Be they luxurious palaces, rustic warehouses, simple halls or stone sanctuaries, Hindu temples are springing up all over the world, numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Yet outside of India and a few places like Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bali, what happens inside these temples remains a mystery - to young generations of Hindus as well as to curious newcomers. It's all a bit intimidating at first.
 
This Insight is designed to answer the common questions that arise: Why are temples important? What are the customs and protocols, the dos and don'ts? What attitudes should one hold inside? Do all those rituals have a meaning? What is the priest chanting? All these musings and more are addressed here to help newcomers - both Hindus and non-Hindus - enjoy and benefit from their temple visits. 16 pages.