The Pluralism Project of Ohio

Ethnic Religious Centers in Ohio

One of the two major Sikh temples (gurdwaras) in the Cleveland Metropolitan Area is the Guru Gobind Singh Sikh Temple, located in Bedford, Ohio. Named after the tenth, and the last Sikh human guru, this gurdwara is housed in a former Masonic hall. The Sikh community gathers here every Sunday and on major holidays.

The oldest Sikh Gurdwara (temple) in Ohio is located in a former church building in Richfield, south of Cleveland. Ohio's Bicentennial Commission honored this gurdwara with a historic marker in summer 2003. The Guru Nanak Foundation incorporated in 1976, and named after the first Sikh guru, renovated the building, adding a golden dome, and a hall for langar (communal meal). In the Sikh gurdwaras, the whole congregation sits on the ground in rows to partake of langar, thus emphasizing universal equality and humility.

The Hindu Temple in Columbus, Ohio, attempts in its new landscape to evoke the sanctity of the cow in Hinduism.

Interior of Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (temple), located south of Cleveland in Brunswick, Ohio. Most of the congregation of this temple has its roots in Gujarat, India. This temple is part of the worldwide BAPS or Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swami Narayan Sanstha, which has temples in Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia and America.

The Baitul Ahad Mosque building was formerly a Presbyterian church. It was renovated and converted into the mosque in 1986. Baitul Ahad Mosque, Bedford, OH.

The golden dome and the Islamic symbol of crescent on this Greek revival building were added to make it into a mosque. The Baitul Ahad Mosque represents Muslims of the Ahmadiyya movement, founded in 1889 by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.

Notice the Islamic declaration (shahada) in Arabic: There is no God but God, and Mohammad is the prophet.

Chuy Vien Quang, Vietnamese Buddhist Temple in Cleveland, Ohio.

Wat Keopa Samakhitham, Akron, Ohio. This Theravada Buddhist Wat (temple) found its location near the old Ohio-Erie Canal's system of locks in Akron, Ohio. One house serves as the residence of the monks, the other houses the temple. The congregation is primarily Laotian and Cambodian.

The Laotian-Cambodian community renovated this house to serve as temple.

A display of future temple to be built on the foundation being set between the two houses.

Mahasuvat Paptaso, Temple Monk of Wat Keopa Samakhitham, Akron, Ohio.

Mahasuvat Paptaso, Temple Monk, finds time to do repair work for the temple in his open air workshop on the grounds of the Wat Keopa Samakhitham. Birds are also regularly fed as part of piety by the monks and devotees.

Mahasuvat Paptaso prepares the temple for his congregation. Notice the Buddha statue, the pagoda trees, and pictures depicting Buddhist legends. Behind the monk are bowls with a variety of food preparations.

Bundles of daily items for offering at the temple serve to raise donation money for the temple projects.

Wat Lao Siriwathanaram Buddhist Temple, Akron, Ohio. The abandoned church building had once been a small protestant congregation. The building consisted of a sanctuary on the second floor with a balcony in the rear, and rooms in the basement. When the Temple acquired the property, the building was in ruins, and was actually in the process of being condemned by the city.

The building is easily identifiable as a Buddhist Temple from two blocks away, what with its bright colored relief carvings decorating the facade of the building, and the two dragon snakes which sit atop the sides of the front steps and face out to the street.

The elaborate facade was attached to the front of the building on the second floor and roof peak in the Summer of 1998. The facade was crafted out of wood by a fabrication company in up-state New York. Members of the temple drove trucks to up-state New York and brought the facade back to Akron in pieces. After very painstaking work to paint the symbols, sometimes having to repaint the same pieces numerous times in order to get the colors just right, the facade was installed in late summer.

A decorative shrine brought by a devotee.

Wat Lao Siriwathanaram Buddhist Temple, Akron Ohio

Wat Lao Siriwathanaram Buddhist Temple, Akron Ohio

Kham Phouk (Secretary of the Temple) and Pouchouang Xaysongkham (President of the Temple) immigrated to the United States from Laos in the early 1980s. Very soon after arriving in Akron, the two men began a fund raising campaign for the establishment of a Temple. In 1993, enough money was collected and there existed a large enough Laotian community in Akron that several families were able to establish a Temple in a small rented house a few blocks away from the present location.

As interest increased with the growing Laotian population in the Akron area, and the economy for skilled and unskilled workers in industrial northern Ohio improved, the community purchased an abandoned church in an older residential neighborhood in an old industrial area in south central Akron. The Temple purchased the building and began an extensive remodeling project, including putting on a new roof, siding, and extensive dry wall work inside.

Sri Lakshmi Narayan Temple building, Youngstown, Ohio. Construction was started in 1984. Unlike several other temples in the United States, where images of many different deities are installed for worship, this temple follows the more traditional Indian practice of a single central shrine of one presiding deity in the temple.

Gita Group of Greater Akron is a community which gathers for worship in the homes of members. This is the family shrine of the Bhardwaj family.

Interior of The Laxmi-Narayan Temple of the Hindu Temple Society of Northeastern Ohio, Youngstown. The construction of the temple started in 1984.

The Greater Cleveland Shiva Vishnu Temple. This is a picture of the old building which was converted into a temple till the new temple building was constructed further back on the lot.

"The Bridge to Our Heritage" (granite plaque) represents the link between the Western lifestyle and the religious and cultural roots of the Hindu community.

Kalashas (sacred pots) brought by devotees being consecrated before commencing the Havan under a large tent.

Larger painted Kalashas (sacred pots) to be carried to the main temple.

Kalashas being carried to the new temple by the priests and the major donors for abhishekam (sacred bath) of the newly installed deities.

Devotees singing outside the Havan tent

Havan ritual preliminary to the installation of deities

Prominent donors of the Shiva Vishnu Temple performing Havan

Devotees doing Abhishekam (sacred bath) of the newly installed Shivalinga

The main Shiva sanctum within the new building of Shiva-Vishnu Temple

Black marble image of Nathji, Rajasthan/Gujarat style

Wooden images of Jagannatha parivar (family), Orissa style

White marble images of Radha and Krishna, North Indian style

The sacred bull, Nandi, Shiva's vahana (mount) always looks toward the Shivalinga

The Hindu Temple of Toledo is situated in the neighboring town of Sylvania.

Hindu Temple of Toledo, main building. Built at a cost of about $750,000 in 1989, the temple serves approximately 400 Hindu families of the Toledo area. The architecture is modified North Indian.

Mandala at the entrance of the Toledo Hindu Temple.

Images of Lakshmi-Narayana are situated in the central niche of the temple. Other Hindu deities include Radha-Krishna, and Sita-Rama.

Image of Mahavira, the great Jain tirthankar, is also installed in the Hindu temple. This indicates close social ties between the Jains and the Hindus. Hindus and Jains have cooperatively built some other temples as well (example: Hindu-Jain Temple at Pittsburgh, PA).

Because of its location in the vicinity of a large university, Kent mosque serves the needs of Muslims from many countries.

The new Islamic Community Center, located at 152 E Steels Corners Rd. is designed to be the main Islamic center in the greater Akron-Kent area. In addition to serving the Muslim community, this center sponsors many interfaith events. This is a view from the North.

A view of the Islamic Community Center mosque from the East. The center has a large hall, and a mosque. The Center recently held an interfaith panel discussion for young leaders from more than a dozen Muslim countries visiting the US.

The Islamic Center of Greater Cleveland, comprising the Grand Mosque complex is the leading Muslim center in Northeast Ohio. This center sponsors numerous interfaith meetings, workshops, and open houses to build bridges of understanding between diverse faith communities.

Built during 1989-95, the Grand Mosque has become a major Cleveland landmark. The congregation represents Muslims from many parts of the world.

Inside view of the Grand Mosque, looking toward the Ka'aba.

A magnificent chandelier adorns the Grand Mosque.

Islamic Center of Greater Toledo. Situated close to I-75 in Perrysburg, this large Islamic center covers a built up area of 40,000 square feet.

Interior of the main prayer hall, looking toward the Ka'aba. During prayer sessions, males and females occupy separate areas in the mosque.

An exquisite wall hanging in the mosque; in the center is woven "Allah" in Arabic.

A stained glass window in the Toledo Islamic Center's mosque.