Hindu Voice UK, May 2008

We recently received a letter from a regular reader of Hindu Voice UK, complaining about certain events and activities at a newly set up local temple. The writer, who is a Mauritian Hindu, has asked for her name not to be published..

Recently I discovered a new Hindu temple in my local area of Seven Kings (on the outskirts of Ilford). It has been erected as a large marquee and temple structure in the owner’s garden and is available to access 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This seemed very admirable, and I was looking forward to checking out the temple and its activities.

I decided to attend one of the temple functions, a Mauritian Party which was advertised as being a Hindu cultural event. The purpose of the event was to raise funds for the temple and I decided to support the event by turning up with my whole family.

Upon arrival I was shocked to see crates of beer being ferried into the venue hall by the Temple members. Still, I decided to wait and see before passing any judgments, so I took a seat in the crowd.

Things became a little better when the actual show began. A beautiful Bharatanatyam dance, together with explanations of the dance and its connections with Hinduism was performed as the first item. The dancer brought alive the Gods & their Divinity while she danced gracefully. Seeing this dance, I was very happy that I had brought my children to the event.

But this feeling came to an abrupt end just after the recital had finished. A couple of scantily dressed girls came onto the stage gyrating suggestively to lyrics from a Tamil film song, while men in the crowd were whistling. While I sat there baffled, the beers began to be distributed amongst the crowd. What followed was like a general nightclub scene, in which people were drinking copiously on the dance floor while popping out periodically for cigarettes.

Now I’m not naïve – I know that this is the way many people live in this country, including some Hindus, and it doesn’t necessarily make a bad person. But surely, such behavior totally violates the sacredness of a temple? If people want to organize a general party, why advertise it as a Hindu cultural event and why have it in a temple premises?

As a mother of two young children, I want to teach them about Hinduism in a way that will make them confident to be able to resist the binge drinking and loutish behavior that is all too common in Britain. As such, I decided to leave the event with my family, lest they take what they see to be a justification of intoxication and licentious behavior.

Please note: The pictures on this page are not taken from the premises which are the subject of the above letter. We are in the process of contacting the administrator/owner of the temple in question to give him a chance to reply to the points made in the letter.