Mainstream WeeklyMy colleague Tauseef (assumed name) knew I prayed at temples daily without fail. Bright and inquisitive, he asked me to take him along to a temple as he desired to know how Hindus worship and what went on in Hindu shrines.
He did have a doubt: Will anyone object to his coming since he is a Muslim?
No, I replied confidently. Most Hindu temples do not bar non-Hindus from entering. In any case, I reasoned, everyone is equal in the eyes of God.
I took Tauseef to one of the oldest south Indian temples in Delhi. As the priest did an arti to the main deity, I saw Tauseef steal a quick glance at what others were doing and copy them. When the priest gave away pinches of vibuthi (holy ash) and kumkum (vermillion), he too accepted them in his right palm and, to my surprise, promptly smeared them on his forehead.
I then showed him the rest of the temple including the smaller shrines housing gods and goddesses, shared its history in brief, explained why devotees flocked to it more on some days of the week, and underlined the main differences between north and south Indian temples.
Before we left the place of worship, Tauseef rubbed away the vibuthi and kumkum from his forehead.