Posted on: 24-07-10 23:20:36
We moved to Ajax recently and started liking this place. Now that we have unpacked everything I started searching for Mandir's around Ajax (importantly Hanuman Mandir)I was overjoyed
when I saw Devi Mandir
http://www.devimandir.com/ where there was hanuman bhajan on Tuesdays . I wanted to visit the mandir today just to get familiarised we (me and my husband) went around 8:15 pm (website says 8:30 pm arathi) when we entered the premise I was surprised looking at the huge building (as I expected a small warehouse sort of thing) Me and my husband were quite impressed as it had huge garden area too. We slowly walked towards the mandir I see some tens' of cars(we thought mandir might be absolutely packed)I saw men in salwar kameez...women in dazzling sarees(from far away)I really was happy to find the mandir.....once I got near oh my! What do I see??? men(in nice salwar kameez)smoking and more shocking was woman in sarees smoking too...one of the lady's palu dropped...
me and my husband walked by....staring at them....I still could not believe what I was seeing....
We entered the mandir and I see there is a function hall where there was a party going on.....then i understood those who were smoking(and possibly drunk) were there for the party....we walked upstairs where the temple was there....once I was there felt good. However I am disappointed and disheartened by what I saw. The mandir people give out the party hall for functions/parties however they should be strict rules like no smoking/drinking in the temple premise. This was the first time I was at the temple so did not want to make it a big hush hush. However I hope rules are set!
prince
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http://www.pictaram.com/user/pannapantry/3267403800
Quote:
Originally posted by prince77
once I got near oh my! What do I see??? men(in nice salwar kameez)smoking and more shocking was woman in sarees smoking too...one of the lady's palu dropped...
Certainly disappointing and a rare site. Seemed more like "Dum Maro dum" party. Did you try calling temple/mgmt and protest? Post here if we can be of any help to raise concern. May have to check first that if the hall really belonged to temple.
Good thing that inside temple was holding its sanctity.
Though I must say that your husband is a lucky person that you walked with him by the women and let him stare as well especially the one with pallu dropped.
Address of mandir ?
next time take pictures .
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You know you are a desi when ........ You spew forth the virtues of India, but don't want to live there...............You've never had a tanning salon membership
Quote:
Originally posted by Loser
Address of mandir ?
next time take pictures .
Link to Mandir webiste -> http://www.devimandir.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
It's also got a link for photo's, not the kind the op experienced
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SS
Reiki Grand Master
Hi prince77,
We too moved to Ajax a year back and were delighted to find Devi Mandir.
Our experience was somewhat like you. When we first visited and entered from the side(and the only entrance) we saw a party going on and some non-vegetarian food being served.
I did not quite like that given that you have signs saying do not enter the alter with any kind of leather items on you.
The temple's main hall is neat and well kept, but there is just something about that temple that did not give us the feeling of "a temple". So we don't go there any more and do the drive to Scarborough's temple on Morningside.
The temple is primarily run by Guyanese of Indian origin and they might have slightly different customs, which might explain some of the functions that are allowed in the function hall there. What was weird was that during prasadi we noticed a sign of no onions/garlics allowed in the kitchen, but still there was non-veg allowed during a private function.
Thnaks for higlighting this problem. this will be a good guidance to the other desis. I find that the south indian and Gujrati mandirs are the cleanest and properly managed.
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You know you are a desi when ........ You spew forth the virtues of India, but don't want to live there...............You've never had a tanning salon membership
The Mandir is possibly managed by Guyanese Hindus.
We visited Devi Mandir way back and haven't seen anything like this, may be we went during weekdays and no parties were going on.
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A Proud Indian Canadian
