For most first-time visitors, especially those who are not familiar with the small rituals and unspoken courtesies of an Indian temple, a few simple guidelines can make the difference between a hurried, somewhat anxious darshan and a truly fulfilling one. This page is written for the devotee — whether you are a regular pilgrim from Una district or coming to Baba ji's dham for the first time from a distant city. We cover, in plain practical detail: how a darshan unfolds, what is expected of you in dress and conduct, what to offer (and what not to), what photography is permitted, and the small dos and don'ts that everyone who visits will benefit from knowing.
The Darshan Process — Step by Step
The flow of a typical darshan at Baba Garibnath ji's temple is unhurried and devotee-friendly. There are no complicated procedures and no special permissions required. Here is what to expect:
1. Arrival and Parking
If you have come by car or two-wheeler, park in the designated area near the temple gate. Parking is free. During festivals, an attendant may direct you to an overflow lot a short walk from the main premises. If you have come by boat (during monsoon), the boatman will drop you at the temple's lakeside ghat.
2. Footwear
Remove your footwear at the dedicated counter outside the main courtyard. The counter is run by temple sevaks; there is no fee, but a small donation is appreciated. You will be given a token for collection on the way out. Socks may be worn but most devotees go barefoot, which is the traditional practice.
3. Hand and Foot Wash
A small basin with running water is usually provided near the entry to the inner courtyard. It is customary to wash your hands and rinse your feet before entering — both for hygiene and as a small gesture of inner cleansing before darshan.
4. Approach the Sanctum
Walk to the entrance of the inner sanctum. Most devotees first stop briefly at the courtyard's central area, where the Akhand Dhuna burns, fold their hands, and bow once before entering further. From there, proceed in the queue (if there is one) or directly approach the deity.
5. Darshan
Stand before the idol of Baba Garibnath ji, fold your hands, close your eyes if you wish, and offer your prayer in your own words and your own language. There is no required mantra. Some devotees recite "Om Namah Shivaya" or "Jai Baba Garib Nath" softly; others simply stand in silence. A few moments of full attention are worth more than a long but distracted recitation.
6. Offering
If you have brought an offering (see "What to Offer" below), hand it to the priest at the offering counter. He will receive it, place a small portion before the deity, and return the rest to you as prashad. Coconut-shells are typically broken; the meat is returned to you, the shell kept for the temple kitchen.
7. Akhand Dhuna and Bhabhuti
After darshan of the main idol, walk to the Akhand Dhuna. Bow before the eternal flame. Receive a small pinch of bhabhuti (sacred ash) on your palm from the sevak in attendance. Apply a small mark with it on your forehead; some devotees consume a tiny pinch. The remaining bhabhuti is yours to take home.
8. Parikrama (Circumambulation)
Walk around the inner sanctum in a clockwise direction — once, three times, or seven times, as you wish. This parikrama is a traditional way of completing a darshan and offering full respect. Walk slowly, with awareness; many devotees use this time to mentally articulate their prayer.
9. Langar and Prashad
Once you have completed darshan, the langar hall is open to you. Sit on the mat lines, accept whatever is served — typically dal, rice, roti, sabzi, and a small sweet — and eat with gratitude. The langar is run on the principle of total equality; CEOs and labourers, foreigners and locals, all sit together. Help yourself to second servings if you wish; most importantly, take only what you can finish. Leaving food on the plate is considered disrespectful to the seva.
10. Departure
Collect your footwear, drop a small donation in the donation box if you wish, and exit through the main gate. Many devotees pause one last time at the gate, look back at the temple, and offer a quiet bow. It is a small gesture; it is also a beautiful one.
Temple Etiquette
The dham is a quiet, devotional place. The few simple courtesies expected of visitors are not rigid rules but ways of preserving the atmosphere that draws devotees here in the first place.
- Dress modestly: Cover shoulders, midriff, and knees. Loose, comfortable clothing is best. Both men and women may wear traditional Indian attire (kurta-pyjama, saree, salwar-kameez) or simple western clothing that covers appropriately.
- Speak softly: Whether you are speaking to family or on the phone, keep your voice low — especially within the sanctum and during aartis.
- Switch phones to silent: Ringing phones in the middle of an aarti disturb everyone's experience. Keep your phone on silent or vibrate.
- Do not push or rush in the queue: Even on busy days, the queue moves at the pace of devotion, not commerce. Be patient.
- Maintain reverence in photographs: See the photography note below.
What to Offer
Offerings to the deity are entirely optional. Devotees who wish to offer something may bring any of the following — none is required, all are received with gratitude:
- Flowers: Marigolds, hibiscus, lotus, or any seasonal flower. Bouquets or single flowers — both are welcomed.
- Coconut: One whole, fresh coconut. The most traditional offering at most Hindu temples.
- Sweets: A small box of laddoos, pedas, or barfi. Will be offered to the deity and returned as prashad.
- Fruits: Bananas, apples, oranges — whatever is in season. Avoid cut fruits.
- Cloth (vastra): A length of new red, saffron, or yellow cloth — particularly auspicious for offerings to Shiva.
- Cash donation: Drop into the donation box at the courtyard or at the office.
For Shiva worship specifically, additional traditional items include: bel patra (bilva leaves), dhatura flowers, milk for abhishek, and chandan (sandal paste). These are particularly offered on Mondays, Pradosh days, and Mahashivratri.
What NOT to Offer
- Non-vegetarian food: Strictly no meat, fish, eggs.
- Alcohol or tobacco: Not appropriate. Do not bring these onto the temple grounds at all.
- Leather items as offerings: Avoid leather wallets, belts, etc. (You can wear a leather belt if you wish — just do not place it on the offering tray.)
- Wilted flowers or stale food: Offerings should be fresh.
- Cut fruits: Whole fruits only.
Photography & Videography
The temple is a deeply photogenic place — the lake setting, the 31-foot Shiva, the lamp-lit aartis. Photography is permitted with these courtesies:
- Outer courtyard, lake, exterior, statue: Photography is freely permitted.
- Inner sanctum: Limited photography is allowed, but please ask the sevak on duty before clicking. During aarti, refrain entirely.
- Akhand Dhuna: No photographs of the flame itself; this is regarded as sacred.
- Other devotees: Always ask before photographing other people, especially during their personal prayer or while they are seated for langar.
- No selfies during aarti: Aarti is a moment of collective devotion; please be present in it, not behind a phone screen.
- Tripod and drone use: Requires permission from the temple office. Drones are generally not allowed.
Comprehensive Do's and Don'ts
✓ Do
- Arrive with a peaceful, unhurried mind. Plan to spend at least 90 minutes at the dham.
- Dress modestly and respectfully.
- Wash your hands and feet before entering the sanctum.
- Walk in a clockwise direction during parikrama.
- Speak softly, switch phones to silent.
- Help with langar seva if you have time and inclination — chopping vegetables, serving food, or washing utensils. It is one of the most meaningful experiences at the dham.
- Carry a small reusable cloth bag for prashad and bhabhuti.
- Drop a donation if you can; even small contributions support the langar and the dhuna.
- Be kind and patient with other devotees, especially elderly visitors and small children.
- Take a moment of silence at the Akhand Dhuna; it is the heart of the dham.
✗ Don't
- Do not bring leather goods as offerings, alcohol, tobacco, or non-vegetarian food onto the premises.
- Do not wear footwear inside the inner courtyard or sanctum.
- Do not push, rush, or jostle in the queue.
- Do not click photographs of other devotees without permission.
- Do not use the temple loudspeaker, microphone, or aarti platform without explicit permission.
- Do not attempt to touch the idol; offerings are placed by the priest.
- Do not waste food in the langar hall.
- Do not litter on the temple grounds or near the lake; carry your trash out.
- Do not engage in commercial photography or filming without prior written permission from the temple office.
For Special Categories of Devotees
Senior Citizens
The temple is largely accessible. There are some steps to the inner sanctum, but devotees with mobility limitations can be helped by the family or by sevaks. A bench is available in the courtyard for those who need to rest. During monsoon, the boat ride is gentle; boatmen will assist elderly passengers in boarding and disembarking.
Families with Children
Children are warmly welcomed. The temple grounds are safe and small enough that children can move freely under their parents' eye. The langar hall has child-friendly food (mild dal, rice, roti). It is helpful to brief children gently on basic etiquette — not running in the sanctum, not touching the offerings before they are given. Many local families bring infants for their first temple visit (a rite called mundan when combined with the first hair-cutting).
Devotees Performing Special Vows (Manauti)
Many devotees come to fulfill a manauti — a vow made earlier and now to be honoured. If your vow involves a specific puja, langar sponsorship, vastra daan, or anything beyond standard darshan, please contact the temple office a few days in advance at +91 94633 77287 so that arrangements can be made smoothly.
Foreign Devotees and First-Time Visitors
The temple welcomes devotees of all backgrounds. If you are visiting from outside India and have not been in a Hindu temple before, do not worry — sevaks at the dham are kind and patient, and will help you with the small rituals if you ask. Modest dress is the most important consideration; everything else can be learned by simply observing those around you.
The Spirit Behind the Etiquette
None of these rules are imposed for their own sake. Each one is just a small way of preserving an atmosphere — the silence, the focus, the dignity — that has been built up at this dham over five hundred years. When you observe them, you are not just being respectful; you are actively participating in keeping this atmosphere alive for the next devotee, and the one after that, and the one after that. That is what temple etiquette really is.
॥ बाबा गरीब नाथ जी की कृपा सब पर बनी रहे ॥