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This past weekend I went on a tour of Bangalore with the other 10 students in this session of my program and the director of the program here at Christ University. We saw various parks, religious sites, government buildings, and restaurants.

We spent time in a Hindu temple that worships Krishna, a Mosque, and a Sikh temple. Each place was beautiful in its own way and I really appreciated being exposed to these other religions and educated in some of their rituals and beliefs. The one common tie between each place of worship was the need to clean your hands and feet before entering. The idea behind this is rather simplistic, but logical: we should be clean in body, heart, and soul before presenting ourselves to the god (goddess in some cases) of our choice.

Each place was beautiful and humbling. I especially appreciated the ability to walk through the Mosque as it has been traditionally closed to non-Muslims. We were the first group of students allowed to enter and the gift was not lost unto us. As soon as we entered the gate, there was a great sense of peace that came over me. The ground was clean and the landscaping well maintained. No one walking in or around the grounds spoke, but the silence was not awkward and instead it added to the sense of peace and well being. The architecture of the building was incredibly beautiful, true to the history of Muslim construction. The manager of the Mosque walked us around, acting as a guide, and instructed us in many of the Muslim ways. When we left, we were even welcomed back . . . as long as we were properly garbed next time. (Burkas for women.)

The Hindu temple was huge, filled to the brim with worshipers and tourists alike. There were many levels, but the top floor was the most beautiful; the artwork was breathtaking. There was a gigantic gold covered shrine that worshipers could file past and pray to. The ceiling was covered in lovely paintings, similar to the style you would find in old cathedrals, but done Hindu style. There was a roped off area in the middle of the floor for people to sit and pray or just rest and find peace. The lower floors were markets of a sort. A certain percentage of all the goods sold (usually religious items and/or food) went back to the temple for community service type of things.

The Sikh temple required us to cover our hair before entering, and was the simplest of all the places of worship. There was a small shrine in the middle of the room upon entering and a priest sat nearby singing and praying. The floors were covered in white cloth and the walls were unadorned. I was most impressed with the basement level that was dedicated to feeding the hungry. Anyone of any religion was welcomed into the temple for food anytime the temple was open. The food was donated anonymously by members of the Sikh faith and surrounding community.

Overall, I was greatly impressed with the similarities of all three religions: Focusing on purity and community service. (I should also note that I visited a church and cathedral as well, but the experience was not quite as spectacular for me as it has become rather commonplace in my normal life.) I hope that I will be able to continue visiting the local temples and religious sites in India and further my education on the many religions that exist peacefully together here.