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Running head: A PLACE TO EXPLORE

A Place To Explore
Harpreet Kaur
California State University Stanislaus

A PLACE TO EXPLORE
Few classmates and I chose to visit a Hindu temple called Shree Ram Mandir that is
located in Modesto, California. It is mainly intended for Hindus; however, it is open for every
one. I chose to visit this place because I have always lived among people from this religion and

heard about their beliefs; however I wasnt allowed to go there as a child. The reason being that I
belong to a Sikh religion, and as a child I was told not to bow my head in front of any other god
besides my own. Yet, growing up I realized that its necessary to be cognizant of other religious
places to have knowledge of their behaviors, actions, thoughts, and values.
Description
The temple is located slightly far from the town. From the outside, it looks like a home.
However, it can be spotted from far due to hanging flag with the OM sign and a board with the
temples name Shree Ram Mandir. There are two entrances to the mandir or temple. First
entrance leads to seating area with rows of chairs and tables. This area resembled a covered
patio. One of the walls included a bulletin board with information on upcoming events, temples
address and phone number. Under the bulletin board was a table that displayed several
newspapers that were available in Hindi and English. To the right of the table was another
double-door entrance that leads to the inside of the temple.
The inside of the temple was dedicated to several deities statues: some were showcased
in altars and some were placed on tables. The deities wore beautiful colorful clothes, gold
jewelry, and gold crown. In each altar, they were placed along with their families or significant
others. In addition, a red carpet enhanced the entire floor of the room. Various posters and
pictures of deities decorated the walls. Prior to touching anything, we had to wash our hands and
cover our heads to show respect.

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We went to the temple on a Tuesday around 10 am. The priest, RS, told us that this day is
devoted to Lord Hanuman (R. Sharma, personal communication, September 03, 2013). At this
time, only the priest was there. He was chanting prayers in the front dressed in long white shirt
and pants. While he prayed, we looked around then sat on the ground in front of the Lord
Hanumans statue. About four Indian men and a woman joined us. They were between the ages
of 45 to 50. Men were dressed in casual American clothes such as button up shirt and pants. The
woman wore a traditional Indian dress with a black and white shirt and loose pants. We were all
quiet while the priest was chanting.
Later, the priest sat down to continue praying while pouring milk over a small silver
statue of Lord Hanuman covered in vermillion. Milk is considered pure in Hindu religion;
therefore, bathing the statue with it symbolized great admiration (R. Sharma, personal
communication, September 03, 2013). He encouraged us to come one after another and repeat
these actions. As we practiced, he put a red dot made out of vermillion and sandalwood paste on
our forehead. He stated it was to cool down our minds and provide a relief from the daily
stressors (R. Sharma, personal communication, September 03, 2013). After the prayer, we all
rose up and started to do the aarti as guided by the priest while he chanted. To perform aarti,
we stood in front on the Lord Hanuman and circulated the aarti lamp around his statue. The lamp
was perhaps made out of bronze metal and consisted of cotton wicks and oil. The circulation of
the lamp meant that the entire existence of the universe was presented to him (R. Sharma,
personal communication, September 03, 2013). To further convey this meaning, we circled
around while standing in one spot at the end of the aarti. We followed by placing fruits close to
Hanumans feet to have them be accepted by him. At the end of this session, Sharma provided us
some general information about the temple and Hinduism.

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Information
As observed during the visit, Hinduism is a polytheistic religion. There are various
deities; however, some people choose to follow only a few. The deities represent the different

forms of a Supreme God. Moreover, each day is dedicated to a particular deity and color: Sunday
for sun god and color is red; Monday is for moon god and shiv and color is white; Tuesday is for
mangal devta and hanuman, and color is red; Wednesday is for budh devta and color is green;
Thursday is guru god and color is yellow; Friday is for shukra god and color is white; Saturday is
for shani god and hanuman and color is black. During these days, the colors are included in form
of flowers, fruits, and dresses. For instance, on Tuesdays, Hanuman is offered red fruits and
flowers and covered with red vermillion or sindoor.
Some Hindus hold a strong belief in astrology. However, it is different from the western
astrology in that each zodiac sign is determined by the time of the birth and motion of the
planets. In other words, a zodiac sign is assigned to a child depending on the position of the
planet when he or she is born. Moreover, the positions of these planets continue to hold an
impact throughout ones life. It is recommended that people move their plans around when rahu
or ketu, names of planet in Hindi, is suppose to be on one of their day. Also, they should stay
careful during that day because a mishappening can occur (R. Sharma, personal communication,
September 03, 2013).
In contrast to avoiding bad days, there are few days that are considered holy in Hinduism.
One of these days is the day of Diwali. For Hindus, this day holds a similar importance as
Christmas holds for Americans. On this day, Ram, one of the gods, returns to his kingdom after
14 years of separation. Diwali is known as the festivals of lights and is celebrated by lighting
lamps throughout the house and businesses. Its considered a fortunate occasion to start a new

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task in life. Therefore, some choose to get married, start a business, release a movie, and even
play cards (Diwali, n.d.).
Worldview

Hinduism worldview is determined by samsara and karma (Hinduism, n.d.). Samsara is a

recurring cycle of birth and rebirth. Moreover, it is believed that a soul doesnt decease, but after
death, it is transferred to another form of life. The soul can be passed to a human or an animal.
Moksha, or liberation, provides an end this cycle of birth and rebirth. Karma is an act of cause
and effect. It is believed that a good action will lead to desired reaction, whereas, a bad action
will lead to an unwanted reaction. These reactions can occur in ones lifetime or after rebirth
(Flood, 2009).
Purpose
Hindus view life through a spiritual perspective. By praying daily for a deity, one has a
goal to focus on. It prevents the mind from wandering around and leading towards corrupt
actions. Moreover, covering heads, washing hands, and placing deities at a higher level
demonstrate that respect is central part in Hinduism. It indicates that authorities should be treated
with dignity. Through astrology, life becomes somewhat predictable. It is apparent that there is
connection between the universe and human life.
Implication
While providing care to the members of Hindu religion, nurses must remain conscious of
their beliefs and practices. They might want to pray during an illness and try to achieve relief
from that instead of taking medications. In addition, they may prefer traditional remedies to
western medications. Some Hindus tend to be strict about their diet. They may only eat
vegetarian food and refuse hospital food. Moreover, Hindus are very family-oriented. They may

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want to consult with their elders before forming a decision. Women may find it uncomfortable to
wear open back gowns and being examined by doctor. Nurses can ask ahead of time if they
would like another gown and if they favor a female doctor (Jootun, 2002).
Observation
Visiting the temple was a wonderful experience. As an observer, I felt welcomed and
appreciated. It didnt seem like I was an outsider. The followers and the priest were generous
enough to let us participate in the prayers. Its definitely amazing to see the ceremonies or
prayers and the rationale behind them. Besides praying, temples provide an opportunity to escape
from a stressful routine. Therefore, we can start fresh after clearing our minds.
No matter what religion it is, the basic philosophies remain constant. A religion intends to
discipline, inspire, and unite its followers. Hinduism follows this ideology by encouraging daily
prayers, astrology, and karma. It seems to be a complex yet modest religion. It is complicated
because of various deities and their roles. Nevertheless, the lifestyle of Hindus is very modest
and grounded. It is definitely a remarkable and motivating religion.

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References
Diwali . (n.d.). BBC - Homepage. Retrieved from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/hinduism/diwali.shtml
Flood, G. (2009, August 24). BBC - Religions - Hinduism: Hindu concepts. BBC - Homepage.
Retrieved from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/concepts/concepts_1.shtml
Hinduism. (n.d.). Patheos Library Hosting the Conversation on Faith. Retrieved from
http://www.patheos.com/Library/Hinduism.html
Jootun, D. (2002, April 9). Nursing with dignity. Part 7: Hinduism | Practice | Nursing Times.
Nursing practice and peer-reviewed clinical research for all nurses. Retrieved from
http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-with-dignity-part-7-hinduism/206286.article

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