Indian Neigbours

[DoubleJ 0]

recently a new indian neigbour moved in beside me. they are pretty religious and always pray everyday by ringing their bells and fuming their house with some kinda incense. the praying goes on for like an hour with loud ringing of bells, ending with the smoke they burnt in their house with their doors wide opened. the smoke will last for hours at it's full blast.

would like to ask if there are anyone familar with hindu religion here or has ever encounted indian neigbours that are religious? Should i approach them regarding the fumes issue? is it possible for them to even accept me suggesting closing their doors while fuming their place? it's opening the main door to let the fumes out a part of the praying even? it's pretty scary as the whole corridor will be fumed with the smoke. thou it's not smelly but it's hurts the eyes and make it hard to breathe. everytime i gotta hold my breath and faster unlock my gates then rush in. am worried it might cause breathing problems for the eldery,pregnant wife or babies next time.

[alan26 2]

My neighbour is also indian family. But they pray once a week. I burn my incense paper in a pail outside my house (my smoke is far powerful then theirs till they close their door) But i only burn the incense paper once in a while lah.

[pinkpetter 0]

Haiz this was one of the reasons why I had a tough time looking for a flat... parents will check the neighbours out to see if they are the sort who prayed often. They even bothered to visit the house many times (without going in) just to check and see if the neighbours are ok. *faints*

In your case DoubleJ, What time do they burn the thing?

Honestly... I can only think of one thing.. to put up with it. Religious things like this are a bit touchy. They might get angry if you approach them?

[alan26 2]

Back when we are looking for flat we came across unit which is still quite ok but the neighbour is having this temple cum home unit. In the end we gave up this unit. We don't want ppl looking into our flat every 1st and 15th of the month.

[MaCe 3]

they are burning sandalwood.....harmless.

try to make friends first...then...slowly show your cannon(knife).

[DoubleJ 0]

oic, sandalwood ok la. but the practice of leaving their doors wide open during the 'fumigation'. is it part of the ritual too? any indian user here can advise please? cos the ritual of bells and chanting is really ok. just concerned about how long i can endure the extreme fumigation.

alan26: when we recee the place,its so quiet with a chinese and malay neigbour. was thinking. good liao. can have nice biscut during hari raya to eat and bah-gua during cny to try. but during reno, the malay moved out. hehe. pengz. zhun zhun next door become mini temple.

Edited May 11, 2009 by DoubleJ

[chronograph 0]

You can't operate your HDB house like a mini temple, noise and fuming created by excessive praying is not allowed.

I had similar problem at my parent's place, we wrote in to HDB and they will deploy officer to investigate. HDB replied the family was running a mini temple with many prayers and ritual to perform every week day and they have informed the Indian family to cut down their praying from 5 times a week to 2 times a week, from 3 hours per session to one hour session. At least better then nothing, its a religion thing and it can't be stop but reduced. Not long they moved out too.

[Smallboy 0]

This religious things very sensitive. I wrote in many times to Town Council about people burning their stuff and praying along stairway. Our door to door house. I die from the smoke liao. And my kids suffer from asthma..... so much $$$$ pay to doctors already because it was triggered by the smoke.

Town Council can only say such matters hard to handle. So they dont at all.

But after the 'burning inferno' at Hougang where 2 people die, they know it is a FIRE hazard now. They send notices to all household to remove their burning 'kong' (container) and provide huge ones downstairs for everyone. This way, they can continue their burning, but not at stairways so we wont burn like 'suckling pigs' if there is a fire and I wont choke to death from the smoke.

So, solution:

1) Write in the town council stating the HEALTH and FIRE hazard. Provide photos (be very discreet)

State facts eg... cite the Hougang incident. Provide ideas how to resolve this issues.

Like what chronograph did, they may come in and check and reduce the no. of times of praying. Better than nothing.

[alan26 2]

oic, sandalwood ok la. but the practice of leaving their doors wide open during the 'fumigation'. is it part of the ritual too? any indian user here can advise please? cos the ritual of bells and chanting is really ok. just concerned about how long i can endure the extreme fumigation.

alan26: when we recee the place,its so quiet with a chinese and malay neigbour. was thinking. good liao. can have nice biscut during hari raya to eat and bah-gua during cny to try. but during reno, the malay moved out. hehe. pengz. zhun zhun next door become mini temple.

wah liao, speechless leh...

[vin13 0]

Since they just moved in, take the opportunity for some casual chit-chat ... maybe it's a just a move-in ritual they have to practise for like "seven seven forty-nine days".... Hope some Hindu friends can clarify... I'm curious too..

[MaCe 3]

oic, sandalwood ok la. but the practice of leaving their doors wide open during the 'fumigation'. is it part of the ritual too? any indian user here can advise please? cos the ritual of bells and chanting is really ok. just concerned about how long i can endure the extreme fumigation.

alan26: when we recee the place,its so quiet with a chinese and malay neigbour. was thinking. good liao. can have nice biscut during hari raya to eat and bah-gua during cny to try. but during reno, the malay moved out. hehe. pengz. zhun zhun next door become mini temple.

go make friends with pple who has a DANG KEE neighbour then you will feel you aint so unlucky after all.

when you burn so much sandalwood in your house - you wanna close your door?

reminds me of smoked salmon.

[DoubleJ 0]

hmmm...but most of the dang kee i met all quite discreet actually. is like they know their profession might not be accepted by most ppl so they try not to get too much 'opposition' from neigbours in order not to threaten their own practice/rice bowl.

maybe i should make friends with them slowly then shoot letter behind them lo. front assult next time see each other also not good liao. but at least act behind them, they can only "guess" who. aiyo...need to do till so hypocrite lo. haiz. will town council look into the matter if i remain aynominous or should i include a name and tell them i prefer to remain an unknown complainent? alamak. first thing for new neigbour is ploting how to backstab instead of shaking hands. haiz haiz.

[hihihi 0]

i had a similar situation. Luckily my neighbour is automatic. whenever they need to smoke they place, they'll close door. My door is always closed, so somehow they also got the msg ba. *ting* *ting* behind closed doors is still ok.

[DoubleJ 0]

oh great, so their daily ritual is still applicable behind closed doors i guess. good good. then i guess they not very considerate in the first place if they dont need to open it at all but choose to open it still. tough times ahead for neigbourly kinship liao..

[Smallboy 0]

oh great, so their daily ritual is still applicable behind closed doors i guess. good good. then i guess they not very considerate in the first place if they dont need to open it at all but choose to open it still. tough times ahead for neigbourly kinship liao..

Dont worry too much. They may be nice and open for feedback. and if you make friends friends with them first, then talk to them. See how.

Maybe at the end of the friendship, no need to go thru town council or any other methods. They may automatic a bit.

Hope it works well for you