Why is worship in Kerala temples different?
Vadakkumnathan Temple, Thrissur, Kerala
Kapaleeswarar temple, Chennai , India
(Image source: Google Images)
(Image source: Google Images)
Above are the pictures of 3 different temples, all in India. All these three are dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Just like how these temples look different, the practices in these temples are very different.
In Kerala, a devotee is not allowed to go anywhere near the idol and a strict set of rituals are followed. Only the priests who perform rituals are allowed inside the 'garbha griha'. There is a set ritual followed and these practices are not broken for anyone. No aarati is showed other than at the time prescribed in the texts and even water from the temple well is not to be touched by anyone other than the priest (who are called Namboodiri, in Kerala).
In Tamil Nadu, the priest offers prayers on behalf of the devotee as and when required - like doing an aarati for the Lord when the bhakt seeks. Just state your name and 'nakshatra' (star of birth) and he will do a little pooja on your behalf to the deity.
In North Indian temples, the devotees can do all the poojas to the deity by themselves.
If all Hindus are praying to the same God, then why this difference in offering of prayers?
Why are the temples in Kerala so strict? Why should the devotee follow a specific dress code (men should be shirt-less and women are only now being allowed to enter temples wearing churidhar!)? Why is the priest so snooty and acting as if we are too filthy to be touched?
These questions arose in my mind because of two incidents.
I reside in Kerala and am used to the system here where the priest follows strict 'ayitham' (principle of cleanliness). The temple priest does the poojas to the deity. He is the only person who touches the Lord, dresses Him, does the 'deepaaraadhana'. Only he enters the garbha griha. The devotees worship the Lord from outside the sanctum. And when the priest comes out, he cannot be touched. Even when he dispenses 'prasaadam', his hand will be a foot above yours! He literally drops the banana leaf with prasaadam on our hands.
Just like how these temples look different, the practices in these temples are very different.
In Kerala, a devotee is not allowed to go anywhere near the idol and a strict set of rituals are followed. Only the priests who perform rituals are allowed inside the 'garbha griha'. There is a set ritual followed and these practices are not broken for anyone. No aarati is showed other than at the time prescribed in the texts and even water from the temple well is not to be touched by anyone other than the priest (who are called Namboodiri, in Kerala).
In Tamil Nadu, the priest offers prayers on behalf of the devotee as and when required - like doing an aarati for the Lord when the bhakt seeks. Just state your name and 'nakshatra' (star of birth) and he will do a little pooja on your behalf to the deity.
In North Indian temples, the devotees can do all the poojas to the deity by themselves.
If all Hindus are praying to the same God, then why this difference in offering of prayers?
Why are the temples in Kerala so strict? Why should the devotee follow a specific dress code (men should be shirt-less and women are only now being allowed to enter temples wearing churidhar!)? Why is the priest so snooty and acting as if we are too filthy to be touched?
These questions arose in my mind because of two incidents.
I reside in Kerala and am used to the system here where the priest follows strict 'ayitham' (principle of cleanliness). The temple priest does the poojas to the deity. He is the only person who touches the Lord, dresses Him, does the 'deepaaraadhana'. Only he enters the garbha griha. The devotees worship the Lord from outside the sanctum. And when the priest comes out, he cannot be touched. Even when he dispenses 'prasaadam', his hand will be a foot above yours! He literally drops the banana leaf with prasaadam on our hands.
This upsets some people who look at this practice in league to 'untouchability'. And it is the truth! It is untouchability!
Priests who perform the functions inside the temple have a strict set of code of conduct. They take bath in the temple pond and walk around in 'eeran' or wet clothes always. They are not to touch any person and if they do, they must have a bath again before entering the temple.
When I went to Mumbai and visited the Babulnath Mandir, there were many devotees bathing the Shivalinga. Imagine my shock, when I saw ladies and men pouring pots of water over Him and even scrubbing the Shivalinga!
And when they offered me a copper vessel filled with water, to bathe HIM, my hand shivered!
I got a bigger surprise when a man hugged the Shivalinga and kissed it, before shrieking 'bum-bum-bhole!
Outside of Babulnath Mandir
(Image source: Google Images)
Inside Babulnath temple. The board says: No photography allowed!
(Image source: Google Images)
Two weeks ago, two young couples with their children came to my temple (ahem! the temple I frequent!). They were clearly from North India, given their attire and the way the ladies covered their head (in South India, ladies do not cover their head at all).
And they seemed so lost. They had a plate with offerings - flowers, agarbatti, a small pot of water, some chandan (sandalwood paste) and kumkum (auspicious red powder). They clearly wanted to bathe the Shivalinga and dress him with chandan, kumkum, offer flowers and do aarati.
Seeing them, the temple administrator came rushing and told them that they are not to go anywhere past the doorway of the 'garbha griha'. That meant they could not bathe the Shivalinga and could not do any poojas to the deity. The ladies looked forlorn and am very sure they will never return to this temple again to offer their prayers.
No explanations were given to them as to why this was so.
I felt very bad and tried offering an explanation. I explained that such is the temple culture in Kerala. We do not have direct access to the 'vigraha' (idol).
But this set my thoughts ticking and I ended up talking to a few people and researching over the internet as to why in Kerala we have these rules.
Two people said, that is the age-old practice; just accept it.
But it is not right to simply accept something without getting an explanation. I might accept, but the present generation would not! So my search continued.
This morning I called up my mom's cousin, Mr. Raghuraman and my friend Santosh's father, a Namboodiri, both quite knowledgeable.
The following is a gist of the conversation and explanation given to me by these two learned individuals.
Kerala is supposed to have been created by Parasuraama, who threw his axe into the sea from Gokarna and the sea receded to reveal this beautiful fertile land where coconuts grow apleanty.
Reason 1:
Given that Kerala has Western Ghats on its east and the Arabian sea on its west and the terrain being mostly hilly with frequent rains, Kerala has had a fairly sheltered existence. Outsiders and outside culture has not easily permeated here.
Kerala (of old) was not materially rich (mostly agrarian and forest produce) and therefore not coveted by neighboring kingdoms too.
Thus you will still find many 'kaavu' in Kerala. These are simply a deity (made of stone with no shape) protecting the village, placed under a tree with / without four surrounding walls and no roof.
Kerala temples continue to be not as big and 'posh' as the temples in other places. Big temples in Kerala are made with brick and latarite stones and not granite. The deities themselves were either made of wood (jackfruit tree) or stone and very few were made with 'pancha-loha' (gold, silver, copper, iron and bronze). Many temples do not have 'vimaanas' and many even did not have any gopurams!
The elite Namboodiris were brought here by Lord Parasuraama and they were the protectors of the vedas. As mentioned earlier they have followed the typical shaastras and have not diluted the teachings of vedas unlike in other states where different traditions have been added.
Reason 2:
Also in Kerala we do not think of God as human. We revere Him. He is more than Human. The Linga or the Idol / vigraha is the 'sookshma shareera' (subtle body) of the Lord.
North Indians look at the vigraha as the sthoola sharira (gross body). Thus the people in North India treat the vigraha as one of them or as you would another important human. A person with human needs. People build separate rooms for God and provide air conditioners or heaters depending on the need and even build toilets for Him!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anyway, this post is my way of explaining the differences, without going into too much detail, why in Kerala we have different way of offering prayers from the rest of India.
And I do hope that the people who visit Kerala temples learn to like our way of worshipping God. Different but beautiful.
Please do not get offended when the priests ask you to move away from him when he enters or exits the sanctum.
Please do not wonder why you cannot touch the vigraha.
Please accept our way of devotion.
Given that Kerala has Western Ghats on its east and the Arabian sea on its west and the terrain being mostly hilly with frequent rains, Kerala has had a fairly sheltered existence. Outsiders and outside culture has not easily permeated here.
Kerala (of old) was not materially rich (mostly agrarian and forest produce) and therefore not coveted by neighboring kingdoms too.
Thus you will still find many 'kaavu' in Kerala. These are simply a deity (made of stone with no shape) protecting the village, placed under a tree with / without four surrounding walls and no roof.
Kerala temples continue to be not as big and 'posh' as the temples in other places. Big temples in Kerala are made with brick and latarite stones and not granite. The deities themselves were either made of wood (jackfruit tree) or stone and very few were made with 'pancha-loha' (gold, silver, copper, iron and bronze). Many temples do not have 'vimaanas' and many even did not have any gopurams!
The elite Namboodiris were brought here by Lord Parasuraama and they were the protectors of the vedas. As mentioned earlier they have followed the typical shaastras and have not diluted the teachings of vedas unlike in other states where different traditions have been added.
Reason 2:
Also in Kerala we do not think of God as human. We revere Him. He is more than Human. The Linga or the Idol / vigraha is the 'sookshma shareera' (subtle body) of the Lord.
North Indians look at the vigraha as the sthoola sharira (gross body). Thus the people in North India treat the vigraha as one of them or as you would another important human. A person with human needs. People build separate rooms for God and provide air conditioners or heaters depending on the need and even build toilets for Him!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anyway, this post is my way of explaining the differences, without going into too much detail, why in Kerala we have different way of offering prayers from the rest of India.
And I do hope that the people who visit Kerala temples learn to like our way of worshipping God. Different but beautiful.
Please do not get offended when the priests ask you to move away from him when he enters or exits the sanctum.
Please do not wonder why you cannot touch the vigraha.
Please accept our way of devotion.
Comments