Visiting the Golden Temple

All of us including the little Arav made a trip to a temple which is known as the Golden Temple. I had my doubts on whether the whole temple was actually made of gold or was it painted so to give its name. The elaborate security arrangements at the entrance of the temple complex added some credibility to the claim. This place was unlike any of the temples that I have been to before. The temple complex shaped like a star covered a vast amount of area. The whole place was kept clean with no banana peels or empty plastic bottles lying around. The way to the temple was through a star shaped pathway that spanned across the complex which was surrounded by beautiful gardens dotted with beautiful fountains. They even had an artificial waterfalls set up. Refreshment and souvenir counters were strategically placed to attract maximum clients. The temple was a sight to behold. It was surrounded by a pool which was littered with coins, currency notes and bangles in spite of posters which tell them specifically not to do so. The light from the afternoon sun was gleaming off the gold which covered the temple. The huge chandeliers inside the temple with added to the bling. The deity could be clearly seen in the inner sanctum sanctorum of the temple lit by all the gold surrounding it. In fact the deity was the only structure which wasn’t gold. I tried to concentrate and capture a mental picture of the sight as no cameras were allowed inside.

It made me wonder the reasons behind making this temple. Were the intentions purely to serve god or was it a marketing idea to create an USP for the temple there by attracting audience.

Intentions being godly I mean, the temple being constructed this way in gold so as to appease some gods or such a construction would attract positive energy and disperse it to its visitors. Priority is given to the gods. The healing powers or the mythological legend make people flock the place.

The other intention is making it unique to attract the maximum number of people. Such a land mark construction will increase the value of the surrounding land and there by support business development and increase revenues. Priority is given to the attractiveness to get more people to flock the place.

I don’t disapprove of whatever it might be of the two as it finally comes down to the target audiences which are us mortals and not gods. Some come for the powers they believe the temple wields. Some come to get mental peace and some visit from just a tourist point of view. So there are ‘believers in the power of the temple’, ‘People coming to mental peace irrespective to the god in place’ and ‘the tourists’. I think the objective of the temple would be to convert the tourists to people getting mental peace or believers of the power of the temple, who would intern attract more people and so on.

As for me, I’ll put myself in the tourist stage. I liked the place. These was no instance of hard selling of the temples services at any point of time, just cartful walkthroughs and displays to kindle your wants. The ambience was pleasant; though I would not call that was being mentally refreshed. The golden temple looked like how they show heaven on TV. The only thing missing were the clouds. It did pray but the temple didn’t make me a believer of that deity.

In all it was a pleasant trip for the whole family and the 1st temple darshan for my lil’ nephew. Hari Om…