The Shiva Vishnu Temple

Shiva Vishnu Temple

The wooded landscape of Parma, Ohio is home to the Shiva Vishnu Temple. Upon arrival one can see twin gilded shikhars, which adorn the rooftop of this unique building set among the trees. This Vedic temple sits on 32 acres of steep hillsides and woodlands which are highly visible from the long, wrap-around, glassed-in corridor leading from the parking area to the temple entrance. Once inside the building, shoes are to be removed before entering the sacred space. Brightly colored cloth pennants, interspersed with green leaves and fruit hang from a rope swag, adorning the entrance to the temple.

As with the many deities of Hinduism, there seemed to be many locations for the worship service, rather than one designated place. At 11:15 am, the large central room was just beginning to fill with people, dressed in a great variety of apparel. Some women wore saris, while others were in modern American garb. The male attendees wore contemporary attire, except for the priest and his attendant, who wore vibrant yellow dhotis edged in a deep maroon. One man even wore a baseball hat during the service, considered unacceptable in many churches.

Shiva Vishnu Temple is a kaleidoscope of colors and textures; bejeweled elephants, adorned cobras, fabric of magenta, turquoise, chartreuse, red and golden silks all vie for the visitor’s attention. The perimeter of the room contains thirteen different alters, honoring different deities, such as Nava Durga, Parshwanath Swamy and Mahivir Swamy. People stop to pray at these individual little temples, offering fruits, flower petals, and coins.

The service did not have a formal beginning; rather activity very slowly began to increase as deep toned bells blended with the pri...

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...splayed, just a going on about each individual’s business as they walked their own spiritual path. There seemed to be no organized seating arrangement, no pews to be claimed by a particular family. This seeming informality appeared to create a very relaxed atmosphere for the worshipers. Everyone sitting on the floor, feet bare or covered with socks, understated fashion, all resulted in an unpretentious aura.

I wanted to experience the Hindu Temple particularly because of the exposure to Hinduism and the insights that were gained in our class. I had hoped that a temple visit would further enrich the information presented during lectures, which it truly did.

If hatred stems from fear and fears arise out of ignorance, then learning about the ways of others, seeking to understand differences can only help us all to realize our oneness.

Works Cited none needed