Photos by Todd Luck .
, Wake Forest University theology professor Michelle
Voss Roberts (center) speaks as the other panelists
look on.
Hindus respond to
shooting of local
temple sign
Panelists answer
questions on
Hinduism
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
Panelists in a forum on
Hinduism said that the
local Hindu community
remained hopeful after a
sign for the Winston-Salem
Hindu Temple was shot
through in July.
The forum, "I Have a
Question About
Hinduism," was the latest
in the city of Winston
Salem Human Relations
Commission's series on
religion. The sign, which
gives the temple's name,
address and contact infor
mation, sits on 7.6 acres of
land in Clemmons that has
been purchased for the pro
posed temple. It was shot at
in mid-July with a shotgun,
which left more than 60
holes in the sign. It's still
unknown who did it or
why.
Human Relations
Department Director
Wanda Allen-Abraha said
that the panel was held in
response to the incident.
The panel included
members of the area Hindu
community and Michelle
Voss Roberts, associate
professor of theology at
Wake Forest University.
Krishna Surabhi, secretary
of the Winston-Salem
Hindu Temple, said the
Hindu community was dis
appointed in the act, but
was also reassured by the
affirmation the temple got
from nearby churches.
"The response from the
community, the Hindu
community as well as other
religious communities, has
been very supportive," he
said.
Winston-Salem Temple
president Manjunath
Shamanna said the shoot
ing made some local
Hindus scared to come to
the site of the future tem
ple, where events are regu
larly held. He said between
the community support the
temple has gotten and
police that have been at the
temple's bigger events, that
fear is starting to fade.
"Hopefully, going for
ward the community will
realize that there is nothing
to fear, when we stand
together as a society, as a
Winston-Salem society, we
can face these kinds of
things," he said.
Shamanna, who is also a
Human Relations commis
sioner, said that vandalism
of places of worship is not
unique to Hindus. Since the
incident, he's had Christian
friends tell him how their
churches had been vandal
ized at various points.
It'll be next year before
t construction begins on the
temple, which is in the
planning and fundraising
stages. Events, such as
prayers on Saturday, are
currently held on the site.
The closest temple for the
500 Hindu families esti
mated to live in Forsyth
County is the Hindu
Temple of the Triad in
McLeansville, near
Greensboro. Those who
can t make it there during
the time it's open have to
travel to temples in other
parts of the state like
Charlotte.
The panel was asked to
help define Hinduism by
moderator the Rev. Tim
Auman. Srikanth Ghantae,
president of the Triad
Hindu Temple, said that
Hinduism involves a belief
in the oneness of all things
and its connectedness to
the creator
"Every thing and every
being has a purpose," he
said.
Panelists said
Hinduism believes in a cre
ator or consciousness that
takes the form in many
gods and goddesses.
Hinduism incorporates
many different beliefs and
is accepting of however
people wish to view and
worship the divine.
When the panel was
asked about the caste sys
tem, which is class system
based on birth and occupa
tion that was practiced in
India, Ghantae said it was a
sour subject. He said
Hindus realized it was a
mistake and India is trying
to move beyond it.
Aardra Rajendran, a
local resident and president
of the University of
Pennsylvania Hindu
Student Council, said the
caste system was similar to
divisions and inequalities
experienced in societies
through history, including
in the United States.
"We see America fac
ing these issues of inequal
ity and justice and social
power struggles, and this is
something that India is
really struggling with now,
too, and hopefully moving
forward in progress," she
said.
She said that young
people today are drawn to
aspects of Hinduism about
equality and peace.
"Youth are so much
more drawn toward the
core principals of non-vio
lence, of peace, of seeing
divinity in all people, of
seeing the importance of
nature and seeing the inter
dependence of man with
nature, of recognizing the
fundamental humanity of
all beings because all
beings are part of the
supreme soul."
The panel was also
asked about the Hindu
roots of Yoga, which start
ed as a philosophy that
"yokes" the mind and body
to reach a transcendental
state, and the red dot some
times worn on the forehead
by Hindus, which marks a
sacred spot of the body and
invokes their internal
power and their connection
to higher divinity.
Auman, a Human
Relations Commissioner
and WFU Chaplain, said
that the university is start
ing a Hindu student society
this semester.
' 4.
Left to Right) Rev. Tim Auman, Aardra
Rajendran, Srikanth Ghantae, Michelle Voss
Roberts, Krishna Surabhi, Manjunath Shamanna
and Wanda Allen-Abraha.
Have an Opinion?
Let us Know
letters@wschronicle.com
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