In every Indian temple, near the entrance, one can find one or more bells hanging from the top.
The devotee rings the bell in temples as soon as he/she enters, thereafter proceeding for Darshan (worship) of the Lord. Children love jumping up or being carried high in order to reach the bell.
Even I remember during my childhood when I used to struggle around to ring the bell once, and then finally my father used to come and pick me up.
That would make me the happiest kid in the world!
But, Why Do We Ring The Bell in Temples?
Is it to wake up the Lord? But the Lord never sleeps!
Is it to let the Lord know we have come?
He does not need to be told, as He is all-knowing. Is it a form of seeking permission to enter into His presence?
Since the temple is like a home, no permission is required to enter it. The Lord welcomes us at all times.
If Not This, Then What Is The Reason For Ringing The Bell?
We all note this. The ringing of the bells in temples produces an auspicious sound.
The ringing produces the sound ‘OM’, which is the universal name of the Lord.
The Sound of OM is extremely soothing and relaxing. It imparts concentration and belief from within. The humming of the sound of OM is universally practiced for meditation as well.
As mentioned above, the sound impacts concentration. When the bell is rung, the sound of the bell in temples deviates all other non-productive surrounding sounds, which imparts concentration to the devotees for worshiping the Almighty.
Now that we know why a bell is rung in the temple, shouldn’t we ring it the next time we enter a temple as well?
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