June 28, 2022
Om Sakthi! In general, most of the newcomers to Shakti Peetam & Spiritual Center wonder about devotees wearing red color dress. I mean all red. Why and what is the reason? Are all visitors mandated to be dressed in all red? What if I don't wear red color dress? Will I be still allowed inside? We don't see such mandates in other Hindu Temples. Can you please provide some insight into this?
Shakti Peetam is all about total equality without any sort of discrimination. The Shakti Path - AdhiParaSakthi Consciousness we believe and follow in Shakti Peetam is that Mother AdhiParaSakthi resides in all life and lifeless forms. There is no time and space Mother AdhiParaSakthi is absent. All are children of One and the Same Mother AdhiParaSakthi, irrespective of religion, belief systems, spiritual paths one takes. The color of blood in all human beings, (and for that matter in almost all living beings) is red in color. Visitors and devotees wear red color attire to signify the irrevocable fact that all of us are equal in Mother's Place. Red color signifies thus, that there is no discrimination or favoritism based on age, nationality, religion, language, gender, race, caste, creed, literacy, social status, professional status, etc. All are equal. With this approach, total equality is enforced in people's mind. This is expected to remove hate, jealousy, fear, possessiveness and fill one's heart with pure love, and respect for each other. It is for this reason; we request all the visitors to be in red attire.
What if I don' wear red when visiting Shakti Peetam? While it is expected all to be in red attire, it is not mandated. It is your individual choice. If you firmly believe in "One Mother! One Race!" and 'Total Equality' and be able to express unconditional love to all without jealousy, fear, and possessiveness without symbolic red color attire, you can still come to Shakti Peetam and partake in worship rituals.
Why there are no such mandates in other Hindu Temples? Shakti Peetam & Spiritual Center is a unique place of worship of Mother AdhiParaSakthi - The Universal Supreme Source of Creation, Sustenance, and Destruction. This Shakti Peetam operates on Total Equality and Self-Service i.e. there are no Hindu Priests here to perform religious services. The learned, and trained Volunteers will show the way and help visitors to perform those services. Meaning all visitors are expected to perform religious services including mantra recitation, archana, and giving arathi by themselves. Ideally, each and every one takes on 'Priesthood' here. In all other Hindu Temples, dedicated priests are employed to perform all services and public are not allowed to enter the Sanctum Sanctorum (Moolasthaanam / Garbhagraham) or perform any services. To take on priesthood there are certain requirements. Being clean in body, mind, and soul is the primary. When you wear red attire, at least during that period of time, the mind is expected to be clean off jealousy, possessiveness, fear, anger, hate, lust, etc.
It is not a 'cult'. It is uniformity. Wearing red attire brings unity in diversity signifying that we are all one and the same.
Om Sakthi! Para Sakthi! Om Sakthi! AdhiParaSakthi
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