Krishna Temple

Once we got back home from shopping, we were eating dinner and heard the bells from the Krishna temple going off.  The Krishna temple is in our neighborhood and its bells go off three times a day (morning, afternoon, and night).  Since we were interested in seeing the temple, Professor Nuckolls took us over.  We went all the way inside and to the room that all the people were worshiping in!  It was cool to see all the different statues of the Gods all around the room.  In the very center of the room was this big shrine of the God Krishna and his wife.  It was a big extravagant shrine, everyone was facing it but not directly.  It was interesting to learn that you never stand directly in front of a God or Deity.  It is the most important part of the worship ceremony and if you stand in the sight of the Deity or God it takes the energy out of you?  Something like that.  So all of the people were kneeling on the sides of the room instead of in front of Krishna.  So anyways, we got to watch the people sing and things.  After that part finished, there was a part where you go up and give gifts or offerings to Krishna.  Then one of the men (who I’m assuming would be similar to a temple worker) brought out this little golden cup and people would go up to him, hold out their hands, and he would dump (three times) a spoonful of “water” from the golden cup into their hands; the people would then drink it and wipe the rest of it on their hair.  Professor Nuckolls told us to do the same, to drink the water and then whatever we didn’t drink, we should put on our heads.  So when I went up and held out my hand I had two problems: 1. My hand wasn’t big enough to hold all the “water” so some fell on the floor. 2. It wasn’t water!  It was this brown watery stuff that had little things floating in it around the size of a poppy seed!  I tried to drink some and then dumped the rest of it in my hair!  It tasted like the smell of Vick’s vapor rub.  It was really late and we were all really tired from our busy day so we were going to leave, but before we did we got to participate in one more part…  After the God Krishna “eats” his food that the people bring, the leftovers are blended up and given to the people.  So we were all handed small cups of the leftovers to drink on our way out of the temple.  The majority of us found it to be… unpleasant.  It was this weird lumpy thick mixture with soggy rice in it.  I tried to drink as much of it as I could, forcing myself to swallow each mouthful before I started gagging.  I was able to drink most of it but not all of it.  So while we were walking home, me and another girl who couldn’t finish the drink turned a corner and threw the rest of it into some bushes when no one was looking!  Awful I know, but at least I tried to eat what I could!

This is the Krishna Temple in our neighborhood!

Another side note: I'll add some pictures of the Krishna temple soon! Also, my sarees are currently getting made so I'll add some pictures of those once I get them :)