Going to temples, and worshipping

There were 3 temples near my home. One across the railway line. One near the nearest cinema hall. And lastly one near my grade school. These are the sacred hindu places. Tuesdays are the days of Hanuman, the monkey God. Mondays, the days of Shiva, the Destroyer. The hindu calendar is profusely sprinkled with festivities, days marked as good, as bad, days for fasting, for doing marriages. You cannot just choose any day, you have to consult the priests to find out the most appropriate day for an important household event like, house warming, or yagya. Days to pay homage to our heavenly grandfather, and grandmother from fathers side. On such days, we'd invite particularly the priest from the across the railway line temple. He had some reputation of being a chambal dacoit in his younger life. Long bearded, tall and thin, with saffron clothes. We'd give me very nicely prepared food in the house, and sweets after that, and even money. Through which my parents got the satisfaction that they by feeding the priest have fed the parents in the heaven. The priest had to be brought sometimes on cycle. My father would drive the bycycle, and he would sit in the back carrier. Tough!

Mangalwar, the Tuesday, each week, is dedicated to Hanuman Worship. Going to Temple on these days is most memorable. You would get some prasad of 1.25/2.5/5.25/11 Rupees. And offer to hanuman. And then distribute it to children, people outside. And we would not forget to ring as many bells as we could of the temple. So it we resound and jingle.

Mahashivratri was dedicated to Shiva. You need to go to the temple on this day, and offer fruits to shiva, especially the ber fruit. And oh yeah milk. I remember walking and carrying a glass of milk and a saucer full of fruit from my home to temple, with the milk spilling out in the way. To make the Gods Happy, you need to have some dedication.

Janmashtmi, was dedicated to lord Krishna. Most people would keep fast on this day, but not me. Decorate their homes with Krishna and his consortess Radha. Temples were decorated with animated pictures of all event related to Krishna's birth, life.