Per Cosette, we learn that Indian courts have banned “touts” at the Kalighat temple.
(Loyal readers of Property of a Lady will recognize Kalighat as the home of the idol that is the source for my newest tattoo.)
Visitors to the temple report harrassment and extortion by the touts (aka pandaas):
Sanchita Dey, a housewife and frequent visitor to the temple, says it is a harrowing experience to come to the temple.
“Once a pandaa gets hold of you from the road leading to the temple, you are completely under his control. He dictates how much sweets and flowers you have to buy. Once inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, the priests force you to give the money they want and if you don’t oblige, they use foul language. And after you leave the temple, you have to pay a hefty fee to the tout,” she says.
…Some said similar controls should be enforced at other famous Hindu temples across the country, where devotees are similarly harassed.
I think that the Pagans who blame all the problems of the world on Christianity and monotheism should take a long, hard look at this article and consider what it means about the potential for corruption in goddess worship.
