A vision of hell?

Not the brightest way to start a blog I know but appropriate!

Today we decided to go and visit the Hindu temple that is dedicated to Kali, the goddess of death. Why go there you may ask? Well one of the students felt that his “God Appointment“ was there and felt strongly about going there and praying. What made today’s visit more interesting was the fact that it was Bengali New Year so the place was heaving.

Kali Temple

The bright temple is situated amongst the filth, detritus and rubbish that is often seen Kolkata and surrounded by many stall’s selling things to be used as gifts for the goddess. Being conspicuous we were whisked away by a Brahmin chap (Brahmin’s are the priestly caste of Hindu’s) and taken into the temple courts. We waited there whilst some of our party went into the temple and the spiritual atmosphere was oppressive. I prayed the Lord’s prayer, recited Psalm 23 and prayed some more, it wasn’t that I was scared it was just that it wasn’t very nice. This was in spite of the life that was going on around us, people eating, chatting, cooking, buying things. To me it gave me some impression of what the temple in Jerusalem would have been like, particularly when we saw them butchering a freshly slaughtered goat in the corner. Amongst all this something quite amazing happened that demonstrated the presence of the one true God amongst us; whilst waiting for the rest of our party to arrive five of us stood in a small group praying. I noticed a girl of about fourteen carrying a small child and pestering all the adherents for money. My immediate thought was that we were next as being obviously western we are always the target for beggars, because of this I called out to God with a kind of “not again” prayer. What happened next was pretty amazing, the girl walked around us, stood right next to me, but it was if she couldn’t see us there, I had a vision of a barrier covering our group completely. She then walked away to another part of the temple.

In our reflection time tonight someone said it was like a vision of hell and I think that sums it up. This colourful beautiful temple in the middle of all this detritus, with people clambering in the temple to get their prayers answered (as reported by someone who went in the temple), but all of them without hope. We prayed for some time tonight, that those we saw at the temple would find the truth. Please join us in that prayer.

Next to the temple and in the same complex is a drab but quite impressive structure that housed Mother Theresa’s hospice for the sick and dying, it is not operational as it is being refurbished, but still it was amazing to see this icon of hope and joy, with it’s crucifix on top, standing next to a place of hopelessness and fear. It was also quite poignant to see an elderly couple sleeping on the steps of this building, waiting with a hope that wasn’t forlorn, outside a place that knew sickness and death but also knew the love and mercy of God.

Mother Theresa’s Hospice