Hindu Temple visit – appreciating major world faiths
On Thursday 24th October, Year 4 visited the Shree Hindu Temple in Leeds. Talbot visit the Shree Hindu Temple every year to learn about the Hindu faith and to experience a Hindu place of worship and it is an excellent opportunity for the children to learn about faiths different to their own.
This year the children were invited to attend morning prayers which is called a puja ceremony. As the children entered the prayer room, the first thing they noticed was the incredible shrine in front of them which included bright colours, pictures and statues showing many of the different gods. Hindus believe that there is one God but that God has many different parts.
During the ceremony itself, the worshippers chanted mantras and rang bells to let the gods know they were there. The priest wafted incense around the shines and used a diva lamp to light them. He splashed water to bless the gods and the worshippers. Some of the children had the opportunity to ring the bells and it was a lovely experience for them to be able to join in with the ceremony and to gain an understanding of how Hindus worship.
Thank you once again to everyone at the temple, who arranged for the children to visit and made us feel so welcome.
