Hindu Temple Paper Assignment:

Trip to the Shiva-Vishnu Temple

The purpose of this assignment is to reflect closely on the nature of Hindu deities and their relations with human beings, as you encounter these at the Shiva-Vishnu Temple. Within Hindu devotionalism, gods are often like “divine persons” -- they have specific forms and qualities that are person-like. Thus, Hindus enact their devotional relations in very concrete ways that often resemble human relations -- such as between subject and king, host and guest, parent and child, lover and beloved. With this in mind, please respond to the following questions:

1. In what ways do you see that the gods are understood as, and treated like, persons?

2. How would you characterize the divine-human relationship(s) enacted between worshippers and deities, as you observed them?

After addressing the first two questions in your paper, please respond to the third:

3. What was your personal reaction to what you saw in the temple – i.e., what were you

expecting, what was it like for you, and what did you learn?

Please write your name on this assignment. The paper should be double-spaced, no less than three pages, and is due in class on November 12^th. All thoughtful and well-composed papers will receive full credit (50 points). The papers will not be returned unless requested.