India is one of the countries renowned for its religious beliefs and traditions. We have many traditions based on different religions, and living in diversity. Numerous temples of other religions exist in India popular for their customs.
Why are temple festivals so popular?
Temple festivals have their own importance in the cultural background of India. These festivals represent the culture and tradition of a particular temple. These festivals are the root cause of their popularity.
While visiting these temples as a traveler, it is important to attend the festivals and understand the actual beliefs. Doing this is possible with the help of a step-by-step hindu festival travel guide. These steps are explained in brief in the below segment.
Best Ways to Experience Authentic Indian Temple Festivals
- Research about Both the Temples and Festivals in Detail:
Have a thorough research about both the temple you are visiting and its festivals in detail. This way, you will get to know about the culture of the temple and how people dress in the festivals.
- Carry Clothes & Accessories according to the Culture and Tradition of the Place.
As the culture of the temple represents, carry your clothes accordingly. This will help you vibe with the temple’s tradition and get mixed up with the locals faster.
- Be Punctual and Try to Absorb the Vibe
Being punctual is the key to getting closer to the locals because this will show that you are really interested in understanding their culture. Also, being on time will give you more time to adjust to the vibe of the place and the occasion.
- Get involved in the Spiritual Meetings and Understand the Local Vibe
Spiritual meetings are always a good chance to communicate with the locals and understand them properly. Make complete use of such opportunities to get as much involved in the festival as possible.
What to Wear When Visiting a Temple during Festivals?
It is always said that people should wear what they are comfortable with in all places. However, it is also important to wear clothes according to the particular place so that you can fit in them properly. The same goes for temples and festivals.
Wearing traditional and cultural clothes looks good in temples and gives a positive vibe. Also, different festivals have different attires selected according to the traditional and cultural beliefs of the locals. That is why it is important to wear clothes according to the tradition of the temple so that you can mix up with the local people easily. Otherwise, wearing clothes that seem unsuitable for the place and festival will make the locals uninterested in you and you may not be able to adjust to the atmosphere.
Behavioral Etiquettes You Need to Follow in Temples and Festivals
Following proper behavioral etiquette is the most crucial point in spiritual tourism in India. Some of the points explaining these etiquettes are –
- Dressing without Disrespecting:
Dressing in such a way that it covers your shoulders and knees, and not wearing any revealing clothes is the basic decorum of a temple. This is because visiting temples is to respect the Gods and their greatness towards duties.
In such a condition, wearing revealing or short clothes, for both men and women may seem to be rude and disrespectful to the temple atmosphere.
- Not Wearing Footwear inside the Temple:
Make sure to remove your footwear outside the temple before entering. It is to respect the Gods and show them that you value them a lot and genuinely. That is why every temple has a rule to remove the footwear outside before entering inside.
- Maintaining Utmost Silence and being Well-Behaved:
Being well-behaved and maintaining utmost silence is very important in a temple. The main motto of visiting a temple is to find peace of mind and calmness from the outside chaos. That is why maintaining complete silence and peace & being well-mannered is strictly required if you want to visit a temple.
- Do not Touch anything or Write on the Walls:
While inside the best temples for festivals, make sure not to touch anything on the premises, not even the idol. Constant touches may cause damage to the idol and make it difficult for the staff to maintain cleanliness. Also, don’t write anything on the walls. A temple is a public property and writing anything on it will directly be considered as a crime.
Conclusion:
As a travelling enthusiast, you should always explore the best rituals and festivals that a temple is famous for worldwide. This needs some systematic research and at least a basic understanding of the culture and religion in which the festival is celebrated.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the rules and regulations for attending the temple festivals of India?
Every temple and festival has different rules and regulations which need to be strictly followed. Once you have decided which temple to visit and which festival to attend, find out about its specific rules and regulations through offline and online means.
What basic steps need to be followed to attend a temple festival successfully?
To attend a temple festival successfully, you need to follow 4 basic steps properly. These steps include researching the temple, arranging the clothes according to the culture of the temple, being punctual, and coordinating with the locals.
Is it allowed to speak loudly in a temple or during a religious festival?
Temples are for getting peace of mind and finding your own mental calmness. People visit temples to calm out the chaos of the outer world. That is why it may be very unethical and disturbing to make loud noises or speak loudly in a temple. Also, during festivals, speaking loudly would only be good if you were allowed to do so. Otherwise, it may seem disrespectful to the locals and they may get very angry at you for insulting their traditions and culture.
