Hindu Heritage Month USA

Many states in the USA are  celebrating October as “Hindu Heritage Month” or “Hindu Awareness and

Appreciation Month.”

From Florida to Massachusetts, several states of the USA are recognizing their Hindu population by celebrating October as Hindu Appreciation Month. Neighboring  Canada will celebrate November as “Hindu Heritage Month”. Other countries such as Australia and New Zealand celebrate along similar lines. This is important for many reasons, firstly because Hindus are among the top communities contributing to the national exchequer through taxes, technical skills to industries, medical services at hospitals, clinics and pharmacies, higher educational services at top universities and schools and legal expertise in the judiciary, they deserve recognition. And knowing Hindu community better can lead to a mutually beneficial relationship resulting in deeper integration.

Somehow, instances of physical attacks on Hindus, hateful speeches against them, and temple desecration-acts of intimidating Hindus-have increased. Recently arrested Alexandros Paporakis in Aurora, IL, declared that he wanted to kill as many visitors to the Hindu temple as possible with his AR rifle and 300 rounds of ammunition. Rutgers surveys have documented a 1,000% spike in anti-Hindu slurs and hate speech across digital platforms in recent months and the Carnegie Endowment surveyed a similar spike in religion-based discrimination against Indians in recent months. The reason could perhaps be jealousy or insecurity born out of ignorance.

Hindu hate actually defies rational logic and makes no sense as Hindus are one of the most educated, accomplished and contributing communities in the world who pride themselves on being helpful like a true friend. They are the “Friends of the world”, in Indian languages the expression is “Vishwa-Bandhu.” This was aptly demonstrated recently by the Hindu pilot, Capt. Smit Machchhar of Fly Dubai flight. He saved 182 lives from certain death, thwarting the copilot's desperate mission to crash the flight. During COVID pandemic, when  no other country was helping, India provided free COVID vaccines to more than a hundred countries. Even during natural disasters in Turkey, Myanmar, Nepal, Maldives, etc., India was the first responder with tons of relief material, makeshift hospitals, drinking water, food and medicines. During the Second World War, when there were no takers for orphaned Polish children, Hindu Maharajas stepped forward and despite opposition from colonial British rulers provided a welcome home to them. Whether a pandemic, a war, or a disaster, they are the first to step forward, pouring in funds, food, and rushing to blood banks to donate blood. They ask for no recognition, expect no applause, and reject the idea that they are doing anyone a favor. For them, selflessness is not a gesture or a sacrifice; it is a habit.

If one looks at statistics, one finds that among the criminals incarcerated for violent crimes, one hardly finds Hindus in any country of the world. Hindus are generally known for having a peaceful and non-violent temperament. They are more often giving others rather than demanding from others. They are net givers not takers.

Try visiting a neighbouring Hindu temple, apart from beautiful images of God, you would see many of them running free community kitchens and feeding full balanced meals to anyone who presents themselves for food. The months of October and November are special. Many major festivals like Navaratri (9 days of full-night dancing for all ages and genders), Dashera (an auspicious day to start new ventures or buy big-ticket items like a car or house), and Sharad Purnima (full-moon dancing all night) and Diwali (the festival of light) fall during these months. And when in a temple, have no apprehensions, they would never try to convert you to Hinduism as it is a non-proselytizing religion. They do not even have any propaganda material to entice you.

Why do Hindus stand out for being helpful? It is because it is part of their upbringing. Their scriptures mandate it. Their every religious ceremony begins with a prayer for wellness and peace everywhere, the well-being of everyone and even ends with similar wishes. For them, the world is one family (“Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”) and divinity exists in everything that exists in the world - living or non-living - Humans, animals, plants or even stones-everything is pervaded by divinity (“Isa Vasyam Jagat Sarvam”)  and therefore everything needs to be respected and taken care of as such.

The more we befriend and know them, the more we see their contribution to our society. 

Have You Recognized? The Vegan Or Vegetarian People Are Your Friends Hiding In Plain Sight

 At many recent global events, they served 100% plant-based (Vegan), or 100% Vegetarian food. It is a relatively new trend.

Golden Globe, 77th award ceremony at Beverly Hills (USA), the Responsible Investment Summit (PRI) at Sao Paulo (Brazil), Climate Change conference COP28 at Dubai (UAE) and the Summit of major emerging economies, BRICS etc. had a strictly vegan/vegetarian food spread and their menus had zero meat offering.

At all these events, the underlying idea behind serving meat-free food was to emphasise their objective of sustainability arising from lower carbon footprint and environmental friendliness of the vegan/vegetarian diet. (A study in the Journal of Cleaner Production found that meat-based meals had, on average, 14 times higher environmental impact than their vegan equivalents)

People who consciously opt for vegan/vegetarian food are either health or climate enthusiasts. There may be other reasons too but even these two are good enough to die for. These veg freaks of the world, with their smaller carbon footprint, help the world to last a bit longer for us. In that sense, they are our friends. Courtesy demands we, at least in our minds, honor them as “Friends of the World”. They are oblivious to the fact that they are obliging us. They have never held this obligation over our heads and never have sought anything in return- not even recognition. A perfect hallmark of a true friend.

Among civilizations, Indians have an ancient tradition of observing vegetarianism as a strict discipline. Modern science too endorses the idea of plant-intensive food. Although India is a majority meat-eating nation, its vegetarian population, too, is massive. It is the world's largest repository of vegetarians. In other words, India hosts the largest group of “Friends of the World”. Translated in the Indian language Friends of the World is “Vishwa-Bandhu”

India and the followers of ancient vegetarian culture are contributing to the wellness and sustainability of all earthlings. They are our benevolent fellow global citizens. They abstain from meat for us to sustain.

The culinary bandwidth of Vegan/Vegetarian food is huge in terms of varieties, ingredients, tastes, flavours and colors. Even occasional, once in a week or once in a month observation of vegetarianism can go a long way towards earth’s cause, our own health benefit and service to our fellow earthlings.

Proposition to Gandhi Detractors

 Gandhiji has been always accepted as a great leader and a freedom fighter by almost everyone. However some sections of Indians do harbor a secret (sometimes openly) disdain for him. There are many compelling and true reasons for both views however on his birthday today, the 2nd of October, I have a constructive proposition for Gandhiji’s detractors.

One may differ with him in terms of his politics, opinions and actions, however for whatever reasons, the world as we observe today, has accepted it as truth that he won freedom for India using peaceful, non-cooperation protests. He was a messiah of peace. His Birthday is celebrated every year today by the UN as “UN Non-Violence Day”.

We, as Indians, have no real benefit to derive by belittling or overturning his established Mahatma-ness. On the contrary, his name carries a huge goodwill. Goodwill is a currency. A businessman knows its value. 

No person, policy or principle is either completely good or completely bad. Everything is a cocktail of both. To be fair, one should also look at the era and constraints of the time while judging someone. I think he had a great personal character and ability to create grass-root movements. I also think he should not have imposed his veto on how the country should be run. He should have left governance to the government. 

I suggest, revise your stand. Do like Gandhiji by conviction. If not by conviction, maybe  one can still like him as a useful strategy employing his global goodwill. Use his goodwill for the nation's advantage. Running him down does not earn any gain.

Gandhi detractors, do consider this proposition. Do not saquander his goodwill. Capitalize on it. Be smart.