Westminster Cathedral

Our final trip together was to the magnificent Westminster Cathedral, near Victoria station in central London. A stunning, almost Byzantine-style building, which is perhaps even more beautiful within than it is from the outside. We were met this time by Tom who took us inside and into the baptistry to learn about and discuss Catholicism and the cathedral. He gave us a brief history of Catholicism in England, particularly since the time the Henry VIII and the schism that would later outlaw the practice of the popish tradition in the country for 300 years. He enthusiastically regaled my avid little gang of wide-eyed English students with the history of the schism and the now age-old animosity between Catholics and Protestants and some of the implications and reverberations in modern times in parts of Scotland and Ireland for instance. He described martyrdom in the catholic church and the oppression adherents had suffered over the centuries. 

He told us that the cathedral had been designed in this astonishing fashion, because its founders had wanted to stand apart from Wren's Anglican St Paul's. Most Catholic cathedrals will adhere to either a classical style, such as St Mark's in Venice or the Sacre Coeur in Paris, or else a gothic style is used as in il Duomo in Milan or Notre Dam in Paris. But the Gothic element in London already existed in the shape of Westminster Abbey, just down the road. The Abbey has long since been the second home of the Anglicans so that wouldn't do either. The Catholics in London wanted a distinct, unique temple in London and this was the spectacular answer they came up with.

Tom went on to describe the core beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church: how Jesus, when he departed this world, left the church in the hands of St Peter, who became the first pope. 

He described how protestant groups had rejected the idea of a pope but Catholics still revere the hierarchy in The Vatican and that that was one of the key differences between Catholics and Protestants. Also that Catholics believed in praying to saints as well as Jesus. We learned a lot from Tom's introduction and everyone seemed to keep an open mind. He was then struck by a barrage of questions, which I found very gratifying as the teacher, even if the grammar occasionally missed the mark - they were making themselves understood, and that is the most important thing. 

There was some pretty tough material coming up, including such controversial issues as the prohibition of contraceptives in parts of the world where AIDS/HIV is a particularly big problem (Catholics are usually against any kind of artificial contraceptive). Tom took the questions coolly and answered with clarity, confidence and patience. His personal attitude to that specific issue seemed rather enlightened and less conservative than you might imagine. I was impressed and I think the students were too. Many of my students are from Latin-American countries and therefore have a Catholic background themselves. There were some heated exchanges between some of them and one or two of my Muslim students, but all in an amicable and respectful spirit of learning.

After the discussion time we thanked Tom and then separated to wander around the vast Cathedral with its spectacular mosaics. Tom tells us they hope one day to complete the whole of the building in this style. To finish the trip we all went up the tower together to see the view over London (don't bother with the London Eye - it's much cheaper at Westminster) and then finally we went our separate ways for the last time. It's been an amazing experience. I've learned a great deal through these visits over the past couple of months. I intend to revisit these place often as long as I live in London. The constant revelries through the modern wheel of the year: at Eid, Hanukkah, Diwali, Christmas and so on, Water festivals at the Thai temple and concerts at Westminster Cathedral: it's all there and all free! This is a side of London, in my estimation, not to be ignored by the tourist, nor by the Londoner either.

London Central Synagogue

We had two trips in our final week together to complete our temple visits project. On Wednesday we attended the London Central Synagogue near Regent's Park. From the outside it is a fairly unremarkable building, particulary in contrast with some of the other places we've visited. I suppose physical impressiveness is not a particular prerequisite of such a place. Who would they need to impress? If someone wants to go, they will find it, as we did. We were met by Raquel Amit, who had been thoughtful enough to invite us to visit the place on the week they had a special exhibition (more on that later). When we first entered, all the boys were asked to wear a kippah or 'skull cap'. According to Raquel, men need something on their heads to remind them that there is something above them (God), whereas women are altogether more spiritual beings and don't need the same reminders. I'm inclined to agree on some level...

We all went in to the synagogue proper and sat together whilst Raquel pointed out the main features of the building. She told us that, during the services, men sit together in the lower part and the women are together in the upper part (imagine a stalls/balcony kind of arrangement). This is to prevent members of the congregation for distracting one another away from the true purpose of being there. She enthusiastically went on to ask one our party to read a word 'in Hebrew'. A text was presented and a nervous student peered cautiously to where Raquel's finger was pointing, smiled and read 'Amen'. This was a fun introduction and, all being suddenly endeared to our hostess, we relaxed as she went on telling us all the ins and outs of Judaism.

We were led up to the ark of the covenant at the head of the hall, which was unchained and opened to reveal some rather fantastic looking scrolls - proudly embellished copies of the Torah. From in front of the scriptures, Raquel answered a number of questions about the scripts, the building (which had been bombed during the war and so was apparently only a shadow of its former self), the community and her own personal beliefs. She explained that at this particular synagogue, they were all orthadox Jewish, as distinct from the more liberal 'reform' Jewish synagogues and the far stricter haredi or 'ultra orthadox' communities.

Out of sincere curiosity I asked her about creationism and the origins of man in the face of the scientific proof of human communities living many thousands of years before that which is asserted by come creationists. I had recently heard an interview with an ultra-orthadox rabbi who insisted that the age of the earth was less than 6000 years. I was asking in earnest but she seemed a little nervous. She said that the age of the earth was unknown, and that the 'six days' of creation described in the Torah may have been figurative ones, but that the first human was certainly Adam, and he was created in much the way described in those scriptures. We could have spent all day learning about and discussing the particulars of the faith and I'll certainly go back for more, but we had to move on with our experience.

We were taken out side to the sukkah - an outdoor space, annually converted into a temporary hall, decorated (in this case) with plastic fuits and branches. The sukkah space is used during the week of the sukkot festival, when remind themselves that it is a priveledge to have a roof to sleep under, and that you walls may fall down any time and you could be stuck outside. Raquel told us that during the festival, the community would eat outside together in the sukkah, and that some people even slept out there. Now being in London, and being aware of this town's sky's propensity to rain and any given moment, one of my students asked whether they really stayed outside if it rained. Raquel smiled sheepishly and admitted that if it started to rain, most people tended to move inside and simply remembered to be grateful for the roof.

From the Sukkah, we were taken into the Shul - the children's synagogue. It was like a miniature version of the main synagogue, but just for the kids. I wonder if the word 'school' is related to 'shul'... We sat down in the pews and Raquel went on to explain a few more bits and pieces. For example there is a tablet above the children's ark with ten characters inscribed on it. It represents the ten commandmets received by Moses on mount Sinai. Each of the characters, we're told, represents the first letter of each of the commandments in Hebrew. There are alos a couple of prayers inscribed on plaques and placed on the walls. One is a prayer for the British royal family. We're told that all synagogues bear plaques and recite prayers for the ruling family of whichever country they are in. It is a way of expressing gratitude for the hospitality of that nation.

Raquel then took out a miniature scroll from the ark and invited us to have a look. In small groups we filed to the front to get a good look at a real parchment copy of the Torah - the first time most of us (including me) had seen one. while we were all taking it in turns to peruse the curious scroll we continued to bombard poor Raquel with endless and annoying questions whcih, to her credit, she answered patiently and clearly enough for my students to really get an education. I learned a lot as well - Judaism has such a rich religious tradition and I knew so little about it all. I'm grateful to our teacher for her patience and clarity - we all gained a lot.


To finish our visit we were taken to the aforementioned exhibition via the open doorway of an international conference of canters downstairs, and listened awhile to one of them (I believe he was Hungarian) singing to a room full of solmen-looking, well-dressed men. It was clearly the perfect day for our visit. The exhibition had been produced to show what life had been like for the Jewish people in Lithuania during the seconds world war. It included artworks, texts and film, largely derived from a series of interviews with holocaust survivers from the once thriving Lithuanian community. This eshibition has since moved on from London but most of the work is available to see online at http://www.livingimprint.org/survivinghistory.

We were left to explore the harrowing but often inspiring texts and images from the project to finish our time in the synagogue before wandering back out into the middle of Englsnd beating Slovenia in the world cup match - the excitment had spilled out of all the local pubs and it was a little strange for us to come out of this curious little world behind the doors of the synagogue, into quite another. We managed to find a pub that wasn't showing the game though (so it was empty), and we discussed our experiences together over a drink.

http://www.centralsynagogue.org.uk/

London Central Mosque

This week we visited the London Central Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre next to Regent’s Park. We went on Thursday 10.06.2010 because Fridays are altogether too busy – up to 10 000 Muslims attend the prayer at this mosque on a Friday. I had arranged to meet Omar Saddique: the LCM and ICC’s Public Relations Coordinator, to be our guide through the Mosque and Islam. Omar was very excited by our visit because, despite looking after around ten thousand visitors a year, he claimed never to have had guests from some of the countries represented by my classes such as Japan, Brazil or Colombia.

Once we were all gathered Omar took us into the prayer hall just in time to observe lunchtime prayer at one o’clock. In the prayer hall the Imam (leader of the Mosque) came to lead the prayer, while all the men lined up and prepared. All the women meet in another prayer hall and follow exactly the same prayer. The voice of the Imam is channelled into the women’s hall through a P.A. system. For the purposes of our education, all my students, male and female, observed the men’s prayer in the main hall. This degree of openness surprised us a little and it was a much-valued experience. This was my first time at a mosque as well, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect. I was glad that we were all able to remain together for the experience.

Our female company were asked to cover their heads out of modesty and respect. Many questions about the dress code of Muslims, and of the apparent segregation of men and women were raised. One of the first things that Omar spoke of after the prayer was finished was the emphasis in Islam on modesty. He also covered his hair and wore a long, loose-fitting garment. It was made clear that things such as beauty and sexuality are not so much suppressed in this community, as celebrated – the difference from my experience and understanding of beauty and sexuality, and that of many of my non-Muslim students, is that in Islam and Islamic culture it is restricted to the institution of marriage. In public, with unfamiliar people, one is modest and covers up. For this reason men and women pray separately and wear loose-fitting clothing to conceal all the lumps and bumps and the hair that my students and I (and perhaps you also) take for granted.

Omar made a clear distinction for us between Islam as a religion/faith in general, including what the Qur’an and Hadith actually say, and the idiosyncratic cultural attributes of specific communities and nations, which vary dramatically depending on where you are in the world. One of the great things about being an English teacher in London is getting to meet people from all over the world and forming relationships with them. It’s quite an education in itself. I have had Muslim students from both Sunni and Shi’a backgrounds, secular, religious and orthodox, from Algeria, Morocco, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, France, Iran, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Albania: all over really. I'm no expert on Islam, but I’ve seen a large and diverse spectrum come and go through my classroom and the distinction that Omar draws is, I believe, a very important and pertinent one when considering the position of women in Islam. Omar asserts that men and women are considered equal in the eyes of God, if, perhaps, with different roles/responsibilities in society derived largely from the restrictions of our respective physiologies. I pressed him about whether or not women could become Imams. He explained that, while it is technically possible, women were never likely to do this because they would be busy taking care of their children. He emphasised the fact that mothers are the first point of education for children and that this is a very important role. Imams are required to give more time to their social and religious duties than most mothers could afford, so it simply doesn’t happen. There is a page on women Imams on wikipedia, for what it’s worth, if you’re interested…

Something that surprised many of my students was his response to someone's question about Jesus Christ in Islam. There appeared to be a misapprehension that Muslims don’t believe in Jesus. This was quickly and enthusiastically dispelled by our guide. Jesus Christ, it seems, has a very important role in Islam and he is venerated as one of the most important prophets, right up there with Moses and Abraham. They believe in his message of peace and in his miracles. The difference between Islam and Christianity on the subject of Jesus Christ is that, in Islam, Jesus was only a prophet and not the divine son of, nor the physical manifestation of God. His miracles are the miracles of God, done through His prophet – that is all.

The most important prophet is Mohammed ibn ‘Abdullāh (there are various spellings of his name in English), considered to be the last prophet of God, who came to clarify and confirm the teachings of the Bible and deliver from God, through His Angel Gabriel, the final message for man, written down for all in the final Holy Book – the Qur’an. Every time Mohammed's name was mentioned Omar quickly uttered "Peace and Blessings be upon him". This is apparently something that all adherents of Islam are supposed to do in remembrance of their great prophet.

Another revelation, that came as something of a particular surprise to some of the Roman Catholics among our group, was the reverence for Jesus’ mother Mary. Since becoming a teacher I have occasionally encountered a certain disdain for traditional Arabic and Turkish dress, particularly scarves and other head coverings. Indeed it seems to be a hot topic of debate throughout Europe at the moment. The English dictionaries I have looked in will tell you that hijab is: 'The headscarf worn by Muslim women, sometimes including a veil that covers the face except for the eyes'- www.dictionary.com. Omar explained that the hijab is more a way of life than specific garment, and applies to both men and women. Hijab even extends to such things as hair (beard etc) as well as head coverings and other clothes. Omar explained that the garments and scarves worn for hijab by Muslim women are based on the modest clothing of the Virgin Mary. Mary is one of four women who are considered to be the great, pious women of Islam and are role models for all Muslim women. These also include the Pharaoh’s wife Asiya, and both the wife and the daughter of Mohammed: Khadijah and Fatimah. For the men, the Great Prophets are their role models: Moses, for his strength, Jesus, for his kindness, peace and love and, among others, the most important is Mohammed, who has a balance of all these qualities.

After our lengthy but fascinating and enlightening discussion in the prayer hall, Omar took us upstairs to show us the library. He wanted to make it clear, and I feel I must pass it on, that it is absolutely vital to a mosque that it should have a library, and that if it didn’t it wasn’t really a mosque. Some of my Turkish students pointed out that there are mosques in their country that don’t have libraries. I suppose that’s just another facet of the diverse and eclectic nature of Islam. The library, we’re told, contains various texts in at least 48 languages (we were also told that there are 400 languages spoken in London!). We were handed over to the librarian, a charming and charismatic Egyptian called Abdullah, who made us very welcome and answered a few more questions for us. He is clearly very proud of his library and reminds us that it’s a place for learning for all, so go and have a look!

There is a shop on site as well, which sells everything from clothes to dates and honey, all kinds of books, DVDs and all sorts really. There is also a very reasonably priced restaurant – I recommend the potato and spinach dish – very tasty. We always seem to end up eating on these trips…

Omar spoke with us in the prayer hall and answered our questions for over an hour and a half and it would be nigh impossible to capture all of what was discussed in this humble blog so I have kept to some of the most interesting and unexpected elements of our discussion here. If you have more questions about Islam though, I can say with confidence that you will be welcomed at the LCM and ICC and their library and you can contact Omar Saddique directly at visits@iccuk.org - I know he won't mind me saying that.

The LCM and ICC have all kinds of exhibitions, lectures, inter-faith projects and social events throughout the year. You can find out more at their website which is www.iccuk.org

The church of St Stephen and St Thomas

On Thursday I happened to wander by the charming Anglican Church of St Stephen and St Thomas in Shepherd's Bush and, having grown up in Devon around so many of these beautiful buildings so particular to this island, it occurred to me that I really ought to include a proper, English Anglican church in this project. St Stephen’s seemed ideal: a beautiful, mid-nineteenth century church, sadly missing its spire due to a WW2 bomb but never the less a very attractive building.

So, on Friday (June 4th), I decided to take the kids along. I phoned the church late in the morning and spoke to the vicar, the reverend Dr Bob Mayo, and threw the idea at him quite unannounced. He was, naturally, quite thrown by my request at such short notice but graciously acquiesced and we arranged for a meeting later that day.

At two O’clock I arrived with my first class of students and met Bob outside the church. We were taken around to the front of the building where we gathered and listened as Bob introduced himself and his church. Here they have a shiny brand new extension built for social occasions and the like, of which Bob is, naturally, very proud. He was keen to explain that in the Christian tradition it is believed that God came to earth in the form of Jesus Christ and that God and man are inherently connected or ‘mixed’ as he put it. As such, the building extension is very much that: an extension, not a separate building. The religious and social elements of the church community, tradition, practice and lifestyle are all part of one and not separate entities. He further demonstrated this point by taking us into the new hall (complete with a rich, new-hall smell - nice!) and then through to the church proper.

Once in the church my students and I were asked to explore the building and search for crosses. We were to count the number of crosses in the building, from grand, obvious adornments to subtle decorations on cushions and miniature crosses hidden about the place. Most of my students counted around fifteen or so but one, keen young Colombian managed to find 155! Well-done Tibisay… We gathered back around at the front of the church where Bob revealed the purpose of this exercise and drew our attention to one cross that we may have all missed. The missing cross to which he referred was the building itself (http://www.freewebz.com/bunkertown/www/church-floor-plan425.gif) He showed that, from a birds-eye view, the building was designed in the shape of a crucifix; so central is this symbol to the Christian faith.

We were then brought down to the far end of the church, to the font: a kind of large pedestal in which to baptize children. Our guide explained the journey through life in the church: It begins as an infant at the font end of the church known as the narthex, immediately after you enter the church building. You then continue down through the nave, where all the pews (long wooden benches) are, up to the chancel at the centre of the church where you are married (Anglican vicars, unlike their Roman Catholic counter-parts, are allowed to marry and Bob tells us he is, very happily, so). Finally, in the sanctuary of the church, beyond the altar, you are laid out for your funeral service. This is the journey through life in the church.

Bob then went on to compare and contrast the Bible and the Qur’an (several of my class are Muslim). He explained that, as he understood it, the Qur’an is believed to be the direct word of God, whereas the Bible is about God, written by people and is to be interpreted. One of my Muslim students, Adil, while agreeing that the Qur’an is indeed the word of God, suggested that it also requires a good deal of interpretation and study to be understood.

When questioned about their impression of the place, my students responded with such words as ‘history’, ‘peace’, ‘calm’, ‘religion’, and other, similar ideas about the church as a building. Bob went on to explain enthusiastically that, while the church is a nice place to be for quiet and calm, that it was made complete only by the people and that the people are the heart of the church: “The church is nothing without people” he said.

With that we thanked our guide and went on our way. The church of St Stephen and St Thomas has a service at 10am every Sunday morning and, so we’re reminded, all are welcome. Certainly the Reverend Bob was very welcoming and hospitable and we are very grateful for the experience. If you want more information about St Stephen’s, their website is http://www.ststephensw12.org/

Khalsa Jatha: The Central Gurdwara

Our third excursion was to the London Central Gurdwara in Shepherd’s Bush, two minutes from our school. We were met by a charming Malaysian lady called Savender Kaur, who was to be our guide for the afternoon. We removed our shoes and covered our heads as custom and respect requires (some of my students chose to wrap their jumpers around their heads rather than use one of the head scarves provided by the temple…) and went into the Gurdwara to sit in the company of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib: the Sikh holy book. There are no pictures or statues in the Gurdwara as this, we're told, is discouraged in Sikhism. There is only a shrine at the centre of the hall, decorated with flowers and swords. Central to the shrine, resting on its throne, is the Guru Granth Sahib, which is revered above all things and treated with the same respect as a human; dressed daily, kept warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and put to rest at night in its own special bedroom.


The only images found on the walls (apart from text extracts from the Granth) are the two most well-known symbols of Sikhism: the inscription of Ek Onka which, we’re told, means ‘One God’, and the Khanda, a very recognizable symbol which is found on a large orange flag outside every Gurdwara, to help people find their way.

We gathered round and listened as Savender shared with us the particulars of the Sikh tradition. She began by explaining that the word Sikh means to learn, that Guru is teacher, and Dwara is hall. So, a Gurdwara (or Gurudwara) is a teacher’s hall; a place for people to come and learn.

The Sikhs follow the teachings of a line of ten Gurus (teachers), beginning with Guru Nanak Dev in the 16th century and ending with Guru Gobind Singh, who died in 1708. The teachings of the ten gurus were written down in a huge volume, which is the eleventh and final, living guru: the Guru Granth Sahib. The original, hand-written manuscript is still in the Harmandir Sahib or Golden Temple http://www.sacred-destinations.com/india/golden-temple-of-amritsar in Amritsar, in the Indian state of Punjab.


Savender explained that Guru Nanak disliked some of the long-established institutions practiced in India and sought to abolish them. These included the caste system, the practice of black magic, superstition and the worship of images and statues. He made all humans equal and, even now, in any Gurdwara, all are equal and sit down together to eat on the floor. My students and I, all being equal, sat down together at the table rather than on the floor, but the principle stands…

Other gurus established further traditions, such as institutionalized charity, that form fundamental aspects of modern Sikhism. All Gurdwaras offer food for the hungry and beds for the homeless and are run entirely on donations (Sikh’s give 1% of their income as a tithe). Another guru established ‘seva’ (voluntary service), which, with the reading of the ‘bani’ (a daily reading of the Granth, always posted on a blackboard outside the Gurdwara and often sent via email and text message to subscribers) form the two most important parts of a Sikh’s daily life.

When Savender had finished telling us about these things we were shown examples of the five Ks, which all Khalsa Sikhs wear at all times. They are (sorry if my spelling is off...):
Kesh: uncut hair – Sikh’s never cut any of their hair.
Kanga: a wooden comb to hold their hair in place.
Kara: an iron bracelet.
Kirpan: a curved sword (young initiates wear a tiny one, less than a centimeter long, attached to the kanga).
And Kachera, which are a bit like boxer shorts and are worn at all times. We were shown only a picture of these...

We then observed the Granth, being careful never to turn our backs toward it, as a woman melodiously read aloud from a page written in the original Gurmukhī language. The whole of the Granth is poetic and, as it is read aloud, you get a sense of the rhythm of the text, which is pleasing to listen to.

After this we all went down to the communal kitchen to share lunch. Savender and her colleagues kindly provided us with a mix of lentil and potato dishes with salad, rice, chapattis, and a delicious hot pickle. I think I was the only one who had the pickle – it was a little fiery…

If I have missed any details (and I have) it is for the sake of brevity, but the Gurdwara (as all Gurdwaras) is a place of learning and is always open if you wish to learn more. I’ll be going along on Wednesday evening for a recital of the Granth with traditional musical accompaniment. I might have a little more of that pickle too…

ADDITIONAL: Last night some friends and erstwhile students of mine came with me to the Gurdwara to observe the hymn recital there. It was a special occasion for the Gurdwara, a year since the passing of one of their friends, so a feast had been prepared, which was generously extended to us. After dinner we went up to into the Gurdwara proper to observe evening prayer and scriptural readings. Savender and her friends were there to guide us through and help with occasional translations and explanations. There are also English and Latinised Gurmukhī translations/transcriptions projected onto a large screen.

After this there was an address from an elderly man whom I understood to be a relative of the royal family in Punjab, whose father or grandfather or something had been present at the opening of the central Gurdwara in 1908 (the first in Europe). He recounted anecdotes of his first experiences in Europe when he visited the UK on a state visit and also, if I understood correctly, rubbed shoulders with the likes of Adolf Hitler …

A little before eight O’clock, a group of musicians and singers gathered to begin the hymn recital and it was very much worth waiting for. I recognized one of the melodies from somewhere, though I’m not sure exactly where. There was tabla, harmonium and some beautiful singing. Occasionally the congregation (of around 70 or 80 people, I suppose) joined in. It’s quite something and I recommend getting along. Keep an eye out on their website http://www.centralgurdwara.org.uk/ but I believe there are similar recitals most Sundays and Wednesdays.

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan

On May 21st we made our second temple visit, this time to the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir in Neasden. The weather was beautiful so we were all in a good mood to begin with. After checking in we were met by Shashi Kanabar, a representative of the Mandir, who began our tour by showing us a short (13 minutes) film about the history of the temple. The temple was completed in 1995 after three years of intense work by a largely volunteer force. It is built from marble and limestone, sourced from Italy and Bulgaria respectively, which was first shipped to India, to be delicately carved by Indian craftsmen, before being shipped back to London for construction. It's certainly an impressive building and should be a must for any tourist visiting London.

After the film we went up into the temple proper to view the Murti (statues imbued with the spirit of God). The Murti include such faces as those of Krishna, Rama and his wife Sita, Rama's good friend Hanuman the monkey warrior, the ever popular Ganesha and, of course, Lord Swaminarayan and carvings of his various incarnations, including the present one, His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

We were then invited into a large meeting room to discuss Hinduism with Mister Kanabar. He answered a couple of questions for us and then continued to describe some of the particulars of the Swaminarayan tradition. He began by telling us that in order to be a Hindu you must be a strict vegetarian, specifying no meat, no fish, no eggs were allowed in the Hindu diet but milk, sourced from their sacred animal the cow, is apparently OK. Alcohol and cigarettes and other such pollutants are not permitted. Neither are you allowed to eat onions or garlic on account of the fact that they give you a nasty temper. I objected on the grounds that onions and garlic provide huge health benefits (apart from being delicious) and he advised that they use haldi (turmeric - also pretty tasty) in place of them for all kinds of health-associated ailments and for general well-being (I bought a bag from the market at the temple...). Instead of nasty chemicals to fend off garden pests, garlic is grown to scare away slugs, and the ash from incense is used to keep ants away – sound advice!


He then went on to the question of respect for one another, using the analogy of a rabbit living in the jungle, which seeks the respect of his sinister neighbours (snakes, tigers and such). He suggested that we must consider every one a danger, a threat and an enemy. He said that we shouldn't make close friendships because it leads to suffering when the relationship inevitably ends or goes through turbulence (as they do). We were told that this must be so in order to survive, clarifying that ‘survival’ included happiness and that this was impossible to maintain if we allow ourselves to form friendships with others. I am trying to be as objective as possible here and merely report the events of the day, and that which we were told, as accurately and unbiasedly as possible, however I should say that, to my western ears, this idea seems completely alien. I took it all to mean that one should focus on one's relationship with God, and not allow oneself to be distracted by the suffering inherent with worldly relationships: Mister Kanabar, please, by all means, correct me or respond to this if you like, for us all to better understand.


Finally he told us some of the important factors of the life and influence of Lord Swaminarayan himself. He was born in 1781, in the dark time between the Moguls and the British Raj. He embarked on a journey of spiritual enlightenment, leaving home at the age of eleven and walking for seven years, without clothes or money, across the length and breadth of India. His followers came to consider him an incarnation of God (Brahma). When he established the Swaminarayan tradition he made some important reforms, by way of abolitions. The first thing to go was the caste system, then sati or widow burning (the practice of surviving widows burning to death on the funeral pyre of their late husbands), which some claim, outside the Swaminarayan tradition of course, still occurs in India sometimes now (the last recorded instance was in 1987 – www.hinduismtoday.com). Finally, he abolished the dowry system (the practice of the bride’s family offering gifts and money to the groom at the time of a wedding). He saw dowry as very difficult for poor families, who had little to offer. The dowry system, it is claimed, has led to mass abortions of female fetuses, as well as many murders of young wives in India (up to 100 000 a year, generally aged between 15 – 34, usually through arson. – The Straits Times - http://blogs.straitstimes.com/2009/3/5/dousing-out-bride-burning), freeing up men to remarry and receive another dowry. The details I have provided here are taken from having read through numerous articles in Indian and non-Indian publications and are intended to serve to show why the abolition of these institutions has been so popular, as described by Mister Kanabar. It is not only the Swaminarayan tradition that has abolished these practices – dowry and sati are illegal in India today, though dowry is still, if we are to believe the press, widely practiced today. Our guide tells us that it was Lord Swaminarayan who first called for the abolition of these institutions (The Moguls tried to ban sati burning before that) and that for this he is celebrated and venerated.

Mister Kanabar spoke enthusiastically about the coming technological age, and how we will soon have cars that take you from A to B automatically while all passengers sit and read the paper - an exciting prospect! I asked about whether he believed that some of the stories we had encountered at the temple (for example that Lord Ganesha had his head replaced with that of an Elephant) were true; whether he believed that such things literally happened, in the way that, for example, some Christians believe in the virgin conception, or other such miracles, literally happened. He confirmed that he did not. His focus is on the truth of Shri Swaminarayan, and that the old stories of the epics provided such things as moral guidance, but are not considered to have literally happened.


After our time in the temple we visited the market, which is well stocked with all kinds of Indian (and non-Indian) goodies, including lots of sweets. Some of my students and I took advantage of the buffet lunch of Gujarati specialties at the restaurant there – highly recommended!

The Mandir is open to the public throughout the week. More details can be found at http://www.mandir.org/


ADDITIONAL: On the bank holiday Monday just gone, at the invitation of Shashi, I went along to the opening festival of the new Shri Sanatan mandir in Alperton in Ealing, a few minutes from my house. From the outside it’s an impressive building, as you can see, but inside it is really quite something. It’s like a greatly expanded version of the temple at Neasden – there must be thirty or more Murtis, few of which I recognized, but there were some familiar faces like Ganesha and Hanuman. There are two great domes, colourfully lit up and beautifully adorned with all kinds of figures including swans and peacocks as well as human figures. It’s not far from Neasden so, if you’re making a trip to see one mandir, it’s as well to see the other while you’re in the area.

Wat Buddhapatipa Thai Temple

The first of our class trips to the temples of London was the Wat Buddhapadipa Temple in Wimbledon, south London on Friday May 7. We were met by Phramaha Paisan Khemacaro - one of the temple's monks and a very friendly fellow. We all sat together in the temple itself, before the enormous shrine of the Buddha and amidst the murals of the temple walls. The vibrant murals depict scenes from the the Buddha's life, as well as various scenes from around time and space including the faces of Charlie Chaplin, Margaret Thatcher and other well-known characters. Some of the great structures from around the world, such as the Taj Mahal and the Eiffel Tower, are also included in the paintings.

Paisan began by explaining Buddhism as he sees it, as a monk of the Thai Theravāda tradition. He tells us that the man Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, was just that; a man. He explained that when Lord Siddhartha broke the cycle of Samsara (the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth), he left the world and the universe and is, effectively, no more. It is the ambition, we're told, of the Buddhist monk to do the same: to bring an end to suffering, to attain Nirvana.

He explained that many lay Buddhists believe that when the man Siddhartha died (in around 410 BCE), he became a god, and that praying to him can help in their lives, or that he can offer some kind of protection. They believe in certain miracles such as that when the prince Siddhartha was born in a forest in India, he immediately began to walk and that where ever his new-born feet touched the ground, there sprung forth a lotus flower to cushion his tiny feet.

When certain of my class pressed him about his idea of God, Paisan explained that, as a monk, he does not trouble himself with such questions or beliefs. There is no question of God for him - no concern of any divine creator and sustainer. Ever-grinning, he teased my students as they earnestly and avidly attended his words, explaining that it was his parents that created him. He explained that asking questions about who or what created us was not unlike a warrior, struck by a poisoned arrow, inquiring of his doctor first about the nature of the poison, or the name of the man who fired the arrow, before allowing the doctor to treat the injury or purge the poison.

After answering some more questions and discussing Buddhism a little further, he kindly demonstrated a chanting of the Pali canon for us. It was lovely to hear and he clearly enjoyed giving the demonstration. Then we all went out to explore the beautiful four-acre site of the temple, from the ponds and gardens, to the little thoughts and messages inscribed on tablets here and there and the many little shrines, statues, gods and memorials about the place.

www.londontemplevisits.blogspot.com

The temple is open to the public at weekends and there are free meditation classes offered on certain evenings. For more information: http://www.buddhapadipa.org/