shoes off at temples

sgodfrey · Jan 18th, 2009, 21:13

I understand that you need to take your shoes off at temples and other places. Can you put them into a bag and take them in with you or is it required that you leave them outside and pay to have someone watch them?

Indizen · Jan 18th, 2009, 21:20

No leather items like shoes or belts can be taken inside a temple.
There is usually a counter where they take your shoes for safe-keeping, and you leave a small tip in the end.

indiaprof · Jan 18th, 2009, 21:25

It is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to leave your shoes outside of temples and mosques. If you know anything at all about Indian culture, rest assured that no one is going to steal your shoes. If you are not willing to do this, do not violate the sanctity of the shrine by going into it.

These are not museums. They are places of active worship.

devorenm · Jan 18th, 2009, 22:24

As indiaprof said it is critical that you leave your shoes outside, In visiting numerous templs and mosques, buddhist, hindu, sihk, and muslim no one ever stole my shoes. That is not to say that it doesn't occassionaly happen. Consider it an occupational hazard but it would be very offensive to carry your shoes into the temple possibly even to the point of being asked to leave.

Nick-H · Jan 18th, 2009, 22:34

Quote:

no one is going to steal your shoes.

It is not impossible, but it is unlikely --- and it is a risk that you just have to take.

sgodfrey · Jan 19th, 2009, 00:07

Thanks for the clarification. I actually did not think they would be stolen, but thought it would be easier to keep them with me. I will certainly plan to leave them outside.

Nick-H · Jan 19th, 2009, 00:21

You should leave them at the official place, if there is one. Even if it says free, you can give the guy a few Rs for taking care of your shoes.

indiaprof · Jan 19th, 2009, 00:26

Most temples and mosques, of whatever religion, often hire some old guy to sit outside the gate and watch your shoes. I'm a shoe guy rather than a chappals guy, and I actually find it rather pleasant to run around barefoot for a change.

You pay a little money - usually a few roops - and they often even give you a little ticket for your shoes.

By the way, most people would consider your shoes to be ritually impure. No one in India really wants another person's used footwear.

It's a bit too personal.

Some places let you wear socks, some don't. Just be aware that during midday, the open stone-paved areas of temples and mosques can get really, really hot. They even put down bamboo matting for people to walk on, but not always.

windrider24584 · Jan 19th, 2009, 00:44

Popular temples/mosques are well guarded and they have few stalls who take care of not only your shoes also mobiles/ cmaeras/any other prohibited article just for Rs 1 or 2. Remember, a lot of people would like to steal any other article but only fewer thieves would be interested to steal used shoes.
If its a not so popular place where you can park your car just outside you may keep it inside your vehicle or adjacent flower shops.The real problem what happens is if you dont use shops that use tokens shoes often serve the purpose of a football unknowingly and it gets lost. In some rare occasion, shoes of same make, colour, size makes life hard as you have to decide "Is it really mine?"

Nick-H · Jan 19th, 2009, 01:47

London temples can be treated as shoe shops by the dishonest. I know a couple of people who have lost shoes. I was with someone it happened to once.

I was advised to put my two shoes apart from each other.

Keshava · Jan 20th, 2009, 09:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

London temples can be treated as shoe shops by the dishonest. I know a couple of people who have lost shoes. I was with someone it happened to once.

I was advised to put my two shoes apart from each other.

When visiting a temple or mosque that enjoys high attendance - there is also the possibility of your sandals being lost among the hundreds or even thousands of others that pass through the gates after you. I've been a number of times at temples where I thought my footwear was stolen - only to find them buried under those who came a little later than me. Especially at Sankata Mochana Mandir in Banares.

palerider · Jan 20th, 2009, 09:19

We had a roster system at the ashram. On sundays a lot of day trippers from Bangalore came coz we had a satsang entirely in Kannada language.
All their favourite Bhajans were sung, so a lot of people came. We had to stop people wearing their chappals in to the mantap.
Some people got very shirty when you asked them to remove their footwear.
Especially coz I'm a westerner, maybe.
Most people just looked embarrassed and apologised.
Bringing something dead into a holy place of active worship is a no no.
But I think you got it.

livinhimalayas · Jan 20th, 2009, 09:42

Be careful where you leave your shoes in a temple. Happened to me once at a hanuman ji temple in Lucknow, went for a darshan on a tuesday and came back to find my chappals missing and a dirty filty torn pair sitting there instead. I preferred to walk bare feet to the nearest chappal shop that happened to be in the up market Hazratganj area where half the shopkeepers were my fathers friends. Had to go into the shop bare feet and caused a lot of amusement for them and embarrassment for me! So leave your shoes and chappals at a place where they give you tokens for your footwear.

RWeHavingFunYet · Jan 20th, 2009, 10:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgodfrey

I understand that you need to take your shoes off at temples and other places. Can you put them into a bag and take them in with you or is it required that you leave them outside and pay to have someone watch them?

YES, you can take your shoes with you if you're planning to see George W. Bush.

edwardseco · Jan 20th, 2009, 11:42

Nick has it closest to my experiences in his posts. I have never had it happen perhaps because of the awful footwear (chappels) that I wore. But, others have to the tune of discomfort and hilarity. I give them to be kept at the paid establishment A few Rupes means not having to walk barefoot. Less scrupulous types simply find an alternative in the collection and the circle keeps spinning. I have few alternatives given my hathi sized foot.

At Jain Temples this may include belts...

Jan 18th, 2009, 21:13	#1
sgodfrey Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: new jersey Posts: 14	shoes off at temples I understand that you need to take your shoes off at temples and other places. Can you put them into a bag and take them in with you or is it required that you leave them outside and pay to have someone watch them?

Jan 20th, 2009, 09:19	#12
palerider this is Brad. He's cute Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Armidale, N.S.W., Australia Posts: 2,226	We had a roster system at the ashram. On sundays a lot of day trippers from Bangalore came coz we had a satsang entirely in Kannada language. All their favourite Bhajans were sung, so a lot of people came. We had to stop people wearing their chappals in to the mantap. Some people got very shirty when you asked them to remove their footwear. Especially coz I'm a westerner, maybe. Most people just looked embarrassed and apologised. Bringing something dead into a holy place of active worship is a no no. But I think you got it. __________________ I always wanted to be someone when I grew up, I realise now that I should have been more specific.

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Jan 18th, 2009, 21:20	#2
Indizen Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: MUMBAI Posts: 2,507	No leather items like shoes or belts can be taken inside a temple. There is usually a counter where they take your shoes for safe-keeping, and you leave a small tip in the end.

Jan 18th, 2009, 21:25	#3
indiaprof Account Closed Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: In the past, most of the time Posts: 820	It is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to leave your shoes outside of temples and mosques. If you know anything at all about Indian culture, rest assured that no one is going to steal your shoes. If you are not willing to do this, do not violate the sanctity of the shrine by going into it. These are not museums. They are places of active worship.

Jan 18th, 2009, 22:24	#4
devorenm Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Cleveland, OH USA Posts: 29	As indiaprof said it is critical that you leave your shoes outside, In visiting numerous templs and mosques, buddhist, hindu, sihk, and muslim no one ever stole my shoes. That is not to say that it doesn't occassionaly happen. Consider it an occupational hazard but it would be very offensive to carry your shoes into the temple possibly even to the point of being asked to leave.

Jan 19th, 2009, 00:07	#6
sgodfrey Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: new jersey Posts: 14	Thanks for the clarification. I actually did not think they would be stolen, but thought it would be easier to keep them with me. I will certainly plan to leave them outside.

Jan 19th, 2009, 00:21	#7
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,189	You should leave them at the official place, if there is one. Even if it says free, you can give the guy a few Rs for taking care of your shoes.

Jan 19th, 2009, 00:26	#8
indiaprof Account Closed Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: In the past, most of the time Posts: 820	Most temples and mosques, of whatever religion, often hire some old guy to sit outside the gate and watch your shoes. I'm a shoe guy rather than a chappals guy, and I actually find it rather pleasant to run around barefoot for a change. You pay a little money - usually a few roops - and they often even give you a little ticket for your shoes. By the way, most people would consider your shoes to be ritually impure. No one in India really wants another person's used footwear. It's a bit too personal. Some places let you wear socks, some don't. Just be aware that during midday, the open stone-paved areas of temples and mosques can get really, really hot. They even put down bamboo matting for people to walk on, but not always.

Jan 19th, 2009, 00:44	#9
windrider24584 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: KOLKATA Posts: 188	Popular temples/mosques are well guarded and they have few stalls who take care of not only your shoes also mobiles/ cmaeras/any other prohibited article just for Rs 1 or 2. Remember, a lot of people would like to steal any other article but only fewer thieves would be interested to steal used shoes. If its a not so popular place where you can park your car just outside you may keep it inside your vehicle or adjacent flower shops.The real problem what happens is if you dont use shops that use tokens shoes often serve the purpose of a football unknowingly and it gets lost. In some rare occasion, shoes of same make, colour, size makes life hard as you have to decide "Is it really mine?"

Jan 19th, 2009, 01:47	#10
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,189	London temples can be treated as shoe shops by the dishonest. I know a couple of people who have lost shoes. I was with someone it happened to once. I was advised to put my two shoes apart from each other.

Jan 20th, 2009, 09:42	#13
livinhimalayas still learning Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The Abode of Snow Posts: 3,337	Be careful where you leave your shoes in a temple. Happened to me once at a hanuman ji temple in Lucknow, went for a darshan on a tuesday and came back to find my chappals missing and a dirty filty torn pair sitting there instead. I preferred to walk bare feet to the nearest chappal shop that happened to be in the up market Hazratganj area where half the shopkeepers were my fathers friends. Had to go into the shop bare feet and caused a lot of amusement for them and embarrassment for me! So leave your shoes and chappals at a place where they give you tokens for your footwear.

Jan 20th, 2009, 11:42	#15
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 5,841	Nick has it closest to my experiences in his posts. I have never had it happen perhaps because of the awful footwear (chappels) that I wore. But, others have to the tune of discomfort and hilarity. I give them to be kept at the paid establishment A few Rupes means not having to walk barefoot. Less scrupulous types simply find an alternative in the collection and the circle keeps spinning. I have few alternatives given my hathi sized foot. At Jain Temples this may include belts...