That said, Hinduism is not the easiest religion to teach. Some of its ideas and practices, like yoga, karma and reincarnation, are somewhat familiar, but the strong cultural links to India and the sheer range of ideas can seem alien to many Americans. There is an easy way for people in Tampa Bay to learn more about Hinduism and discover one of the most beautiful hidden gems in the area: Tour the Hindu Temple of Florida. The Temple is close to the junction of West Linebaugh and Anderson Road (5509 Lynn Ave.), but the ornate and multi-storied pyramid-like structure adorned with frescoes of Hindu gods and goddesses is like nothing else in Tampa Bay. Indeed, the Temple construction, completed in 1996, was designed to be as close to a traditional Hindu temple in India as possible, down to using Indian craftsmen and materials.
Dr. Sastry has greatly enjoyed his life in Florida, which includes teaching about Hinduism and World Religions at St. Petersburg College, the University of South Florida and Hillsborough High School. Sastry describes himself as “thankful to be in this great country” and particularly enjoys not having to shovel snow. He sees Florida as a melting pot and notes that the Temple works to reach out to the community, such as the Festival of Chariots on June 25, which drew thousands of people.
However, the worship of many gods should not obscure the fact that Hindus ultimately see God as one single omnipresent and omniscient being known as Brahman. As Sastry noted, the different gods are just aspects of the one God there for human understanding and convenience. He explained it in a rather Floridian manner, comparing it to how a young child visiting Orlando may grab onto Mickey Mouse as a favorite at one visit to Disney World, then more onto Winnie the Pooh in a future visit as an older child, and then focus on Harry Potter in Universal. In a similar manner, Hindus may find different gods and goddesses (Brahman ultimately has no gender, however) that reflect God to them at various points in their lives.
The second common question is why Hindus see cows as sacred. While Sastry said that God can be present in all animals, cows have long been seen as a favorite of the gods, like Krishna (an avatar or incarnation of Vishnu) who served as a cowherd. Cows give milk — as human mothers do — and help fertilize and plow the land. This veneration for cows and animals in general have led many Hindus to be vegetarians and the canteen that serves food for visitors to the Temple focuses on vegetarian cuisine.
A special concern for religions that draw heavily from immigrant communities is how to keep the religion and culture alive among younger generations. Sastry acknowledges that the younger generation can come and go, and he didn’t go to Temple services for years as a young man either. Parents at the Temple strive to give their children access to traditional Hindu and Indian values, culture and philosophy. The Temple does include special classes for youngsters as part of its function as a community center (a variety of other educational and health services are offered as well). And all of the services and festivals are open to children. I observed a number of children among the dozens of worshippers of all ages I saw during my Thursday evening visit.
Arrange your tour here. They also offer free (donations accepted) tours for up to five people Saturdays at 1:00 p.m., with larger group tours also available as the Temple’s schedule permits.
Spiritual Shenanigans is a new semi-regular column exploring religions and the cultures surrounding them.
This article appears in Jul 13-20, 2017.
