The President's Corner

This month is my second installment of the series entitled Parma’s Places of Worship.  Although I am Catholic, I have always been intrigued with other faiths. That is why one day last summer, after years of driving by, I decided to enter the drive at 7733 Ridge Road on my one of jogs through town to see up close the beautiful Greater Cleveland Shiva Vishnu Hindu Temple. I was taken by the grandeur of the building and surrounding grounds. Since then, I have longed to see the inside, which I figured was just as spectacular. Therefore, when my friend John Visnauskas, founder of All Faiths Pantry, offered to arrange for me to meet with Temple Manager Ramaswamy Sharma, I enthusiastically consented. This column is the result of my two hour tour which left me in awe, full of new knowledge, and a thirst for more about the world’s oldest practicing religion and the religion of the majority of the people of India – 900 million worldwide.

My visit to Shiva Vishnu Temple made me aware of yet another reason to be proud of our community. The $20 million, 32 acre facility, built in 1997, serves approximately 2,500 local families or 12,000 individuals and hosts over 30,000 visitors in all each year. In fact, people come from throughout Ohio and the nation on pilgrimage to worship at the Parma Temple. It is the largest Hindu temple in Ohio and has the largest membership and is served by six priests from different regions of India. According to its website the Temple “is open to ALL and serves ALL.” Based on how welcomed I felt by the kind greetings I received, this is clearly true.

Prior to my visit to Shiva Vishnu, my knowledge of Hinduism was very limited. It is a very philosophical religion and I am not going to pretend to purport that I am even close to being an expert following my short time at the Temple. Any attempt for me to educate my readers on the philosophy will not do it justice, especially in this small space. What’s more is the fact that, like Christianity, there is much diversity among Hindus and their beliefs. Further, although to an outsider Hindu adherents might seem to be polytheistic, many claim to be monotheistic. In fact, most Hindus believe in a Supreme God (Brahma), who has manifested himself as Shiva and Vishnu in different forms throughout the ages. I compare this to the Christian belief in one God, but that God is manifest in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, although this is a very simplified comparison. The sacred text is known as the Veda and karma and samsara (reincarnation) are core beliefs.

What makes Shiva Vishnu Temple special is nonsectarian in that it welcomes all Hindu believers and includes 18 shrines dedicated to the various believers. As I mentioned, Hindu beliefs are very diverse. For instance, I was told that you will not find a Shiva Vishnu temple in India. The reason being is that some worship Shiva, while others worship Vishnu. When I mentioned to Mr. Sharma how it would seemingly take a lifetime to learn all there is to know about Hinduism, he was quick to reply, “Several lifetimes.” At this we shared a laugh. I encourage you to read more about this fascinating faith.

Mr. Sharma states that “the Shiva Vishnu Temple encourages communication and educational, cultural, and religious exchanges between many communities in the Northeast Ohio region. We have qualified Temple Community members (working in the Educational Department) that are available to give lectures on Hindu Philosophy, Hindu Religion and Hindu values and way of life.”

Parma is now home to a growing population of Indian people and Hindu believers.  Let me take this opportunity to say that I welcome them as friends. To find out more about Shiva Vishnu Temple, visit their website at www.shivavishnutemple.org or call them at 440-888-9433. The website has a plethora of information about the Temple, including pictures and a virtual tour. The facility has a community hall of 5,000 square feet, which fits 350 people. In observance of Hindu beliefs, alcohol, meat, eggs, and fish are prohibited in the facility. Public tours of the Temple are available upon request. 

Sean Brennan

Parma City Council President Sean Brennan

Read More on News
Volume 7, Issue 5, Posted 8:29 AM, 05.01.2015