SITE VISIT WORKSHEET

You will use this worksheet for both your Eastern religion visit and your Western religion visit.

Name: ____________Patricia Bernabe-Alonso____________________

Where I went:___________ Sri Ganesha Hindu Temple____________
When I went: __________________January 29, 2018_______________

In order to get credit for your site visits, you must complete the following questions and submit via upload at the
appropriate time (Midterm or Final). Please use complete sentences, and no question should be answered as yes
or no only.

BEFORE YOU ATTEND: List 3 of what you understand to be the primary beliefs of this faith.
1. Hindus believe in Brahman as the one true God who is formless, limitless, all-inclusive, and eternal.
2. The Vedas are the scriptures that hold the sacred writings, stories, and remedies and rituals
3. The ultimate goal for Hinduism is to achieve Dharma

How does this religion understand the world? Hinduism is by choice and it is not force, there are no prophets, and
everyone is welcome, Hinduism worships both male and female forms of Gods.

How does this religion understand their relationship to others? In Hinduism there is a caste system and it all depends on
what career of the family you are born in. Hinduism accepts everyone due to Karma and their believe on knowing that
you pay in the next life what you do in this life, and everyone has a purpose in this life is to fulfill Dharma.

DURING ATTENDANCE PAY ATTENTION TO THESE THREE DIMENSIONS:

1) Physical (Spatial) observations: What did the worship space look like?
a) Was there symbolism on the exterior of the building? What is it’s purpose?
When first entering we passed under what looks like a pyramid and it is the entrance to the temple.

b) What rituals marked the boundary between sacred and profane? (The extraordinary and the ordinary)
The rituals perform during my visit was the sacred ritual perform was offering Siva milk, which was the Linga and
after there was food offering.

c) What was the focal point of the space?

There are different focal points it depends on which god is being worshiped during that time. During the time of
my visit the focal point was to Siva.

d) What decorated the space? Why was it there?

There were different statues with colorful flowers all around the walls a bell that was ring during the offering that
was done to Siva.
 e) Did the space reflect functionality? If so, how?
I believe it did because it was open in the middle and all the Gods were along the wall this is very functional to
being able to face the God that is being worshiped at the time.

2) Ritual observations: What took place?

a) Describe the elements of worship (liturgy).

The element of worship was a Linga (Shivling) which represented Siva, and milk was pour as the offering.

b) Did they have a specific purpose?

The purpose of this is to cleanse and be purified of one’s sins.

c) Who participated? (Was there clergy? A hierarchy?)

the priest, and the devotees of Siva

d) What seemed to be the benefit of these rituals?

These rituals have been done for generations and it is to continue the religious purposes and to be cleanse of all
the sins.

3) Emotional observations: What was the mood?

a) Did the physical space enhance or distract from the emotional/spiritual experience?
The space enhance the spiritual experience that was provided

b) What were the attitudes of the participants? (fear, awe, love, hope, union, boredom, excitement, passion etc.)
Attitude was serious from the participants, but I could also feel passion, and people wanted to participate in
everything. One thing that I did notice is that most of the participants were looking at their phones most of the time but
then notice that they were looking at their worship hymns or passages.

c) What does this tell you about their ideas toward worship?
This tells me that they are serious of what they believe and are really interested with how the Gods and
Goddesses are worshiped.

d) What did you learn about this religion’s relationship to non-members?

The religions welcome everyone and the priest explain everything to all students that were there observing their
worship and also allow everyone to participate.

POST OBSERVATION: REFLECT ON YOUR EXPERIENCE

1) Reaction: What were your expectations and were they met?

I did not know what to believe when going in. But I am glad I did not miss this experience as I liked participating in
the rituals done and glad that people that were not Hindus where included and not shut out.
2) Reflection: Making connections.
a) Were the beliefs and the worldview of the religion present in the physical observations? How? Where?
No.
b) Were the beliefs and the worldview of the religion represented in the rituals and symbols? How? Why?

Yes, there were many statues that other symbols that were included in the rituals performed.

c) Were the beliefs and the worldview of the religion felt and/or observed in the emotional observations? How?
Yes. Because of all the rituals and how inviting the participants were to non hindus.