Places of Worship
There are no rules given in scripture about when Hindus should attend the temple. However, many Hindus use the temple as a place of worship on significant days or festivals. Many temples are dedicated to a particular One god or goddess. In Hinduism, the word for gods and goddesses that many Hindus believe are different aspects of the one Supreme Spirit (Brahman). and contain statues or images of that deity. These statues or images are called A statue of a god or goddess which has been made holy through a special ceremony; a term for any statue of a god or goddess..
Hindu worship is often referred to as The word most Hindus use for an act of daily worship.. It involves many different aspects, such as images (murti), prayers, A sacred (holy) prayer or word which often is chanted or sung rather than just spoken. and offerings.
Features of worship
- Worship at the temple 鈥 There are some temple A religious ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed in a set order. that Hindus believe will help them communicate with the deity they are focused on. For example, as part of their worship, they may walk clockwise around a shrine that has a statue (murti) of the deity in its innermost part. They may also bring offerings such as fruit and flowers to be blessed by the deity. This is quite a personal worship experience, but it takes place in a communal setting.
- Worship in the home 鈥 Many Hindus have their own shrine at home. This is a space where they place images of selected deities that are significant to them. Hindus tend to worship at home more often than they worship in a temple. They commonly use their home shrine to make offerings. The shrine is considered the most holy area of the home.
- Worship at holy places 鈥 In Hinduism, worship does not need to be undertaken in a temple or other building. It can also be undertaken outdoors. Holy places where Hindus worship outdoors include hills and rivers. One of these holy places is the mountain range known as the A mountain range in Asia containing some of the world鈥檚 highest peaks, including Mount Everest.. Hindus believe that these mountains are integral to God as they represent the Hindu god, Himavat. In addition, Hindus consider many plants and animals to be Holy, related to God. Connected to a religious purpose.. Therefore, many Hindus are vegetarian and always act with loving kindness towards living things.
The Bhagavad Gita encourages Hindus to worship God with loving devotion (9.14). It also says
I am the act of offering (9.16). This encourages Hindus to make offerings at their shrines at home and in the temple as part of the act of worship.