DD & DW did a 5 mile walk to raise money for my Inlaws temple yesterday. This particular brand of Hinduism has some pretty backwards ideas about women. I don't mean to make anybody's blood boil this early in the day but, the women's group were supposed to walk behind the men's group. You know what it's like to get stuck behind a slower runner in a race or nothing's more tiring than the zombie pace you walk through a shopping mall at Xmas time. Well, there were some elderly & out of shape men in the first group. At the end of the walk DD & DW cut across the street & got in front of the men, well I guess they got yelled at & told to stop & let the guys go past them. Very uncomfortable. Talk about demeaning.
I'm not Hindu & this isn't the sect/brand DW grew up following. We just go a few times of the year to make nice for my inlaws. The people are usually very nice but, women & men worship in separate areas & eat in separate areas. It's kind of quaint & I know it's supposedly because men & women can worship better if they're not distracted by a member of the opposite sex. The followers of this particular Swami also can't eat garlic or onions; these foods somehow lead to impure thoughts. I don't know about you but, my impure thoughts are some of my favorite kind.
What really bums me out is DW feels like she's not part of any group. She doesn't feel wholly American & she doesn't feel Indian. She's adrift. I can't reach the part of her that hurts when she feels this way.
All of us are supposed to go on a harbor cruise that the temple is holding next Saturday. DW's not sure she wants to go & I don't blame her. We're going to be stuck on a boat with no escape for at least three hours. If anybody give DW & DD any kind of crap about yesterday it's not going to be pleasant.
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Hi Kal,thanks for commenting. I'm Irish-American & DW is Gujrati so, I never know what anybody's saying at her relatives. The religion my Inlaws follow is not the same one they raised my wife in so, it's awkward for her. Our daughter wants nothing to do with religion period but, this one especially because of its views on women.
Oops,hit send too soon. One good thing did come out of this however. My MIL told DW if she felt more comfortable attending another temple (especially with all the festivals coming up)she would understand. One of DW's Aunties lives nearby & would love to have us come to temple with them.
One funny thing about the men & women eating separately is I have it on good authority the women at temple get the better food. That's fine becasue they're the ones who cooked it.
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