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One of those places you don’t know about, with out asking is the Hindu Temple of Oklahoma City. It’s like a jewel one finds in the forest, and is one of Oklahoma City’s treasures of rich diverse culture. The Hindu Temple of Oklahoma city is a non profit organization, which not only encompasses the needs of all Hindus but offers a rich oasis of spiritual fellowship to the community of any belief system.
The Hindu Temple is where people of different faiths are as welcome as family. This was the feeling, and the welcome, our University of Central Oklahoma classes got on our visit with Agamavidivan, the Chief Priest, as he lead us through a tour of the temple and temple practices. He explained the works of spiritual art and how their temple has different denominations of Hinduism and accommodates the diverse denominational differences of the Hindu religion. To put it in perspective, we could think of it like this, as diverse as the Christian religion is in the United States, Catholic, Protestant, Jehovah Witness, Carsomatic, and Pentecostal, you get that idea going to one temple. The Hindu Temple welcomes all, and works in a spirit of harmony, accessible to many diverse devotees of the Hindu. This one church is in the midst of peaceful woods in Oklahoma City, and has created a place of worship to meet the religious needs of all the Hindus from the various parts of India. It was decided they would have the Pradhana Devata (main deity) as Sri Venkateshwara along with Sri Mahalakshmi. The other deities instituted in the temple are Sri Shiva, Sri Mahaganapathy, Sri Rama, along with Sita Devi, Sri Lakshmana, Hanuman, Sri Krishna and Radha Devia, placed where everyone is invited to practice religion and join in on the cultural activities.
 Balaji
“Brahmanical literature describes him as the Lord of numerous universes: the root of the phenomena of Creation, Life, Living, Events, and Change et al as the Preserver of the Hindu Trinity. Sri Venkateswara Swami, or Tirupati Balaji, is the presiding deity of the famous and bounteous Tirumala temple.” (1)
It is understood that “Pilgrims come for fleeting glimpses of the fascinating life-size idol of Balaji, after inching in long queues for hours and days. Many undertake the pilgrimage asking for favors to mark various transitions in life or simply to offer their hair, tiny silver or gold bits or images of the deity. The shrine is an integral part of life and culture especially in the three southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. “
The devotees of Balaji cut across all barriers of region or religion. For the Dutch Peter who recently converted to Vedic Hinduism through the TM (transmeditation) route, the deity symbolizes pure consciousness.
Balaji is an Unusual Icon
To first understand, Venkateswara is not a name but a title. Vem-kata means one who cuts or washes away one's sins.
In perceiving the workings of Balaji, one looks into the unique idol in Tirumala as a little like a riddle to unravel. When beginning with everything, it begins and ends, or is reduced to a sunyam (nothingness) before him, while the infinite world pens to the sincere seeker with a minute offering. This is for the reason that spiritual wealth through devotion attachment is the basis of life and action in theism.
There are many gods in Hinduism, but looking deeper into it, there is ultimately only one God. All God's attributes are to be found in Vishnu, in understanding there is a deep yoganidra (yogic sleep) or Sri Ranganathaswami (Lord of the creation) who then chose to descend on the earth as the being of Yoga Murti (idol), Balaji. Then we see that Balaji is not even an avatar of Vishnu, but Vishnu himself.
The deity also represents the God of Justice, according to V.G. Pragasam, Advocate-on-Record, and Supreme Court of India. He is blindfolded by the Namam or forehead mark; the scales of justice are his two wives on either side of his chest with the sword of justice hanging in between. With his slim and black figure, the deity is said to represent Shani (Saturn). He subjects one to the trying period of Shanidasa and meets out the package of rewards and punishments in the material and spiritual spheres. This would be seen as the same light as our western lady justice. (1)
GANESH
Gnash is the Hindu elephant-headed god; Ganesha (or Ganesh) is known (by various names in different parts of India and on different occasions) as the Remover of Obstacles, the beloved god of domestic harmony and of success. He is the most beloved and revered of all the Hindu gods, and is always invoked first in any Hindu ceremony or festival.
Gnash is the son of Parvati (the wife of Shiva, the Destroyer, and the most powerful of the Hindu trinity of principal gods). There are many stories about Gnash, and how he got his elephant head, and about his exploits and antics. The main story line goes, he was created as an ordinary boy, but was decapitated in battle. Shiva's emissaries were sent into the forest and told to get the head of the first animal they found and to fit that head onto the boy's neck.
In the texts like the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, the heroes epics are immortalized and are still alive in the day-to-day existence of the common people.
In the Mahabharata, it tells the story of the dynastic struggle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, who were close cousins. Lord Krishna plays a very important role in this Great Epic. He is a friend; philosopher and guide (as the chariot driver) to Arjuna, one of the Pandavas, and he helps Arjuna overcome his hesitation to kill his close relatives in the battlefield. The wise philosophy of Krishna and his teachings have been embodied in the Bhagwad Gita. The deep understanding of the state of life and the hard elements of life, like war, hunger, poverty, and all of social and human ills. Although the popular image of Krishna is that of a god who steals butter as a child, and who, as a youth, plays the flute and entices cows and cowherd girls alike; in his mature years he is depicted as the wise philosopher with a more serious side to his nature. Gnash is the scribe of the story, missing the one tusk which is his sacrificed to write the knowledge to mankind. Those removing the obstacles, bring domestic harmony and success.
The invisible deities are represented by images and idols which symbolize their divine powers. Many of these idols are housed within elaborate temples of supreme beauty and grandeur. The Hindu gods are very much alive and live in the very hearts and minds of the Hindus devotees. (2)
 Shiva
Shiva (Sanskrit: Auspicious One), or Siva, is one of the main Deities of Hinduism, as the paramount lord by the Saivite sects... He is the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality, the benevolent herdsman of souls and the wrathful avenger,
was originally known as Rudra, a minor deity addressed only three times in the Rig Veda.
He often holds a trident, which represents the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. It is also said to represent the threefold qualities of nature, these are creation, preservation and destruction, although preservation is usually attributed to Vishnu.
As the destroyer Shiva is seen as dark and terrible, encircled with serpents and a crown of skulls. But understand it is viewed with the good that comes from change and renewal, it removes the negative element.
Shiva, is called the Lord of the Dance. This represents the constant process of creation, preservation, and destruction of the universe. The dance is one of the most basic forms of expression in India, and here Shiva dances, it incorporates a ring of fire to symbolize the radiance of his dance. (3)
These were a few of the deities in the temple which are part of the worship within it. There was an ere of harmony and peace within the temple, yet very active and centered to a large Hindu community, here in the Oklahoma City area.
(A NON - PROFIT ORGANIZATION - FED ID NO. 73-1160874)
7200 N. COLTRANE, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73121
MAILING ADDRESS:
HINDU TEMPLE OF OKLAHOMA CITY
P.O.BOX 7495
EDMOND, OK 73083-7495
TELEPHONE: (405) 478-0787
FAX: (405) 478-0796
LOCATED AT: 7200 N.COLTRANE
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK. 73121
(close to Hwy 35 and Wilshire Blvd.)
1. The God of Big Things,
http://www.lifepositive.com/Spirit/world-religions/hinduism/tirupati.asp
2. Ganesh, http://www.crystalinks.com/ganesh.html
3. Shiva, http://www.sanatansociety.org/hindu_gods_and_goddesses.htm
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