|
The central statue of Sri Thurkkai, made of black granite. The goddess has the form of Thurkkai with 16 arms. In front of her a sricakra plate. (10.10.2001) |
|
Attached to the shrine room is an even more spacious multi-purpose function room. The hall is used for weddings (see right side) as well as for cultural and political gatherings. The temple has also a kitchen to provide meals for larger functions. (10.10.2001) |
|
In Schwerte, also located in the Ruhr valley, Tamil Hindus founded the Sri Kanakathurkkai temple in 1996. As in all temples, puja is performed on Friday evening. The converted warehouse hall has shrines for Vinayakar, Thurkkai and Murugan. (04.09.1998) |
|
The priest offers light in front of the main deity, the goddess Thurkkai (Durga). On the left is the statue of Vinayakar, to the picture's right side the shrine for Murugan and his wives. (04.09.1998) |
|
The High priest and astrologer Sri Panchakshara Vidyananda Sarma receives offerings such as a banana, a coconut half, incense sticks and camphor from the family to be ritually spent to the deities. The offering tray had been bought at the temple for a fixed amount of money. While the public puja serves to sustain welfare for the world, this family or person related ritual is directed to the welfare of the family or individual person. The ritual is called arccanai in Tamil and an important reason for Tamil Hindus to visit the temple. (04.09.1998) |
|
Tamil food in large bowls and basins is put down in front of the deities. As consecrated food each visitor receives a plate with the various items to be eaten in the temple or to be taken home. Usually the food is given by a family which serves also as the sponsor of the cost to carry out the puja (costs for flowers, oil, expenses of the brahman etc.) (04.09.1998) |
|
The home shrine of a Tamil family from Bielefeld, northern Germany. The wooden self-made shrine is put in the children's room and has a variety of dharmic pictures. (Febr. 1999) |
|
Close up of the home shrine where the husband and his wife pay homage to the gods. Pictures display among others Durga riding the tiger, Sarasvati playing the lute and Ganesha (Sanskrit names given). Various paraphernalia to perform a puja are necessarily part of the private shrine. (Febr. 1999). |
|
The Muthumariamman temple in Hanover (northern Germany). The temple was inaugurated in 1995 and has shrines for the goddess Muthumariamman, Vinayakar, Murugan and the Nine Planets. In the central shrine the priest carries out the offering of light at the evening puja. The shrine's entrance is protected by two female guardians with a cudgel [club, Keule?!]. Obviously, temples are not always filled by bhaktas and only during festive days many people flock the temple. (Nov. 1996). |
|
Special arrangements are made for the performance of the annual temple festival. Consecrated water has been put in numerous vessels in front of the central shrine. The priest anoints these with sprinkling water, carrying out mudras (hand gestures) and speaking mantras. (Aug. 1998) |
