Jan 31, 2007

of temples & shoes

i've never been very religious. i do have faith that there is something there. or someone. but who or what it is, i do not know. i think they term this as being agnostic.
but i very sincerely do not believe in idol worship. i don't believe that god *as we know him* exists in temples. and that to visit him u have to leave ur shoes outside. or maybe, it's because we have to leave our shoes outside, that i don't want to go inside?

i've been like this since i was a kid *as far back as i can remember*. i think it all started when i was warned by some well-meaning relative to leave my shoes in the car while we visited the temple. *i must've been 5 or 6 then*. on being asked the reason *yeah, i was just as irritating back then as well. i HAD to know y*, they told me that there was a possibility of my shoes being stolen! STOLEN? if they can't take care of my shoes, why do they want me to take them off? *i don't think they had paid shoe-racks back then* that had such a deep impact on me that i stopped going to temples. unless dragged or emotionally blackmailed.

that's how i realized that i have a very strong connection with my footwear. i don't remember the last time i walked bare foot *after the age of 5. before that, i barely remember anything!* except for the beach, where i keep my footwear safe in the car. this also helps to keep sand out of both - the car & the footwear. even if they're flip-flops!

i even dislike removing my footwear outside someone's house when there're lots of people there. i dread the thought of someone else's footwear finding it's way on top of mine, or toppling mine over. my aunt had explained the logic of this process to me, which i have now forgotten. *it did make sense then, tho*

i also, preferred churches to temples. this had little to do with me having gone to a convent *like my relatives thought* and more with the fact that i could keep my footwear where it belonged! i think that's why i feel more at peace in churches than in temples. my mind's not outside!

come to think of it, it's actually been an awful lot of years since i visited a temple. i think i must try it sometime. now, i've heard, they even have paid shoe-racks. where they ensure that our footwear is safe. must give it a try.

2 comments:

Fuzzylogic said...

Lol,I have heard it all now:)I have heard from lot many friends the reasons why they don't usually prefer going to temples but not going because you just didn't want to remove the shoes was something I hadn't heard:)I can understand the fear.That's one reason I used to heed the advice of my granny,always wear the oldest and most bad looking worn out pair to the temple.I have managed to lose couple of my best ones out there where they didn't have those paid shoe racks.Now many of them have those shoe racks and as you say you can now peacefully go inside without constantly worrying about your shoes.I too don't believe in the concept that god is only in the temple,or in that said idol,I acknowledge the presence of a higher power yes but not exactly as everyone is asked to perceive.I don't mind however going to temples but I prefer going there when there is not so much of crowd,I used to hate when mom used to force me into them during festivals when there's a huge mob like people each one pushing each other.

rayshma said...

heyy fuzzy! i SO hate crowds! put them in a temple, and that kind of doubles my dislike! lol!
i will go to a temple soon. and shall let u know how that goes! :))