Religious Experiences in America

Though the posts will be mainly off the main subject of the blog, but whenever I visit a temple or church in the US I remember my numerous travels in India. When I visited and studied religious spaces there. Through these posts I am trying to remember my country and the spiritual experiences out there in comparison to my experiences here.

During the past several years I have travelled across India several times. I have had the good fortune of visiting other countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, UAE  and the US. Though 99 % of my travel was spurred by a quest for adventure, I took this opportunity to visit religious shrines, pilgrim centers and places of spiritual interest. The diversity of the places of worship of different religions is simply amazing. There are some similarities but then there are striking differences too.

The amazing stone sculptures in Hindu temples, onion shaped domes in mosques, colourful murals and larger-than-life images in Buddhist Gomphas, etc are simply beautiful. Irrespective of the faith, a place of worship in my opinoin is a place of great peace where one goes to get minds recharged and get a proper direction to life. Whenever there is a crisis which we can’t solve we look up to this superior power for advise, support and salvation.

But my travels in America have been one of the most different experiences so far. This is my first time in a developed country and everything is complex and simple at the same time. For the first time I came across temples located in shopping malls, subject to rental and lease agreements and moves. Temples and religious incorporated as companies and not charitable trusts as is the norm in India. For the first time I see temples built of sheets of wood, centrally air conditioned with heating and cooling, etc. Indeed religion is differently practiced in the US, be it Hinduism or Christianity.

This is a quaint temple located at Jalori Pass (10,900 ft asl) in Himachal Pradesh, India. A common regional belief is that prayers offered at mountain tops reaches gods quicker. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, one of the three presiding deities of Hindus. Sited in the Himalayan foothills this region gets very cold during winter and boasts salubrious weather during summer.

I shall sign off for now. Will post more pictures and write more in subsequent posts. I have a rich collection of pictures of religious spaces, captures in my camera in the countries and regions I have visited.