Hindu Temple Essay

Hinduism has been called the “oldest religion” in the world. Hinduism is a conglomeration of the religious, philosophical and cultural ideas and practices that originated in India. A Hindu temple or Mandir is a structure designed to bring the human beings and gods together, using symbolism to express the ideas and beliefs of Hinduism. A Hindu temple reflects a synthesis of arts, the ideals of dharma, beliefs, values and the way of life cherished under Hinduism. In this paper, my field trip to the Hindu temple will be described by co relating practices with theory. The goal of this assignment is to provide the reader an understanding of the different facets of Hinduism and an experience of being in a temple. To achieve this goal, this paper …show more content…
Puja is a means through which an individual can attain spiritual union with divine. Puja is a way of verbally as well as mentally focussing on God. People of any age, caste, gender and skin colour can perform this ceremony on variety of occasions to offer their lives and souls to the God. In Hindu temple, puja is performed by a Pundit on behalf of all devotees. A puja can be done as a daily sacrifice (Nitya karma) in home. Some Hindu families still practice it everyday as a simple ritual worship. In a Hindu temple, puja is usually done several times a day. In a puja ceremony, Hindus recite Bhajans, chant mantras and offer fruits, flowers and water to the Murtis. A Puja ceremony generally ends with Aarti or a sacred flame to the deity and Prasada (blessed food). It has been believed by the Hindus that puja purifies the heart, generates harmonious vibrations, cleanses the mind and emotions which eventually leads to the God realisation. Thus, A Puja can be done with different attitudes, settings, occasions but the basic purpose remains same and that is to invite God to home like a dear friend and treat him with utmost devotion and