இறைவனுக்கும் நல்ல காலம் பொறக்கனமோ !!

[V.Balasubramani]

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இறைவனுக்கும் நல்ல காலம் பொறக்கனமோ !!

Pranams to all,

Going by the sale of religious books, spiritual magazines, and TV channels on Bakthi, it is quite apparent that Bakthi margam is spreading favourably among the general public off late. While so, what is surprising is that temples classified as famous temples, big temples, popular temples, etc attract Bakthas regularly and few of the temples are completely neglected. Some of them are in very bad shape and quite few are in dilapidated condition. While the condition of temple is such, what is the state of affair of the Murthi? No priest,no daily pooja and no neivedhyam!! There are lot of such temples which does have even oil to light the lamps daily.

900 year old temple to get new lease of life - The Hindu dt:11.05.2013

 

[sangom]

Pranams to all,

Going by the sale of religious books, spiritual magazines, and TV channels on Bakthi, it is quite apparent that Bakthi margam is spreading favourably among the general public off late. While so, what is surprising is that temples classified as famous temples, big temples, popular temples, etc attract Bakthas regularly and few of the temples are completely neglected. Some of them are in very bad shape and quite few are in dilapidated condition. While the condition of temple is such, what is the state of affair of the Murthi? No priest,no daily pooja and no neivedhyam!! There are lot of such temples which does have even oil to light the lamps daily.

900 year old temple to get new lease of life - The Hindu dt:11.05.2013

One Malayalam film song of yesteryears goes like this (My Translation into English):

"Gods among the beggars and beggars among the gods"

What we have inside the temples is just an idol. Each temple has its ups and downs just like any constructed house. (normal human dwellings nowadays do not last beyond 30 or 40 years - hardly two generations! In olden days houses would see 7 or 8 generations but during such long span, the building will see very glorious periods and also very troublesome periods. Temples are no more than such houses, as far as nature is concerned.

Vedic religion did not have temples for worship. The yAgaSAlA which was built of combustible materials for performing the vedic yAgAs were invariably burnt down after the completion of the yAgA. Temples possibly originated as a by-product of the Bhakti movement and were very simple thatched houses in the times of the Nayanmars like Appar, Sundarar, etc. Kings got the idea of building stone temples to make their names and achievements everlasting.

...to be continued.

 

[V.Balasubramani]

One Malayalam film song of yesteryears goes like this (My Translation into English):

"Gods among the beggars and beggars among the gods"

What we have inside the temples is just an idol. Each temple has its ups and downs just like any constructed house. (normal human dwellings nowadays do not last beyond 30 or 40 years - hardly two generations! In olden days houses would see 7 or 8 generations but during such long span, the building will see very glorious periods and also very troublesome periods. Temples are no more than such houses, as far as nature is concerned.

Vedic religion did not have temples for worship. The yAgaSAlA which was built of combustible materials for performing the vedic yAgAs were invariably burnt down after the completion of the yAgA. Temples possibly originated as a by-product of the Bhakti movement and were very simple thatched houses in the times of the Nayanmars like Appar, Sundarar, etc. Kings got the idea of building stone temples to make their names and achievements everlasting.

...to be continued.

Sir Sangam Ji,

I eagerly await for your remaining posting on this subject.

 

[Raji Ram]

Dear Balu Sir,

Some of our members can not read Tamil fonts. So when your post is in English, please give a caption in English.

You may ask Sri. Praveen, our moderator to change the title of this thread. Just a suggestion.

 

[Raji Ram]

Some guys are crazy enough to build temple for an actress / the departed wife!

Very strange indeed!

 

[sarang]

What is vedic religion?

I will treat the rest as IMHO. Including burning of yagasalas.

When gajendra entered the tank to pluck a lotus for offering to vishnu, I wonder how he proposed to do that.

Gajendra was was a dravidottama pandiyan king in his previous birth.

This is what is said in Srimadbhagavatam. Not my imho.

There must several refernces to temples in mhabharata too; krishna abducted radha after she finished her worship in a temple.

Vedic religion did not have temples for worship. The yAgaSAlA which was built of combustible materials for performing the vedic yAgAs were invariably burnt down after the completion of the yAgA. Temples possibly originated as a by-product of the Bhakti movement and were very simple thatched houses in the times of the Nayanmars like Appar, Sundarar, etc. Kings got the idea of building stone temples to make their names and achievements everlasting.

...to be continued.

 

[Visalakshi Ramani]

Krishna abducts Rukmini after she worships Parvati Devi prior to her arranged marriage.
You may read it in the Kannanin Kathai Ithu in literature section.
Currently Rukmini PariNayam is the chapter being explained.

 

[V.Balasubramani]

இறைவனுக்கும் நல்ல காலம் பொறக்கனமோ !!

Dear Balu Sir,Some of our members can not read Tamil fonts. So when your post is in English, please give a caption in English.You may ask Sri. Praveen, our moderator to change the title of this thread. Just a suggestion.

RR Madam, Thanx for the suggestion. Shall stick to the guidliness in future.

 

[V.Balasubramani]

While the plight of lot of age old temples is pathetic, it is strange to see people constructing new temples collecting money through various sources. Why not they think twice before launching such ventures. Constructing a temple is not an easy thing especially with the sky rocketing prices of building materials. Instead restoration work can be taken up for age old temples which may have real vibrations for having stood to the test of time. I join the 'uzhavarappani' and clean the temples. Cleaning the temples in remote places is for upkeep and maintenance. There are temples which have Deities alone, no devotees!!

 

[sangom]

What is vedic religion?

It is the total set of divinities, worship patterns and the eschatology reflected in the three vedas Rig-, yajus- and sAman.

I will treat the rest as IMHO. Including burning of yagasalas.

It is your pleasure. But I am surprised that you did not know anything about the athirAthram conducted in the recent past in Panjal village in Kerala. I attach the image of the yAgasAla being burnt down. The url is :

Manorama Online | Picture Gallery | Festival | Panjal Athirathram

More images can be seen in the net.

When gajendra entered the tank to pluck a lotus for offering to vishnu, I wonder how he proposed to do that.

Gajendra was was a dravidottama pandiyan king in his previous birth.

This is what is said in Srimadbhagavatam. Not my imho.

There must several refernces to temples in mhabharata too; krishna abducted radha after she finished her worship in a temple.

Temples started during the Gupta empire when hinduism also revived because of patronization of rulers. Mahabharata, some of the puranas etc., were composed during this period. Bhagavatham is of a much later origin and it has used the available data of its times in an imaginative way (poetic licence of sorts). In real life no elephant will pluck a lotus and hold it unless the mahout orders it to do so. And, following Lakshmana's advice to Rama about the golden deer being unreal and phantasy and not to go after it, therefore, I feel this story of Gajendra and Radha should also be taken at discount.

Even in the Valmiki Ramayana there is mention of आयतन (āyatana - resting place, shelter) of gods but since such āyatanas were built inside the palace and even in the huts built in the forest, it will appear that these were not like the modern stone-built temples, but more modest places set apart for worship.

 

[sangom]

Sir Sangam Ji,

I eagerly await for your remaining posting on this subject.

Nothing much, sir. I wish to only emphasize that God is not in the temples but within you only. It is a waste of time trying to see or experience god elsewhere.

So, if you are sort of mentally addicted to temple-going, please select one of the hundreds of temples with less crowd. God/ Nature is not bothered about time and so many births can be wasted believing what religion/s say and following the mirage of religion-promoted god/s. Words of Siva Vakkiyar will fall on deaf ears for sure because the mAyA of samsAra is that strong.

Good luck to you.

 

[sangom]

While the plight of lot of age old temples is pathetic, it is strange to see people constructing new temples collecting money through various sources. Why not they think twice before launching such ventures. Constructing a temple is not an easy thing especially with the sky rocketing prices of building materials. Instead restoration work can be taken up for age old temples which may have real vibrations for having stood to the test of time. I join the 'uzhavarappani' and clean the temples. Cleaning the temples in remote places is for upkeep and maintenance. There are temples which have Deities alone, no devotees!!

Temples originated, as I said previously, from the high egoistic feelings of kings/emperors and rulers, including rich zamindars/landlords etc., who desired to perpetuate their names. Our Puranas are replete with advice about the good effects of temple-building and dAnams. Thus building a temple and giving tax-free lands to brahmins became a mental insurance for a place in the heaven, after death.

Time or kAla (which is another name for the ultimate killer Yama as also the god of destruction - Lord Siva (kAlakAla) ) however takes its toll of temples along with the idols and all.

Temples are today easy way of making huge profits, if the god inside clicks, that is. So, no intelligent fellow will waste his time, energy and resources to restoring old temples to glory. Perhaps if you possess the requisite kind of entrepreneurial skill, you can identify an old temple in ruins, get a "sthalapurANa" created, arrange some interviews with bhaktas who received miraculous "kai mEl palan" blessings after worshipping in that temple and do the whole gamut of 'event management' adroitly, you will be able to compete even with Thirumalai and such temples; but this requires the skill.

So, that is temple today. You can decide about god within the temple, equality etc., on the basis of such truths.

 

[KRS]

Dear Sri V. Balasubramani Ji,

I totally agree with you.

When a close relative approached me recently for a substantial donation to a new temple, I told him that I would donate the same money for the upkeep of any existing temple of his choice that is in disrepair. I am still awaiting his response.

Regards,
KRS

While the plight of lot of age old temples is pathetic, it is strange to see people constructing new temples collecting money through various sources. Why not they think twice before launching such ventures. Constructing a temple is not an easy thing especially with the sky rocketing prices of building materials. Instead restoration work can be taken up for age old temples which may have real vibrations for having stood to the test of time. I join the 'uzhavarappani' and clean the temples. Cleaning the temples in remote places is for upkeep and maintenance. There are temples which have Deities alone, no devotees!!

 

[Raji Ram]

Dear Sangom Sir,

Sthala purANam?? Some rich people have built a new 'Panchamukha Anjaneyar' temple near

Pondicherry - now Puducherry - renaming the place called 'PAppAnchAvadi' as 'Panchavati'...

Picture above: The temple at Panchavati.

Picture below: Panchamukha Anjaneyar. Courtesy: Google images.

 

[Visalakshi Ramani]

Some guys are crazy enough to build temple for an actress / the departed wife!

Very strange indeed!

I BET those temples are very well maintained!

 

[Haridasa Siva]

Ref OP

The trend of "new" temples getting publicity or wealth and "old" temples getting neglected is a reflection of the mindset of people today. Majority of the people seem to be going to the temple asking for material things. Devotion like "கண்ணனைக் கண்ட கண்கள் மற்றொன்றினைக் காணா" or appears to have gone now. Kaliyugam.......

 

[Visalakshi Ramani]

:welcome: back dear Mr. Siva after a long absence /silence!

I know you are a busy person.

But please do not disappear completely from the forum. :nono:

Literature thread NEEDS you! :typing:

 

[Raji Ram]

There is a technique known as 'chinna meenaip pOttu, periya meenaip pidikkaRadhu!'

Politicians think 'periya meenaip pidichchA, chinna meenaip pOdaRadhu!'
This is how a portions of the loots by the politicians reach the temple Hundis!! opcorn:

 

[sangom]

There is a technique known as 'chinna meenaip pOttu, periya meenaip pidikkaRadhu!'

Politicians think 'periya meenaip pidichchA, chinna meenaip pOdaRadhu!'
This is how a portions of the loots by the politicians reach the temple Hundis!! opcorn:

This may be true in one respect but mostly, our attitude to God today is that He/ She will be helpful in all our plans getting executed successfully (whether it is son's delayed marriage happening and getting a good dil, to politicians making a good deal by any means), if only we give a monetary/in cash or kind reward to god. Thus God today is the most powerful politician/IAS official who will come to our help in all our undertakings.

Bhakti has brought us to this glorious pass.!! After all did not Rama save Ramadasu?