Finding Hinduism

This week, about twenty of us checked into the huge and very ornate Hindu Temple in Neasdon for a home educational session on the history and role of Hindusim. Yes, we were at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, 105-119 Brentfield Road, Neasden, London, NW10 8LD. Wow! The place took my breath away!! The pictures (some of those on this page are from the website) do not do it justice.

A few things to note before visiting:

• If you live as far away as we do (on the London/Kent border), it’s a long journey though on paper, it appears straightforward. The website provides good ‘how to get here’ guides but do be prepared for the looong train ride from Central London and the slow moving buses from any of the nearest station. It’s probably quicker to walk. For those driving, there is a free car park.
• Security is airport-like. Bags and cameras are not allowed past the gates (though the bullet-proofed security man may allow you some quick snaps, using your camera, within the forecourt). These must be left across the road in a hut situated in the car park. Mobile phones and palm-size purses/wallets can be taken in. Medical bags are also allowed. Be prepared for additional scan checks at the entrance.
• Shoes must be left in pigeon holes by the reception desk. There are loads of these for men/women.
• Try to get there as close to 11am as possible so that you can take part in the daytime wonderful and moving Arti – the Hindu ceremony of lights. I will happily travel back there just for this.
• Food and drinks are absolutely not allowed within the temple grounds.
• Have funds available for the superb buffet in the Shayona Restaurant situated in the Mandir car park. The food is to die for… and I’ve never been keen on Indian food. Everything was freshly made and so delicious, so much so that my very fussy kids had numerous servings. It was dirt cheap as well. And oh, leave some change for the spice shop next door.
• The Arti ceremony has separate spaces for males/females of any age. Some parents requested that their kids be allowed next to them, and these were granted. Unsure if a similar request would be accepted if attending with a partner of the opposite sex.
• Allow some time to visit the exhibition. It is about £2 per person.

So, how did the educational session go? Well, on arrival and after the security bits were out of the way, we all sat/laid on the lush carpet behind reception to settle in. When our guide arrived, we were led to one of the halls in the Haveli for a presentation on Hinduism; this  included a video on the history of the Mandir.

We then headed upstairs to participate in the Arti ceremony at which Sadhus (Hindu monks) waved lit candles before the sacred images placed within an extravagant golden shrine, accompanied by very moving prayer songs. Once over, we were led round the back to receive blessings from a lit candle and to do the Darsham – viewing the sacred images. Apparently their costumes are changed several times daily. More information on the Arti can be found here.

After the Arti, we headed back to the Haveli for the exhibition; it had so much going on that we left for a final question/answer session, and then returned to complete the knowledge seeking mission. Even the kids had things to do and see.

We rounded off the lovely day with a visit to the restaurant but not before a trip to the Mandir shop where we bought some wicks and a stand, a bell, some fridge magnets, incense sticks and a book for Lyon. He was so fascinated by the religion that he insisted on getting the Hindusim FAQ book. He also decided to return home barefoot, to the bemusement (or bewilderment) of rush-hour commuters in Central London.

 

Our next religion trip will introduce us to Islam. We will be visiting the Baitul Futuh Mosque in Morden. It is Britain’s largest mosque and one of the largest in Western Europe. Looking forward to that!

Going for Buddha

I think I put a post out recently (too lazy to check) regarding visiting places of worship in order to introduce interested home educating families to various religions. Well, we made a start yesterday by visiting the Buddhapadipa Buddhist Temple in Wimbledon.The plan was to learn about the teachings of Buddha in a practical and kid-friendly fashion.

Getting to the temple was a bit of a journey (for us) as it involved two trams, two trains, a bus and some walking, but we got there eventually, rearing to go. Well, we were ready to go… but the monks had other ideas; they had gone for an early lunch. No one warned me that monks had breakfast by 5am and lunch by noon, away from the temple.

Though our home education event was scheduled to begin at 12.30pm; we eventually started at about 1.15pm. The good thing was we had plenty of time to roam the grounds for photo opportunities.

The session was great when it finally got going. The monk was very good with the kids; we covered the origins and teachings of Buddhism, and he explained the meanings behind the wall murals. We did some chants, meditated and learnt a few Thai phrases.

The walls of the temple were a sight to behold – shame I did not take enough pictures. It was fascinating to discover the modern day symbols included in the paintings – Superman, Margaret Thatcher, etc. My personal favourites were the piercing eyes.

 

At the end of the two-hour session, we all received the string bracelets tied by the monk whilst he recited some prayers.

For anyone interested in a visit and going by public transport, just hop on a bus from Wimbledon station and alight at the stop by Calonne Road; from there, it is about 3 minutes walk. There is free car park if driving. The address is 14 Calonne Rd, London SW19 5HJ.

Our next trip is to the very ornate, very grand BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasdon, London. It is recognised in the 2002 Guinness Book of Records as being the largest Hindu temple outside India. Really looking forward to the visit.