


you guessed it, they all got their idea from aliens. Or that since there are pyramids in the Americas, Egypt, and China. Proponents of this theory also espouse that ancient construction projects like the pyramids and Stonehenge are clearly too advanced and a little too fantastic for ancient man to have constructed without help from a more advanced civilization. Everyone knows about Clarke's Third Law: the many legends of magic, gods, beings coming from the sky and the like were based on alien technology that we could not comprehend at that time. When this trope kicks in, expect various myths to be related to aliens. Often these aliens are sufficiently advanced. This trope includes that these aliens influenced our history in some way, mostly through technological advances. Hindus also like to have their ashes scattered in the Ganges after cremation.Science Fiction trope wherein ancient locations, legends, gods, and creatures from ancient myth are connected to alien visitors from a radically more advanced civilization. It is a place to go on pilgrimage to bathe in sacred waters. The Ganges River is a very sacred place to Hindus. A bell is also often rung to help focus the mind. The goal is to get beyond self to Brahmin. The shrine also contains things which represent the five senses. The idea is to draw the whole person into worship through the image or statue and the senses. There might be a statue or just a picture of the god or goddess. It is also very common for Hindus to worship at a home shrine, often as a whole family. Worshippers then circle the inner shrine with their right hand raised in respect to the deity. After the deity blesses the gifts they are returned to the worshipper and their heads are marked with a red dot or blessing called a tilaka. Offerings of fruit, flowers and incense are made to a priest who presents them to the deity.

It includes prayer and a viewing of the statue of the god or goddess honored. The ceremony that follows is called puja. When entering a temple, visitors must take off their shoes and women cover their heads to show respect. There is no set schedule for visits to a temple. Outside Hindu temples you can often buy gifts or prasad to give the deity honored in the temple. Hindu temples are often decorated with the figures of gods and goddesses. The temple is entered through the ardhamandapa or entrance porch. The four corners of the temple then have smaller shrines. This inner shrine is under a towering roof called a sikhara. The temple is the god's home on earth. The most holy part of the temple is an inner shrine called a garbhargriha with a statue to the god or goddess. A temple is dedicated to a particular god or goddess (deity). A Hindu place of worship is called a mandir or temple.
