Temples should allow non-Hindus, agree?

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/British-national-enters-Jagannath-Temple/articleshow/6023882.cms

[quote]PURI: A British national who entered the Sri Jagannath temple premises, where foreigners are barred, sent the administration into a tizzy today.

The 25-year-old British national, Steven Galaro, spotted by sevayats in the temple was caught and handed over to the police.

The tourist was handed back by the police to the temple administration, who after thorough verification and scrutiny of let him off, police sources said.

The tourist was allowed to go after verification of his antecedents as there was no rule for taking action in such cases, a senior official of the temple administration D P Panda said.

As Galaro had not entered the sanctum sanctorum, temple rituals remained unaffected, he said.[/quote]

Handed over to police? Ridiculous! time to do away with such silly rules in our temples. There are other temples also which do not allow non-Hindus (some go to the extent of not allowing Dalits..shameful!). Govt must make it legal for anyone irrespective of religion to enter our temples.

This is atrocious. I thought we were more civilized now and were done with old practices like barring lower castes, other religions and other races. The people who run that temple should be imprisoned for racial discrimination and then sued by Hindus for religious misrepresentation and defamation.

Originally posted by: return_to_hades

This is atrocious. I thought we were more civilized now and were done with old practices like barring lower castes, other religions and other races. The people who run that temple should be imprisoned for racial discrimination and then sued by Hindus for religious misrepresentation and defamation.

I could write so many things ... but ... still would write "it is perhaps the freedom of anarchy practiced by some groups/individuals which drives souls into forbidding other souls to worship or express their respect/regard or fulfill their curiosity - on the basis of gender, background and religion ... somethings through force, sometimes through words".

Why do places of worship have such kind of restrictions ? Some temples forbid even females from entering their premises ! Any logical reason?

Religion and religious rites have always been closely tied with power and social status. Discrimination whether against women or minorities is mostly the result of one group asserting dominion over another and pushing them to a lesser status. It is also the result of organized religion at its worst establishing a very rigid power hierarchy. While many religions and sects have reformed such archaic and clearly discriminatory practices, some prevails in the garb of tradition.

Mosques do not allow women. Many Hindu temples do not allow women. There are still many Hindu rites and rituals that are forbidden for women and priests in certain sects refuse to interact with women. Even Buddhist monks keep women separated. Most religions have restrictions on female priests and preachers. It is unfortunate that we allow these practices to continue.

In a democratic country any institution that discriminates or bars people should be unconstitutional and shut down. One may argue that religion is private, but it is private for personal practice. Once it is publicly practiced it is opened up. A Wal-Mart or a mom and pop shop cannot legally bar any race, religion or group from shopping even though they are private establishments on private property.

On a positive note many religions and sects have reformed. Temples that were once forbidden to many people are open to everyone. Many subsects are open to female preachers, priests and religious heads. You could be anyone and most civilized practitioners will openly welcome you to share their beliefs and traditions.

It's disgusting. 🤢 We guys have no idea as to which extent can these "aristocrats" go in the name of religion. how can the Govt. help here, temme that? They're are several hundred other laws which the Govt. has passed but nobody follows em, and how are they going to control such people who've been doing the very same thing since AGES?

Thats Vote bank politics in a "secular democratic" country !

Wow that's surprising! I have never come across any temple that forbids women, lower castes, or any non-hindus from entering and I have been to quite a lot of temples. I may be wrong but I think this happens more in smaller temples? So I am quite surprised this happened in Sri Jagannath Temple. Over here every year we have a procession in Leicester and many British people get involved so it must've been quite a shock for the poor guy.
If you visit Siddhivinayak, Maha Laxmi, ISKCON temples etc they welcome everyone. The only temple I know that has some sort of segregation is the Swaminarayan temple here in UK (it's the largest temple outside India) where men and women have to enter separately but both are allowed and so are visitors. Frankly I'm quite surprised that a British national was forbidden from entering.

Paul Merton (british comedian) recently did a show where he went to India and they showed him going to a lot of temples all over India and it didn't seem to be a problem at all. :S

Btw, it seems like not only non-hindus are kicked out but hindus themselves are sometimes not allowed in to this temple. Here's a comment from the link you posted SS:

"I am sure Lord Jagganath would have left this temple long ago. I have been to this temple - all you come across are thieves and thugs in this temple. Why British National, they don't even allow your Hindu child to enter the temple. I and my wife are born Hindu. We visited this place about a year and half ago. I had my 9 months old daughter with me. I was not allowed to enter with her - the excuse given was she could defile the sanctity of temple. I decided there itslef God cannot reside at such a place."

This also doesn't just exist with Hindus but in fact with a lot of religions. No non-muslim is allowed to enter Mecca, those who follow zoroastrianism and marry a non-parsi are no longer allowed to enter their holy place of worship, in fact in strict christian countries like spain you will see very strict rules too. I still believe that in general this is not a huge problem though. Places like Shirdi, Vaishno Devi, Ajmer Dargah etc all allow members of different faiths no matter what gender they are or whatever their caste is. :)

Just to clarify a point, mosques actually allow[s?] women. But the women are made to pray in a corner unlike the men, who takes over the whole mosque. The place where women pray is covered heavily with drapes and all (so that men's eyes do not reach them, lest they commit a sin). (Take it from someone who frequents mosques almost every week).
Reason given is that since visiting/going to the mosque isn't compulsory for the women as it is for the men, women seldom goes to mosques, as such, men are given more spaces unlike women.

Personally, mosques or any other place of worship can be a great way of socialization for people. As such, I feel these things need to be reformed. But can you actually change things that were practiced for over a thousand years?

Originally posted by: PhoeniXof_Hades

Just to clarify a point, mosques actually allow[s?] women. But the women are made to pray in a corner unlike the men, who takes over the whole mosque. The place where women pray is covered heavily with drapes and all (so that men's eyes do not reach them, lest they commit a sin). (Take it from someone who frequents mosques almost every week).
Reason given is that since visiting/going to the mosque isn't compulsory for the women as it is for the men, women seldom goes to mosques, as such, men are given more spaces unlike women.

Personally, mosques or any other place of worship can be a great way of socialization for people. As such, I feel these things need to be reformed. But can you actually change things that were practiced for over a thousand years?

Most of the kids here go to mosque every day after school (primary school) for Islamic school where they get taught how to read arabic and lessons on religion etc but as soon as primary school is over (approximately aged 11), the girls don't go to mosque. Infact I don't think I have ever seen a female above the age of 11 go inside a mosque for friday prayers or for ramadan or anything else for that matter.

I have no idea how those little kids in primary school managed to have time to themselves because as soon as school would finish they would go to the mosque and only come home at around 7.30, where they would eat their dinner and most people would just sleep after that. 😕

I like the idea of a religious place of worship being a place to socialise and not a place to spread hatred through hate speech to try and instigate and brainwash people. Gosh I was so scared after watching the BBC panorama show where a reporter went undercover to some mosques where some guys were preaching against the west.