Dos and Don'ts While Visiting A Temple

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Temples like any other place have their own modes of conduct and list of observances. Although most devotees arrive there with the intention to take a darshan of God and pray to him, they are not aware of the ritualistic ways of conduct that need to be strictly adhered to in a temple. Feeling lost, they flout certain rules and restrictions unknowingly.

There are certain things that one has to comply with, once they are inside the temple. People need to know how to conduct themselves in the temple, although they are not taught or informed prior to their visit. Here are the dos and don'ts while visiting a temple.

Dos and Don'ts while visiting a Temple

What To Do:

1. Vermillion or Tikka: In some temples, archakas or priests apply Kumkum to your forehead or offer it to you to use it. In other temples, sandalwood paste is given as prasad as soon as the tirtha is given.

2. Before entering the temple, ensure that you have taken bath and worn fresh clothes.

3. Entering the temple with your shoes or slippers on is a gesture of disrespect to the deity. You are allowed to wear socks inside but not shoes.

4. Mute your cell phone as the ring can unsettle the peaceful atmosphere inside the temple and sanctum.

5. Pray to deities by folding your hands into a namaste position.

6. Offering fruits or flowers to deities is allowed.

7. By the right hand, hand over your offerings to the priest who will finally take them inside the sanctum and return it with gods blessings.

8. Receive the 'prasadam' with your right hand.

9. If the priest is bringing the mangalarati diya towards you, wave your palm over the flame and bring your palms near your forehead and touch your eyes with your fingertips.

10. If you want to offer money to God, put the money in the hundi or donation box with your right hand as this assures divine blessings. Offering money to God signifies giving up the greed for money and presenting it at Lord's feet.

What Not To Do:

1. Cameras: Most of the temples do not allow photographing the deity inside the sanctum. Keep your cameras hidden once you are inside the premises of the temple.

2. No menstruating woman or girl is allowed to enter the temple area.

3. Do not consume anything nonvegetarian before entering the temple. If you have consumed it, then take a bath before entering the temple.

4. No skin-exposing clothes should be worn inside the temple. One should be fully clad. Shorts, skirts and so on are prohibited. Dress as per the occasion.

5. Do not touch the idols of the deities that are etched in the pillars and walls of the temple.

6. Entry into the sanctum sanctorum is prohibited.

7. Carrying foodstuff into the temple is not acceptable inside a temple.

8. Men and women should avoid demonstrative behaviour inside the temple.

9. Inner Sanctum: In almost all temples, except Tirupati, you do not get a chance to enter the sanctum to worship God. At Tirupati, one has to follow a queue and move in with the line and finally, you get around 15 seconds to pray in front of the idol of the god.

10. Respect the ways and mores of the place and move in and out with the queue.

Disclaimer: The information is based on assumptions and information available on the internet and the accuracy or reliability is not guaranteed. Boldsky does not confirm any inputs or information related to the article and our only purpose is to deliver information. Kindly consult the concerned expert before practising or implementing any information and assumption.