I read an interesting article on another blog, entitled “I am a western Hindu, But I don’t feel welcome in Hindu temples“. It is an interesting post, though I don’t agree with all of it. Personally, I have never felt unwelcome visiting Hindu temples in England – I have not yet visited any in other countries. In my Mandir the fellow worshipers are so used to me that they forget that I am not Indian, I have had people try to speak to me in Hindi a number of times. The post says:
It is possible that a new convert to Hinduism will find himself/herself an object of curious onlookers in Hindu temples. But take heart, no Hindu will bar another Hindu from performing any religious rituals.
Sometimes when I am visiting a Mandir I have been looked at, but once they see that I a visiting for worship then they are quite happy. Continue reading
Western Hindu 