A lot of devotees and Indian friends are really grappling and feeling quite offended by the non-compliance of some of our brothers and sisters to the norm of not carrying footwear/shoes ( NOT even in the bag) inside the samadhi and temple. While talking to Raj and others, it became crystal clear to me that our friends that hail from more developed countries are looking for a more logical answer, rather than a mere sentimental and emotional idea of things. Hence, I decided to touch upon some of the points that will help them understand why this kinda norm is in place.

1 Footwear, home and sacred spaces

Right from my childhood, I have observed that the Indian people are very sensitive about footwear – where and how it is placed. In most Indian homes, it’s a norm to not allow any footwear inside the house, for the simple reason that it brings dust and mud ( and the germs etc. that come along) into the house. This is also because traditonally we prefer to sit a lot on the floor for most of our activities – including chopping vegetables, watching TV, eating, praying and so on. (In the western style homes worldwide, there is a lot more furniture and people usually sit on chairs or sofas rather than on the floor. Some of my Indian friends who own apartments in cities and have no floor seating, will welcome guests inside the house with their shoes on.)

This applies to temples very much because in a very devotional sense, we consider that the temple is literally a home of the god or deity that resides. The devotional aspect and energetic aspect truly comes alive when we really consider that the consciousness of this being is very alive and present in that space. So if we don’t allow shoes inside our own house, there’s no chance that it’s gonna be allowed in god’s house for the same reasons of not allowing dust and dirt into that sacred space. Even shops and commercial establishments in many parts of India will require that you leave shoes outside or at least there will be a rug at the doorstep to dust off and clean your shoes a bit before you enter. Though that’s not the only reason and we further explore some more ideas in this regard.

2 Absorbing energy in the sacred spaces

If you visit temples in South India, you are likely to see a lot of men bare chested, in certain temples it’s mandatory for all men to remove their shirts while receiving a darshan of the main deity in the inner sanctum. The reason for this is to allow maximum absorption of the potent divine vibrations that exist in that space. Not wearing shoes helps the feet to receive this vibration very wonderfully. All of us would be very aware about reflexology and foot accupressure points/meridians which are modalities that work on the various sensitive points on the soles of our feet. Walking on the sacred ground one tends to absorb a bit of that into one’s body and being. There is a difference between walking barefeet and with shoes on. When we carry shoes in our bag, it’s still about bringing an impure vibration into a rather sacred domain, which is a big NO. Most Indians will not even touch their footwear while wearing it, and if they happen to accidentally touch it, they will rush to wash their hands immediately.

Also, because the temples are sacred spaces where you can tune to different divine vibrations – it is recommended that when you visit a temple, one needs to sit or stand or be still for at least 10-15 mins so that one gets significantly ‘charged’ with the vibrations present there. It’s in a way not just about devotion but also there’s an entire practical yogic science behind construction of temples for the evolution of humanity. (reference to Rohit Arya)

3 Leather items

In the Jain temples, it’s mandatory to leave out all leather items – since they carry vibrations of cruelty towards animals which could interfere in one’s meditation and spiritual practice. I have also seenpractitioners of Sudarshan Kriya not keeping any leather items on their body while they practice.

4 A significator of the big EGO

Big boots and shoes are usually associated with the pride of a King or a Soldier or an Oppressor. In patriotic freedom struggle movies, it would be depicted how the Indian servants were made to actually lick the boots of their colonial masters. Removing shoes is actually a sign of dropping that ego. There was an interesting sign outside a meditation centre that used to read ” Leave your footwear and ego outside”

5 Saturn and Shani connection

Indian Astrology is one of the most ancient branches of applied spiritual sciences, coming directly from the sages like Jamini, Parashara, Brighu and so on. The planet Saturn is revered as the God Shani. Shani represents justice and servitude – hence footwear is also connected with Saturn. The impact of planet Saturn is said to slow down stuff in a person’s life and in certain cases can also bring certain challenges that eventually lead to a person’s evolution. Hence, losing footwear or shoes being stolen outside a temple wouldbe considered as a very auspicious sign, especially if it happens on Saturday ( the day of Saturn). Donating black footwear to helpers or cleaners is considered very auspicious on a Saturday as it remedies the seemingly harsh impact of Saturn. In the same way, giving a small extra tip to the shoe minder who looks after your shoes outside the temple is also a great upaya (remedy) too. Traditionallyt, It’s also considered very auspicious if one accidentally walks into a pile of cow dung ( I am not sure if that is connected with Saturn)

6 Footwear in Biblical tradition

In the new testament, St. John the Baptist said that the Messiah who would arrive is so great that he did not even feel worthy to untie his sandals. In another, incident, Mary Magdalena is said to have wept at the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her lustrous hair. This again shows the connection of sacredness with the feet.