the beauty of their garden and done without their permission. Yes, they own the trees, the flowers and the fragrance and nectar in them. Stealing is a crime as per Indian Penal Code.

Thanks.

Raji Ram said:

:clap2: Renu! I do it the other way!

I permit my neighbour to pluck the fruits from the branches of the mango tree in my garden, which are near her terrace.

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Dear RR ji...you and I are such wonderful women..our husbands are very lucky...some good karma they did to get us!LOL

Vaagmi said:

. Stealing is a crime as per Indian Penal Code.

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Yes!