Al Jazeera, Time produced most negative coverage of Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir inauguration
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Al Jazeera, Time produced most negative coverage of Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir inauguration

By February 23, 2025 No Comments

Omissions of archeological evidence, selective historical framing, subtly biased language, key issues across most leading English-language sources

In late December 2023 and in January 2024, in the weeks prior to the inauguration of the new Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, officially the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, and against the backdrop of Indian election campaigning officially beginning in a few months but in practice already started unofficially, there was an understandable increase in news coverage of this historic event. 

Observing the growing flow of reporting, one thing in particular struck me, having myself written about the Ram Mandir as part of work with the Hindu American Foundation. In the articles that I was seeing there was little mention of the history of the site prior to the construction of what became known as the Babri Masjid, what happened there in the centuries between that construction and the demolition that occurred in 1992, or the archeology done at the site. One of the goals of that archeology, done by order of Indian courts, was to determine if assertions that the Babri Masjid was in fact built over the remains of a destroyed Hindu temple were backed by evidence, as well as to establish more broadly what the site had been used for prior to the early 16th century. This archeology ultimately suggested that there had been a Hindu temple underneath Babri Masjid and that there had been a history of dharmic spiritual use of the site going back millennia. 

If the news media is part of the court of public opinion, surely all the evidence ought to be presented so that the public can make a fully informed assessment. Beginning any story of the new Ram Mandir site with the Babri Masjid pre-existing upon it and presenting Hindu attitudes towards it primarily as religious beliefs when there is archeology that can shed light on these traditional assertions hides critical information from news readers and viewers.

I firmly believe that reasonable people can come to differing conclusions based on a given set of facts. We all weigh factors differently, come to a situation with differing priorities and values and perspectives. That belief itself is a value judgment, one not universally held, contrasted by the also-held belief that a set of facts lead to one correct conclusion that excludes others. 

The point of this paper is not to convince readers of the correctness of any conclusion. (Though I acknowledge at the outset that I have my own views on this issue that likely can’t be entirely excluded in my analysis, given the subjective methodology, outlined below — as will be my own assessment of the full set of facts as we know them.) 

Rather, the point is to assess: To what extent was such history and archeology omitted from coverage? Furthermore, was history presented done so accurately and was the reporting seemingly favoring one perspective or another?

METHODOLOGY

In making this assessment, I examined the top 50 Google search results for “Ram Mandir Ayodhya” published between December 1, 2023 and February 3, 2024. Results were limited to English publications, with no geographical limitation. This search was selected under the assumptions that Google is the largest search engine in the world and that an average reader without prior knowledge of any of the issues surrounding the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, or its history, is unlikely to read beyond two pages of search results (i.e. 50 articles). The timeframe was selected as it was six weeks before the inauguration of the temple on January 22, 2024, as well as continuing for roughly two weeks afterwards. While there may be a small number of articles focusing on the temple opening that fall slightly outside those ranges, or mention it tangentially, the bulk of coverage falls within those dates. 

The search was conducted from Los Angeles, California, using the latest version of Safari, using a Macbook Air, running the latest version of MacOS available at that time. Searches conducted elsewhere geographically, using different browsers, might yield slightly different results

Articles were categorized as to tone on a scale from 1-5, with 1 being Negative, 2 Somewhat Negative, 3 Neutral, 4 Somewhat Positive, and 5 Positive. 

The categorization was based on the language used to describe the events surrounding the opening of the Ram Mandir, the history of the site, and the reaction to it. Such characterization was done subjectively, making judgements based on my 15+ years as a media professional working as a writer, journalist, commentator, and editor. With such experience it is generally easy to assess intent behind competing word choices, or, at least, which alternate phrasings could be used in any part of an article to express the same intent. Furthermore, this categorization was done through the perspective of a hypothetical reader who would have no prior knowledge of the situation, and how the wording would be commonly understood. If a reader is coming to this situation for the first time, how is an article likely to be taken?

For example, to describe the construction of the Ram Mandir as ‘controversial’ is a neutral description. There are strongly polarized perceptions of the history of the site and the construction of a new mandir on it. It is fair to say there is controversy surrounding it. Whether it should be controversial or not is beside the point. However, to describe it as ‘divisive’ is making a judgment about the nature of the controversy. Proponents of building the new temple say it is a unifying moment for Hindus and rectifying past wrongs. Many opponents strongly believe otherwise, that whatever unification of Hindus is happening is coming at the expense of Indian Muslims and dividing the greater community of India. Using the word ‘divisive’ to describe the situation by a journalist is taking the position of the opposition as the correct one. 

Likewise, to describe the BJP and Prime Minister Modi as being ‘Hindu nationalist’ is a neutral description. Both would likely agree with this characterization of their political ideology, Hindutva. However, to describe Modi as ‘authoritarian’ or a ‘strongman’ is a judgment — one counterfactual based on the general held definition of both terms. To describe the BJP as being motivated by a ‘supremacist’ ideology of Hindutva is a judgment, one that runs counter to both the statements of current BJP officials and the statements of the earliest proponents of Hindutva. Using the word ‘fascist’ is similarly making a judgment here, as both the BJP and Modi would loudly dispute such a description, and does not align with most common definitions of fascism, considering the robust democracy in India. 

Articles were additionally categorized, with yes/no answers, as to whether they did or did not do the following:

  1. Mention any history of the site on which the new Ram Mandir is being built prior to the construction of the Babri Masjid.
  2. Present a reasonably full and accurate history of the site.
  3. Mention that the Archeological Survey of India conducted an investigation of the site.
  4. Mention that the Indian courts, as part of permitting the construction of a new temple on the site on which the Babri Masjid once stood (from the early 16th century until its destruction in 1992), ordered that land be granted nearby for the construction of a modern mosque.

Once an initial review of the top 50 articles was done, those outlets which produced the most biased coverage, both positive and negative, were given a wider review. For this review, the search function on the website for each of these was used, with the same query (“Ram Mandir Ayodhya”) and the same time period (Dec 1, 2023 through Feb 3, 2024), to compile all the coverage from each outlet. This list was then reviewed with the same methodology and questions as the initial review of the top 50 search results. This was done to determine if the top search results were indicative of the full coverage of this issue from each outlet. 

POTENTIAL LIMITATIONS

There are a few potential limitations of this methodology, including:

A full survey of all the articles published by all of the outlets returned by search results was not conducted. While an assessment of the full output of those media outlets during the Dec. 1, 2023 to Feb. 3, 2024 time period which produced the most biased coverage, either positive of negative was conducted, doing the same for all of the outlets in the top 50 search results would provide a more complete picture of the potential bias or lack thereof. 

Focusing on the top 50 search results alone does not take into account which articles social media platforms served to users. Given that social media platforms are a primary way many people learn about news, the hypothetical average person may or may not be viewing the articles in the top 50 search results. This does not factor into the tone of the articles themselves or the information relayed in them. However, it does mean that this analysis does not necessarily indicate the influence of the articles in the top 50 search results has on shaping public opinion on this issue. 

The use of a subjective analysis of one person introduces a good deal of variability into the results. Though I have made every effort to make a dispassionate assessment of tone and language, reading each as if I were an assigning editor receiving work from an author, my assessment is nevertheless that of one person. Presenting the full list of articles surveyed to a statistically meaningful group of readers and then interviewing them afterwards as to how they understood each article would provide a more detailed picture of how the articles are being received by the public.

EXAMPLES OF BIASED TONE IN NEWS COVERAGE 

There are several ways in which one of these articles, presented as unbiased news, can subtly present a partisan view of a topic: Wrongly stating the self-described goals of an individual or organization; presenting author’s analysis as a sort of settled consensus fact, when a different assessment could be made; omitting historical facts or otherwise setting the historical parameters in such a way that leads towards a particular conclusion, when if these parameters were set differently or a more full set of facts were presented a different conclusion might also be reached. 

In the news articles reviewed, subtly negative phrasing was not uncommon; subtly positive phrasing was uncommon to the point of being effectively absent.. 

The following are three examples of writing that are clearly but subtly negatively biased in presentation. 

“Mr. Modi, now the country’s prime minister, inaugurated the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Monday — the crowning achievement of a national movement aimed at establishing Hindu supremacy in India by rallying the country’s Hindu majority across castes and tribes.”  — The New York Times, January 22, 2024

Why is this negative? The national movement being referred to here is Hindutva, which defines the word Hindu not in contemporary religious terms but in cultural terms proponents of Hindutva believe encompasses, essentially, anyone who lives in India and also honors the nation as a cultural homeland. It does center the dharmic traditions faiths, but also explicitly includes members of those faiths originating outside of India. It is simply false to describe Hindutva as being a Hindu supremacist ideology or movement. It is also false to describe the goals of the BJP, the party of Prime Minister Modi, as being rooted in Hindu supremacy or attempting to establish Hindu supremacy. A more fair phrasing might be “…the crowning achievement of a national movement aimed, it believes, at addressing the concerns of the nation’s Hindu majority, long perceived as being sidelined under previous governments, and uniting the nation across castes, tribes, and religions.” One can certainly debate the effectiveness of the BJP in doing this, but such a description is accurate and neutral in terms of what they say they want to do.

“It also cements his legacy as one of the country’s most consequential leaders — in particular, one who is helping to transform India from a secular democracy into an avowedly Hindu nation.” — Time, January 22, 2024

Why is this negative? The part of this passage after the em-dash is a piece of analysis presented as a fact in an article not labeled as opinion, analysis, or commentary  — a fact that is highly debatable, particularly in that no one in the BJP has seriously proposed ending secular democracy in India. It also muddles the scene in that given the huge demographic majority of Hindus in India, the nation is already avowedly Hindu, even as the state of India has been avowedly secular since its creation in independence in 1947. 

“For Hindus, the site marks the birthplace of Lord Ram […] But the site is also revered by India’s Muslims for having once housed the 16th century Babri Masjid, a monument of faith for Indian Muslims that stood on the site for centuries before it was razed by a Hindu nationalist mob in 1992.” — Time, January 18, 2024 

Why is this negative? This paragraph, by the same author as the previous example, in a different article, shows the sort of selective telling of history, the selective framing of the conversation. The history of the site of Babri Masjid and the new Ram Mandir is readily available. As we’ll get to in this paper, a number of very detailed and accurate historical timelines of the site have been published. The history is not obscure. A writer failing to mention the full history of the site is a conscious choice, a choice to discount history as a factor worth discussing. It is true that the Babri Masjid “stood on the site for centuries before it was razed by a Hindu nationalist mob in 1992.” However, what is not said is that the Babri Masjid was built, according to the traditional Hindu account now validated by archeological research, over the ruins of a temple destroyed by Muslims to construct the mosque. The “monument of faith” for Muslims, archeology indicates, was built directly over a monument of faith for Hindus, and one with a longer legacy of veneration. 

CATEGORIZATION OF ARTICLES 

The sources of the top 50 search results are as follows: Al Jazeera 6 articles; CNN 6; Economic Times, NDTV, Reuters 4; Times of India 3; BBC, The Hindu, Hindustan Times, Indian Express, Live Mint, New York Times, Time 2; AP, Financial Express, Financial Times, Foreign Policy, The Guardian, The Hindu Business Line, The Independent, Mens XP, The Quint, VOA 1.

Looking at the top 25 results alone, the sources are: CNN 6; Reuters 4; BBC, New York Times, Time 2; AP, Financial Times, Foreign Policy, Indian Express, Times of India, VOA 1. 

As for types of articles, both the top 50 and top 25 had the same percentages: 80% News, 12% History / Timelines, and 8% Opinion or Commentary. 

Looking at the country of origin of sources, the top 25 skew to sources outside of India: USA 68%, Qatar 12%, UK 12%, with India itself at 8%. For the top 50 as a whole, Indian reporting rises significantly as a percentage of results: India 44%, USA 34%, Qatar 12%, UK 10%.

Looking at the tone of reporting, of the top 25 results: 12% was Negative, 24% was Somewhat Negative, 52% was Neutral, 12% Somewhat Positive, 2% Positive. The top 50 results introduced much more neutral reporting, with 8% Negative, 14% Somewhat Negative, 68% Neutral, 6% Somewhat Positive, 4% Positive.

Looking at tone by country, for the top 25 results: US coverage was 47% Negative and Somewhat Negative, 41% Neutral, 12% Somewhat Positive and Positive; Qatar was 34% Negative and Somewhat Negative, 66% Neutral; UK was 100% Neutral; India was 50% Neutral, 50% Somewhat Positive and Positive. Looking at tone by country, for the top 50 results: US coverage was 47% Negative and Somewhat Negative, 41% Neutral; Qatar was 34% Negative and Somewhat Negative, 66% Neutral; UK was 20% Negative and Somewhat Negative; India was 86% Neutral, 14% Somewhat Positive and Positive.

Looking at specific sources for tone, for the top 50 results, going down based on number of articles produced: Al Jazeera’s coverage (6 articles) was 34% Negative and Somewhat Negative, 66% Neutral; CNN (6) was 50% Negative and Somewhat Negative, 50% Neutral; Economic Times (4) was 100% Neutral; NDTV (4) 100% Neutral; Reuters (4) 75% Neutral, 25% Somewhat Positive and Positive; Times of India (3) 67% Neutral, 33% Somewhat Positive and Positive; BBC (2) 100% Neutral; Hindustan Times (2) 100% Neutral; Indian Express (2) 100% Somewhat Positive and Positive; Live Mint (2) 100% Neutral; New York Times (2) 100% Negative and Somewhat Negative; The Hindu (2) 100% Neutral; Time (2) 100% Negative and Somewhat Negative; AP (1) 100% Somewhat Positive and Positive; Financial Express (1) 100% Neutral; Financial Times (1) 100% Neutral; Foreign Policy (1) 100% Neutral; MensXP (1) 100% Neutral; The Guardian (1) 100% Negative and Somewhat Negative; The Hindu Business Line (1) 100% Neutral; The Independent (1) 100% Neutral; The Quint (1) 100% Neutral; VOA (1) 100% Negative and Somewhat Negative.

As for the topics coverage in each article, identified as critical to a full understanding of the the context and recent history of the issue, 56% did not mention any history of the site prior to the construction of the Babri Masjid; 88% did not present readers with a reasonably full history of the site; 90% failed to mention that the Archeological Survey of India has investigated the site all, let alone what the results of their work revealed; and, 58% did not mention that a land grant was made for the construction of mosque to replace the Babri Masjid.

A DEEPER LOOK AT THE MOST SLANTED SOURCES

After examining the top 50 search results, the full coverage of the sources with the most slanted negative coverage were looked at, so as to get a sense of whether the articles rising to the top of search were indicative of the tone of a publication’s coverage more broadly or were somehow outliers. As no publication which produced more than a single article in the top 50 results skewed towards positive coverage, this angle of analysis was not pursued. 

Of those publications slanting negative: Al Jazeera produced 12 pieces in total; CNN published 11; Time 4; The Guardian 3; New York Times 3.

Time’s coverage slanted the most fully Negative of any publication, with 3 of the 4 articles they published being entirely Negative in tone and the remaining article Neutral. Half the articles they produced were Negative opinion pieces. 

New York Times published 2 articles that were Somewhat Negative in tone, with 1 article being Neutral.

The Guardian stands out as being 100% Negative or Somewhat Negative in their coverage. They also stand out as being the only publication in the world, whose articles rose to the top 50 search results, which took at official editorial position on the subject — a negative one. 

CNN produced a significant amount of articles about the opening of the Ram Mandir, and though half of its top searching coverage slanted Negative or Somewhat Negative, looking at the totality of its output revealed that the majority was in fact Neutral, with all of its coverage outside the top results being Neutral in tone. 

Al Jazeera, which produced the highest number of articles, deserves a deeper examination. 

Of the 12 articles published by Al Jazeera, two-thirds were Negative or Somewhat Negative in tone, with the remaining one-third being Neutral. All of Al Jazeera’s coverage outside of the top results was Negative or Somewhat Negative in tone. 

As you get closer, spontaneous cries of “Har har Mahadev!” and “Jai Sri Ram!” break out, prompted seemingly only by being at mela. 

On the topics, Al Jazeera overwhelming omitted mention what I believe to be key factors in presenting a full contextual and factual picture of the history of the Ayodhya site. 75% of articles mentioned nothing of the history of the site prior to the construction of Babri Masjid; 83% percent did not present a full history of the site, omitting many crucial details of what happened on the site from the construction of Babri Masjid till today; 92% failed to mention that the Archeological Survey of India investigated the site to try to understand what existed on the site prior to the construction of Babri Masjid; 67% failed to mention that the Supreme Court of India, in ruling that construction could proceed for the new Ram Mandir also ordered a significant amount of land be granted for the construction of a mosque, in compensation for the mob destruction of Babri Masjid. 

These results show to me that from an editorial perspective — either through direct input of editors on this topic or indirectly through the writers hired to cover India more broadly — Al Jazeera has taken an editorial stance against the opening of the new Ram Mandir without explicitly stating so. At least The Guardian had the courage to state its opposition openly.

DISCUSSION 

As a writer, or storyteller regardless of medium, where you choose to start a story chronologically can deeply change perception of the characters, how their motivations and actions come across. Backstory and context matter deeply and can transform how the actions are viewed by your audience. Narrowing the window of time through which a large story is told is sometimes necessary due to the constraints of a particular format. Chosen carefully, a narrow window can highlight moments in that bigger story that are representative of the whole, even when omitting details. A small window can provide an informative representative glimpse of a larger landscape, if pointed in the right direction. Placed poorly, however, and that narrow window doesn’t at all indicate accurate contours of the scene it looks out on.

In covering the opening of the new Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, many of the publications producing articles in the top 50 search results chose a narrow window for their audiences that omitted, what are to my mind, critical historical details. Had these details been included a much different picture would be created, one that more accurately contextualizes the events that have taken place over the past century and a half broadly, and specifically in the past few decades since Babri Masjid was torn down by a mob. 

Of the top 50 search results slightly more than half (54%) presented the history with Babri Masjid simply existing. The only places that the history of the site prior to Babri Masjid were presented, by and large, were in timeline articles listing key dates in the story. In the rest of the articles, there was no mention that anyone even claimed that this mosque might have been built over a Hindu temple. Or that it was originally named, roughly in English, the Mosque of the Birthplace (referring to being built on the traditional birthplace of Lord Ram). It is as though there was simply nothing there at all prior to the construction of Babri Masjid. Maybe it just sprouted from the soil without any human intervention? This holds true for articles with both positive and negative tone, it is worth mentioning. It is nevertheless a failing of journalism and storytelling more broadly, regardless of the quality of the article as a whole. It is erasure of important history for anyone trying to place the current debate into an accurate historical position. 

Such a failure might be able to be overlooked had a detailed accounting of events on the site after construction of Babri Masjid been presented. The starting point of the story might be too recent, in terms of historical context, but at least the events of the past several centuries would tell a detailed and multi-sided story — the attempts to re-establish dharmic worship at the site, the court cases during British rule attempting to adjudicate who had right to worship, the fact that Babri Masjid had be closed for use for decades, the movement to acknowledge that Babri Masjid was built over a destroyed temple and reclaim it (the same one that eventually erupted into mob violence), and then the court cases to settle the matter, including an order for archeological investigations to determine what if any historical basis there is to claims that the site supported a temple prior to Babri Masjid and that it had been used for dharmic worship since time immemorial. But the fact is that 88% of articles in the top search results, positive and negative alike, omitted many key historical details. Again, the only that didn’t were dedicated timelines about the site, and the four that presented a detailed history were from Indian sources. 

The fact that 90% of articles in the top results made not a single mention of the work of the Archeological Survey of India is the biggest insight into how this story was presented by reporters. That no one takes notice of the fact that an archeological investigation showed that there was a temple under Babri Masjid, possibly destroyed for its construction, is astounding. This is a crucial fact to include in making a full assessment of the site historically. Knowing the results of this archeological work significantly balances the narrative and contextualizes the movement to establish a new Ram Mandir. It takes the motivations of those people wanting a new temple from being rooted solely in traditional religious belief that the site is the birthplace of Lord Ram, without concrete historical evidence to support this, to a belief that is supported by archeology showing that some sort of dharmic worship happened at the site — even if the historicity of Lord Ram being born there is beyond the scope of archeology. It may not justify mob destruction of Babri Masjid, but to me it strongly qualifies the condemnation of such violence. If such violence is a response to previous violence of a very similar nature done centuries before, that is surely a different thing than instigating violence for the first time. If there was a temple on the site, destroyed to build the mosque, then the events of 1992 were a reclamation of a site of worship, destroyed in the 16th century — reclamation through extrajudicial violence, which is widely condemned in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, but nevertheless reclamation. If there was not a temple prior to Babri, then it is the erroneous beliefs of Hindus leading to the destruction of a Muslim place of worship. Those are entirely different stories. In the first instance the building of the new temple is restoration of something that was destroyed centuries ago. In the second instance the building of the new temple is based on erroneous belief and victimizing the Muslim community based on erroneous belief. 

The failure of 58% of articles in the top 50 search results to mention that the Indian courts ordered land be given for the construction of a new mosque to replace Babri Masjid, in compensation of its destruction, considering that the same courts condemned the violence that led to that, is similarly a critical omission. Not including this facet of the history makes it seem as the entire apparatus of the Indian government — executive, parliament, judiciary alike — is backing in an unqualified manner the construction of the new Ram Mandir. That isn’t the case. The order that land be granted for the construction of a new mosque and at the same acknowledging that the destruction of Babri Masjid through mob violence was wrong, is a highly qualified permission and takes on the events of the past three decades. It is an attempt to balance the needs and desires of two communities with a highly contentious history when it comes to this site in Ayodhya. It attempts to make amends for historical wrongs by providing a solution that hopefully will lessen the chances of those wrongs continuing into the future. That interpretation — and I acknowledge there could be others regarding the court’s motivations and actions — could nevertheless only be made by readers if they were presented with the fact that such a decision had been made in the first place. 

CONCLUSION 

Going into this analysis, based on those articles I had initial seen, I suspected that many publications were covering the opening of the new Ram Mandir with the 1992 destruction of Babri Masjid as the starting point, as well as viewing presenting the temple inauguration through a lens of Hindu nationalism asserting itself at the expense of India’s Muslims. More systematic articles published that rose to the top of search results bore out that initial instinct as correct, and then some. 

That there was editorial direction in leading news outlets to portray the new Ram Mandir as a profoundly negative event, intended to victimize the Indian Muslim community, is obvious in the coverage from Al Jazeera and Time in particular. The Guardian, as their own editorial states and coverage indicated, was similarly against the temple and hostile towards the current Government of India and Hindu nationalism. 

Somewhat surprising were two things: 

1) The BBC, which has historically been perceived by many people in the Hindu advocacy space as showing bias or sensationalism in its coverage of India and Hinduism, was objectively neutral in tone in all its coverage on this particular issue. It was no better than other publications in including a more full historical accounting of the site, but it was nevertheless neutral and accurate in those top searching articles.

2) That the coverage of Indian news media was so universally neutral in tone. Given that the temple opening and all the events that have led to it over the centuries have genuinely been contentious, to the point of violence some three decades ago, I had expected much more partisanship in coverage, both positive and negative, of the temple opening. Rather, apart from one very positive opinion piece, those articles from India sources that were top searching were paragons of straight factual reporting. That this contrasts so strongly with the vitriol against the temple opening published in some of the Western media, and directed at Western audiences, is remarkable.

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In Groundhog Day, for example, when cynical TV weatherman Phil Collins discovers he is trapped in a time loop, living the same day over and over, only to be released after transforming his character from an egocentric narcissist to a thoughtful and kindhearted philanthropist, it’s hard not to be reminded of the Hindu notion of samsara, a cycle of reincarnation from which a soul attains liberation by realizing its divine nature after lifetimes of spiritual practice. 

Or in The Matrix when Neo chooses the red pill of knowledge over the blue pill of ignorance, and is subsequently unplugged from an illusory world and cast into the truth of reality, the film seems to be conveying a foundational Vedic teaching: that we must transcend our own ignorance — a product of maya, literally meaning “illusion” in Sanskrit — to uncover our true nature. Hindu concepts appear to be further exhibited in Neo’s relationship with Morpheus, which starkly reflects that of a disciple and guru, as the latter reveals to the former the knowledge he needs in order to understand this “true nature.” As Neo’s faith in Morpheus’ words develops, so does his capacity to see past the illusion of the matrix, garnering him the ability to manipulate the laws of this false reality, similar to the Jedi and yogis described earlier.

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Going through Priestley’s writings, Adams became riveted by Hindu thought, as he launched into a five-year exploration of Eastern philosophy. As his knowledge of Hinduism and ancient Indian civilization grew, so did his respect for it. This legacy took shape in the 1830s as Transcendentalism, a philosophical, social, and literary movement that emphasized the spiritual goodness inherent in all people despite the corruption imposed on an individual by society and its institutions. Espousing that divinity pervades all of nature and humanity, Transcendentalists believed divine experience existed in the everyday, and held progressive views on women’s rights, abolition, and education. At the heart of this movement were three of America’s most influential authors: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman, and Henry David Thoreau.

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Hinduism Beyond India: Afghanistan

10/26/2024Dogs and Diwali

According to the 2021-2022 National Pet Owners Survey, 70% of U.S. households (90.5 million homes) owned a pet as of 2022, with 69 million U.S. households having a pet dog. Recognized for their loyalty, service, companionship, and the special relationship they have with humans, Hinduism’s reverence for dogs is expansive, as they are worshiped in festivals and appreciated in connection to a number of Hindu gods and stories. Observed in Nepal, Bhutan, and the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal, Kukar Tihar (the 2nd day of Tihar) honors dogs as messengers that help guide spirits of the deceased across the River of Death. In the Mahabharata, Yudhisthira, his brothers, and the queen Draupadi renounced their kingdom to ascend to the heavens. However, Yudhisthira was the only one that survived along with a dog that had joined them. Yudhisthira refused to go to heaven without the dog, who turned out to be Yamaraj, the God of Death. Sarama, the “female dog of the gods,” was famously asked by Indra to retrieve a herd of cows that were stolen. When the thieves were caught, they tried to bribe Sarama but she refused and now represents those who do not wish to possess but instead find what has been lost. The symbolic import of dogs is further driven in connection with Dattatreya, as he is commonly depicted with four of them to represent the Vedas, the Yugas, the stages of sound, and the inner forces of a human being (will, faculty, hope, and desire).

Dogs and Diwali? 5 Things to Know about Hinduism and hu(man)’s Best Friend

10/25/2024Black Panther

In 2018, the long-running Marvel comic series Black Panther, was brought to the big screen. A more prominent scene is when M’baku, a character vying for the throne of the fictional country of Wakanda, challenges T’Challa/Black Panther, and yells, “Glory to Hanuman.” However, despite dharma as an unsaid aspect of the characters’ interactions, Black Panther relies slightly more on Hindu symbolism than philosophy. But the significance of Hanuman as a transcendent deity cannot be overlooked, especially at a time when dialogues about global migration, the right to worship, and access to natural resources are becoming more overtly racialized. The film provides more than just an entertainment escape: it reimagines a world in which the current racial and theological paradigms are challenged forcefully. With the film expected to have at least several sequels, there will be more opportunities to reference Hinduism and Hindu iconography.

Why Black Panther’s References to Hinduism are Significant in Hollywood

10/24/2024Diwali

One of the most celebrated Hindu festivals, Diwali (dee-VAH-lee) or Deepavali (dee-PAH-va-lee) commemorates the victory of good over evil during the course of five days. The word refers to rows of diyas — or clay lamps — which are put all around homes and places of worship. The light from these lamps symbolizes the illumination within all of us, which can overcome ignorance, represented by darkness. Devotees gather in local temples, homes, or community centers, to spend time with loved ones, make positive goals, and appreciate life.

Hindu Holidays & Dharmic Days Calendar 

Diwali Toolkit

10/23/2024Dhanteras

On this day, because Diwali is a time for dana (charitable giving) and seva (selfless service), Hindus traditionally perform a deep cleaning of their homes and surroundings, as cleanliness is believed to invoke the presence and blessings of Goddess Lakshmi who, as mentioned earlier, is the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. Many will also make rangoli or kolum (colored patterns of flowers, powder, rice, or sand made on the floor), which are also said to invite auspiciousness. Observers thus begin Diwali by cultivating a spirit of generosity, doing things like giving money to charities, feeding the hungry, and endeavoring to help those in need.

5 Things to Know About Diwali

10/22/2024The Hindu Diaspora in Bali

The spread of Hinduism to Southeast Asia established powerful Hindu kingdoms in the region, most notably the Khmer Empire that encompassed modern Cambodia and Thailand, and influential kingdoms in the Indonesia archipelago. Though Buddhism and Hinduism co-existed in the region for several centuries, Buddhism (and Islam in Indonesia) eventually replaced Hinduism as a primary religion. Today, there are approximately five million Hindus in Indonesia, primarily in Bali. As Bali is roughly 90 percent Hindu, this makes it a religious enclave in a country that contains the world’s largest Muslim population. There are also roughly 60,000 Cham Hindus in Vietnam, and smaller numbers in Thailand. Hinduism in Fiji, Malaysia, and Singapore is a much more recent phenomenon, with Hindus arriving in the 19th and early 20th centuries as indentured laborers. Today, Hindus are prominent in politics and business in all three countries, though they continue to experience discrimination as religious minorities.

Hinduism Beyond India: Bali

Hinduism Around the World

10/21/2024Smithsonian/American History Exhibit - American Indian experience

In 2014, the first Smithsonian exhibition chronicling the experiences of Indian Americans, many of whom are Hindus,  in the US was unveiled at their National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. This exhibit was one of the largest ever produced by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, occupying 5,000 square feet and reaching millions of visitors. The message behind “Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation,” aimed to dispel stereotypes and myths that have followed Indian immigrants since they first arrived in the U.S. in 1790. The exhibit explored the heritage, daily experiences, and the many diverse contributions that immigrants and Indian Americans have made to the United States. The exhibition at the Museum of Natural History includes historical and contemporary images and artifacts, including those that document histories of discrimination and resistance, convey daily experiences, and symbolize achievements across the professions. Music and visual artworks provide commentary on the Indian American experience and form an important component of the exhibition. In 2017, this exhibit went on the road, traveling from city to city so that all could see the impact of Indians on American culture.

All About Hindu Heritage Month

10/20/2024Swami Yogananda

Paramahansa Yogananda was a Hindu monk and yogi who came to the United States in 1920 and lived here for the last 32 years of his life. He is considered to be the first major Hindu Guru to settle in the United States. When Swami Yogananda arrived in the US, he made his first speech, made to the International Congress of Religious Liberals, on “The Science of Religion,” and was enthusiastically received. It was soon after that he founded the Self-Realization Fellowship (also known as Yogoda Satsanga Society (YSS) of India) and introduced millions of Americans to the ancient science and philosophy of meditation and Kriya yoga (path of attainment). In 1927, he was invited to the White House by President Calvin Coolidge, making Swami Yogananda the first prominent Indian and Hindu to be hosted in the White House.

Hinduism: Short Answers to Real Questions

Countless Americans Have Been Influenced by Swami Viveknanda

10/19/2024Avatar

For those of us who are Hindu, we have noticed that some of the biggest Hollywood films produced in the last several decades have mirrored many of Hinduism's most fundamental philosophical ideas. One example is Avatar, a film named for the Sanskrit word avatāra (‘descent’), in which the protagonist, Jake Sully, enters and explores an alien world called Pandora by inhabiting the body of an indigenous 10-foot, blue-skinned being, an idea taken from Hinduism’s depictions of the various avatars of the blue god Vishnu, who are said to descend into our world for upholding dharma. Instead of aligning with the interests of the humans, who merely want to mine Pandora for the valuable mineral unobtanium, Sully fights alongside the alien humanoids native to the world, called Na’vi, who live in harmony with nature, believe all life is sacred, and that all life is connected by a divine force — teachings synonymous with Hinduism. Thus, similar to the avatars of Vishnu, Sully defends and preserves a spiritual culture by defeating those who would destroy it for materialistic pursuit. While this film doesn’t indicate in any direct way that they have anything to do with Hinduism, it’s clear they are communicating Hindu ideas that everyone relates to and understands on a profound level.

What do the Matrix, Avatar, Groundhog Day, and Star Wars have to do with Hinduism?

10/18/2024Swami Prabhupada

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishna movement, was founded in 1966 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, a highly respected Vaishnava  (devotion to the god Vishnu and his incarnations avatars) scholar and monk. At the age of 70, Swami Prabhupada traveled from India to New York City to bring the Bhakti tradition, or Krishna Consciousness, to the west. In the 11 years before his passing in 1977, Srila Prabhupada translated, with elaborate commentaries, 60 volumes of Vaishnava literature; established more than 100 temples on six continents; and initiated 5,000 disciples. Today, his writings are studied in universities around the globe and are translated into nearly 100 languages. To date, ISKCON has over 400 temples,  dozens of rural communities and eco-sustainable projects, and nearly 100 vegetarian restaurants world-wide with 56 of them in the US. 

Statement Against Caste Based Discrimination: ISKCON

Who was that Hare Krishna at the start of “Get Back”?

10/17/2024The Hindu Diaspora in Africa

Hinduism came in waves to Africa, with Southern Africa getting Hindu workers during the early years of British colonization, while East and West Africa experienced Hindu migration during the 20th century. Hinduism’s roughly 0.2% presence in Africa is seen as so inconsequential, most data organizations don’t even bother explicitly mentioning it in their census reports. But Hinduism is Ghana's fastest growing religion and one in which there are steady populations in both Northern and Southern African states. Durban is now home to most of South Africa’s 1.3 million Indians, making it, according to some sources, the largest Indian city outside of India, and thus a most powerful hub of Hindu practice. In the US, there are both communities of African Hindus who have migrated, as well as Black Hindus, who according to the 2019 Pew Survey, make up 2% of the Hindu population in the US.

Hinduism Beyond Africa

Hinduism Around the World

10/16/2024Star Wars

George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, drew much of the inspiration for this major cultural phenomenon from the teachings of his mentor who was a lifelong student of Vedanta. In these films, many aspects of Hinduism are interwoven with the story. Some include Hanuman (Chewbaca and Ewoks), Shakti (force,energy), Yodha (Yoda), Brahman (infinite being). Besides the many philosophical parallels that can be highlighted between Star Wars and Hinduism, Star Wars also exhibits similarities in story structure and character roles to one of India’s famous epics, the Ramayana. Never seen the movie? Now might be the time to see how universally relatable Hindu thought can truly be.

What do the Matrix, Avatar, Groundhog Day, and Star Wars have to do with Hinduism?

10/15/2024Ayurveda

The term Ayurveda is derived from the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (science or knowledge), translation to the knowledge of life. Ayurveda is considered to be the oldest healing science, originating in 1000 BCE. Based on the five elements that comprise the universe (space, air, fire, water, and earth), they combine and permutate to create three health principles  that govern the functioning and interplay of a person’s body, mind, and consciousness. These energies are referred to as doshas in Sanskrit. Ayurveda can be used in conjunction with Western medicine and Ayurvedic schools have gained approval as educational institutions in several states.

5 Things to Know About Ayurveda

In Hinduism, What is the Relationship Between Spirituality and Health?

10/14/2024OM

While it’s synonymous to meditation, and seen simply as a doorway to tranquility for yogic practitioners, the true meaning of Om is deeply embedded in Hindu philosophy.

The word Om is defined by Hindu scripture as being the original vibration of the universe, which all other vibrations are able to manifest. Within Hinduism, the meaning and connotations of Om is perceived in a variety of ways. Though heard and often written as “om,” due to the way it sounds when it is repeatedly chanted, the sacred syllable is originally and more accurately spelled as “aum.” Broken down, the three letters of A – U – M represent a number of sacred trinities such as different conditions of consciousness (waking state, dreaming state, and deep sleep state), the deities in charge of the creation, preservation, and destruction of the universe ( Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva), aspects of time (past, present, and future), among many others. 

5 Things to Know About Om

Religious Symbols

10/13/2024The Hindu Diaspora in Guyana

Hinduism is the religion of almost 25% of Guyana’s population, making it the country with the highest percentage of Hindus in the Western Hemisphere. But from British professional recruiting agents targeting rural and uneducated Indians, to the aggressiveness of Christian proselytization of Hindus with a promise of a better life, Hinduism has been in a steady decline for many decades with many escaping to the United States for better opportunities and to practice their religion freely. Today, over 80% of Guyanese Americans live in the Northeastern United States with heavy concentrations in New Jersey and in New York, where a “Little Guyana”  helps these immigrants stay connected to their Guyanese roots. 

Hinduism beyond India: Guyana

Hinduism Around the World

10/12/2024Karwa Chauth (holiday)

Karwa Chauth or Karva Chauth (kuhr-vah-CHOATH) is a North Indian holiday in which wives fast for the longevity and health of their husbands, however, many unmarried women celebrate in hopes of meeting their ideal life partner. Typically, wives spend the day preparing gifts to exchange, and fasting until the moon is visible. It is believed that its light symbolizes love and blessings of a happy life. While there are varying legends behind this holiday’s traditions and meaning, the message of honoring the relationships women form with their family and community prevails.

Karwa Chauth 

Hindu Holidays & Dharmic Days Calendar

10/11/2024Hinduism and Music

As sound vibration can affect the most subtle element of creation, it is interpreted in Hindu scriptures that spiritual sound vibrations can affect the atman (soul) in a particularly potent way. Such spiritual sound vibrations are said to have the ability to awaken our original spiritual consciousness and help us remember that we are beyond the ambivalence of life, and actually originate from the Divine. As such, the main goal of many types of Hindu musical expression is to help stir us out of our spiritual slumber by evoking feelings of love and connection that help us to better perceive the presence of the Divine within all. Some of the more popular examples of musical expressions within Hinduism include shlokas (verse, or poem), mantras (sacred syllables repeated in prayer), kirtans (congregational singing of mantras), and bhajans (devotional songs). You can find musical spiritual expressions through the US in temples,  Mandirs, and community centers.

 

The Power of Music According to Hinduism

What is Kirtan?

10/10/2024Yoga

Yoga is considered Hinduism’s gift to humanity. At its broadest, yoga, from the root word “yuj” in Sanskrit, means to unite. Most Hindu texts discuss yoga as a practice to control the senses and ultimately, the mind. The most famous is the Bhagavad Gita (dating back to 6th-3rd Century BCE), in which Krishna speaks of four types of yoga – bhakti, or devotion; jnana, or knowledge; karma, or action; and dhyana, or concentration (often referred to as raja yoga, though not all sources agree on the term) – as paths to achieve moksha (enlightenment), the ultimate goal according to Hindu understanding. According to a 2016 study,  in the United States there are an estimated 36.7 million people currently practicing yoga in the United States

Yoga Day 

The Hindu Roots of Yoga

10/9/2024Swami Vivekananda

Swami Viveknanda is often remembered for with bringing Hindu teachings and practices — such as yoga and transcendental meditation — to Western audiences. In 1893, he was officially introduced to the United States at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago, where he called for religious tolerance and described Hinduism as “a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance.” The day that Swami Vivekananda delivered his speech at the Parliament of Religions is now known as ‘World Brotherhood Day.’ And his birthday, known as Swami Vivekananda Jayanti, is honored on January 12th each year. On this day he is commemorated and recognized for his contributions as a modern Hindu monk and respected guru of the Vedanta philosophy of Hinduism. In 1900, Swami Viveknanda founded the Vedanta Society in California and to date there are 36 Vedanta Society Centers in the United States.

Swami Vivekananda Influenced Countless Americans

Hindu Holidays & Dharmic Days Calendar

10/8/2024108

According to Vedic cosmology, 108 symbolizes the multiverse, representing the universe and all of existence. It is for this reason it is an auspicious number in many Hindu Dharma traditions, and recitation of mantras, repetitions of specific spiritual practices, and amounts for charity are calculated as divisions or multiples of 108. 

Why is 108 significant? Many reasons; the chief of which is the symbolism in the Vedāntic philosophical tradition. 8 represents the human body (5 senses plus mind, intellect, and awareness), and 1 represents the oneness of Brahman, the Ultimate Reality. Although they are perceived as far away from each other, there is actually 0 distance between the two, as Brahman pervades everything. Another reason, in some Hindu monotheist Dharma traditions like Śākta Dharma, 108 represents the perfection of Śakti, as 1+0+8 = 9, the perfect number. The digits of every multiple of 9, when added together (e.g. 9x2 = 18 and the individual digits of 18, 1 and 8, when added together equal 9). Similarly everything is an emanation of Śakti, and is composed of Śakti. 108 finds significance in numerous other Hindu Dharma traditions and philosophical traditions such as Yoga, Sāṅkhya, etc., and even in other Dharma traditions, like Jainism and Buddhism.

5 Things to know about 108

Here's How the Number 108 Binds Us to the Universe

10/7/2024The Hindu Diaspora in the Caribbean

A decade after slavery was abolished in 1834, the British government began the inhumane indentured servitude system, taking Indians by force, duplicitous “agreements” or through false incentives to work on their estates in other British Colonies such as Jamaica, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago.  In Trinidad, from 1845 to 1917, the slavers’ ships would continue to arrive, carrying over 140,000 Indentured Indians to the island. Though they faced the exact same slave owners now as their “overseers”, sanitized by the Indentured Servitude system, they were subjected to the same horrors and living conditions as the enslaved Africans before them. Nevertheless, Hindus persevered: they maintained their culture and spirituality despite the horrors of the Indentureship system, the attempts to eradicate their language, and the overt and covert attempts to destroy their religion. Today, roughly 18% of Trinidad & Tobago, 31% of Guyana, 1% of Jamaica, 20% of Suriname, 1% of Barbados’ populations are proudly Hindu. They bring traditions from the United Provinces and Madras Presidency regions of the formerly British India; indeed, they practice Hindu Dharma traditions that existed before India was split into Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India – with some of the strongest Hindu-Muslim relationships globally. There are thousands of Hindu temples in the Caribbean, welcoming all who wish to enter and where many beloved Hindu festivals take place. But for some, the migration journey doesn’t ended as New York and Florida have seen the development of large Indo-Caribbean communities.

Hinduism beyond India: Trinidad and Tobago

10/6/2024Tattoos

From ancient tribes to present-day devotees, tattoos have held a special place for Hindus over millennia. In the Indian states of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, the Ramnaami community invoked Rama’s protection with tattoos of the name “Rama” in Sanskrit on every inch of their skin.The Mahabharata tells the story of the Pandavas that were exiled to the Kutch district of Gujarat. Today, their descendants - members of the Ribari tribe - live as their ancestors did, with women covered in tattoos that symbolize their people’s strong spirit for survival. Some Hindus consider tattoos as protective emblems, and have such as tattoos of sacred mandalas, mantras, the Triśūla, a trident of Śrī Śiva, or the Sudarśana Cakra, a discus of Śrī Vāsudeva, etc. Mehndi (from the Sanskrit mendhikā), a plant-based temporary tattoo, is commonly applied at weddings and other ceremonies as a form of celebration of love and spirituality. While tattoos have been in certain Hindu tribes and communities for millennia, tattoos as symbols of honor, devotion, and even fashion are incredibly popular today. Hindus and non Hindus alike are welcome to adorn themselves with Hindu emblems and tattoos that reflect inspirational Hindu spiritual values.

Guidelines for Commercial Use of Hindu Images

10/5/2024Navarāatri

The celebration of Navarātri by Śākta Hindus honors the Supreme Feminine, Śākti. There are four Navarātri periods a year, but the autumnal Navarātri (usually in Sept-Oct) is the most widely observed. Śākta traditions can be regional and tribal, or pan-regional. So, there can be a lot of variety in the celebration of the festival. In some homes, there will be a focus on the ceremonies of thanksgiving known as Durgā Pūjā and the recitation of the 700-verse account of the appearance and activities of Śrī Durgā, a ten-armed manifestation of Śakti. Devout practitioners will fast for the nine nights and undertake focussed spiritual practices for the period. Other homes focus on attending Garbā, a dance festival. Yet other homes set up elaborate Golu, a festive display of icons and dolls that starts with the representations of divine beings at the top and ends with dioramas of normal human and animal life towards the bottom. Some Hindus honor the nine-forms of Śrī Durgā; others honor Śrī Durgā, Śrī Lakṣmī, and Śrī Sarasvatī. Some regional traditions will use this time for their medium/oracle to channel the energy of Śakti for the benefit of their community. For some Hindus, this is the most important festival of the year; for others, it is a cultural festival in which they can see a variety of events, from spiritual to cultural, and enjoy a lot of regional delicacies in the shared dinners. However a Hindu chooses to engage with the festival, the celebrations are a poignant reminder of the centrality and power of the Feminine, and is a constant reminder to males, females, and those of the third nature - even if one is not spiritual at all - to honor females and femininity wherever and however they choose to be.

Nine Things to Know About Navaratri

Hindu Holidays & Dharmic Days Calendar

10/4/2024Dussehra

Vijayā Daśamī celebrates the culmination of battle in two major Hindu Religious Traditions. For Vaiṣṇavas, the festival celebrates the defeat of Rāvaṇa, often depicted as having ten heads that represent his mammoth stubbornness and ego which led to the war between his army and Śrī Rāma with his legendary army of forest animals. For Śāktas, Vijayā Daśamī celebrates the defeat of the personification of egotism, Mahiṣāsura, by the Supreme Feminine, Śakti, herself, manifested as Śrī Durgā. It marks the end of nine-nights of festivities and spiritual practices prior, known as Navarātri. Vaiṣṇavas observe them by nine days of reading the Rāmāyaṇa epic and watching reenactments of the story known as Rāma Līlā. For Śāktas, the celebration of Navarātri can feature elaborate ceremonies known as Durgā Pūjā, recitation of the Caṇḍī Pāṭha/Durgā Saptaśatī, or community dances known as Garbā or Kolaṭṭam. On Vijayā Daśamī day, the clay icons of Durgā that were used as focal points in the ceremonies are returned to the rivers from which the clay came; and Vaiṣṇavas have a bonfire in which the effigy of Rāvaṇa is burned, and the ashes are used to plough the fields for the winter sowing season.

Hindu Holidays & Dharmic Days Calendar 

Hinduism 101 & Women

10/3/2024Ahimsa + Animal Protection

The most treasured of the ethical values of Hindus is ahiṃsā: non-harm through thought, word, or action, and they try to live in accordance with this ideal, as much as possible. Of course, context and a person’s own life journey will dictate exactly how much this value can suffuse their habits. However, one chief way Hindus live the value of ahiṃsā is lived by Hindus is in relation to other living beings. In humans, Hindus live ahiṃsā by resorting to harm only when all diplomacy fails and greater harm will result from inaction. They will especially protect the symbols of ideal humans: humble people, innocent people, and the young or frail. For plants, Hindus avoid cutting down trees and play an active part in ensuring the natural environment is sustained. They will especially protect and venerate those trees and plants that have a sacred and health benefit to humans, like Tulasi, Neem, and others. Finally, in regards to animals, Hindus will either have or aspire to a plant-based diet, or if they prefer to eat meat, then they will keep certain days free from meat. They will protect those animals that symbolize selflessness, and  the symbiotic relationship between humans and the animals - such as cows, elephants, snakes, etc.

Dairy Is Traditionally Sattvic Food, but the Way We Treat Cows Today Can Be Tamasic

Cultured Meat and Animal-Free Dairy Upends the Plant-Based Food Discussion

10/2/2024Gandhi Jayanti

Gandhi Jayanti marks the birthday of Mohandas K. Gandhi, the ‘Father of the Nation’ for India and the Indian Diaspora. To honor Gandhi’s message of ahimsa (non-violence), volunteer events and commemorative ceremonies are conducted and statues of Gandhi are also decorated with flower garlands. Gandhi and the satyagraha (adherence to truth) has inspired many of America’s most prominent civil rights and social impact movements and leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr., and César Chávez. The United Nations declared October 2 as the International Day of Non-Violence in honor of Gandhi, whose work continues to inspire civil rights movements across the world.

Examining the Impact of Mahatma Gandhi on Social Change Movements

Why We Should Not Tear Down Statues of Gandhi

10/1/2024First Hindu temple in US

In 1906, the Vedanta Society built the Old Temple in San Francisco, California but as this was not considered a formal temple, many don’t credit this with being the first. Others believe it is the Shiva Murugan Temple built in 1957 in Concord, California, whereas others believe it is the Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devanstanam in New York that should be considered the first. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 facilitated the journey of many Indian immigrants to the United States. In this new land, many created home shrines and community temples to practice and hold pujas (services). As Hindu American populations grew in metropolitan and rural areas, so did the need to find a permanent temple site for worship. Today, there are nearly 1,000 temples in the United States . Regardless of where you live, you have the right to practice your faith. 

A Guide To Temple Safety and Security

5 Things to Know About Visiting a Hindu Temple

Explore ancient wisdom and modern perspectives in Hinduism.

Start your search.

10/30/22Sanatana Dharma in the Movies

Hinduism is often referred to as Sanatana Dharma (the ‘eternal way’), indicating the religion’s emphasis on eternal truths that are applicable to all of humanity. Thus, it makes sense that a medley of mainstream movies could convey Hindu ideals that resonate strongly with audiences, while not actually talking directly about anything understood by the public as Hindu.

In Groundhog Day, for example, when cynical TV weatherman Phil Collins discovers he is trapped in a time loop, living the same day over and over, only to be released after transforming his character from an egocentric narcissist to a thoughtful and kindhearted philanthropist, it’s hard not to be reminded of the Hindu notion of samsara, a cycle of reincarnation from which a soul attains liberation by realizing its divine nature after lifetimes of spiritual practice. 

Or in The Matrix when Neo chooses the red pill of knowledge over the blue pill of ignorance, and is subsequently unplugged from an illusory world and cast into the truth of reality, the film seems to be conveying a foundational Vedic teaching: that we must transcend our own ignorance — a product of maya, literally meaning “illusion” in Sanskrit — to uncover our true nature. Hindu concepts appear to be further exhibited in Neo’s relationship with Morpheus, which starkly reflects that of a disciple and guru, as the latter reveals to the former the knowledge he needs in order to understand this “true nature.” As Neo’s faith in Morpheus’ words develops, so does his capacity to see past the illusion of the matrix, garnering him the ability to manipulate the laws of this false reality, similar to the Jedi and yogis described earlier.

What do the Matrix, Avatar, Groundhog Day, and Star Wars have to do with Hinduism?

10/29/22Hinduism and American Thought

Hindu Americans and the Vedanta philosophy have significantly influenced notable intellectuals such as Henry  David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman, J.D. Salinger, Christopher Isherwood, Aldous Huxley, Huston Smith, and Joseph Campbell just to name a few. Some feel that it started back In 1812, when Thomas Jefferson recommended to John Adams the writings of Joseph Priestley, a Unitarian minister who had published works that compared Christianity to other religions — Hinduism in particular — Adam’s interest was piqued.

Going through Priestley’s writings, Adams became riveted by Hindu thought, as he launched into a five-year exploration of Eastern philosophy. As his knowledge of Hinduism and ancient Indian civilization grew, so did his respect for it. This legacy took shape in the 1830s as Transcendentalism, a philosophical, social, and literary movement that emphasized the spiritual goodness inherent in all people despite the corruption imposed on an individual by society and its institutions. Espousing that divinity pervades all of nature and humanity, Transcendentalists believed divine experience existed in the everyday, and held progressive views on women’s rights, abolition, and education. At the heart of this movement were three of America’s most influential authors: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman, and Henry David Thoreau.

How Hinduism Influenced Some of Americans Greatest Thinkers

10/27/22The Hindu Diaspora in Afghanistan

Before becoming an Islamic state, Afghanistan was once home to a medley of religious practices, the oldest being Hinduism. A long time ago, much of Afghanistan was part of an ancient kingdom known as Gandhara, which also covered parts of northern Pakistan.Today, many of Afghanistan’s province names, though slightly altered, are clearly Sanskrit in origin, hinting at the region’s ancient past. To cite a few examples, Balkh comes from the Sanskrit Bhalika, Nangarhar from Nagarahara, and Kabul from Kubha. Though Gandhara’s earliest mention can be found in the Vedas, it is better known for its connections to the Hindu epics the Mahabharata and Ramayana. There is also the historic Asamai temple in Kabul located on a hill named after the Hindu Goddess of hope, Asha. The temple has survived numerous conflicts and attacks but it still stands. The temple is a remnant from Hindu Shahi Kings, who ruled from the Kabul Valley as far back as 850 CE. However, Hindus are indigenous but endangered minorities in Afghanistan, numbering approximately 700 out of a community that recently included over 8,000 members. Many have left for new homes, include in New York which is home to a large Afghani Hindu population.

5 Things to Know about Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan 

Hinduism Beyond India: Afghanistan

10/26/22Dogs and Diwali

According to the 2021-2022 National Pet Owners Survey, 70% of U.S. households (90.5 million homes) owned a pet as of 2022, with 69 million U.S. households having a pet dog. Recognized for their loyalty, service, companionship, and the special relationship they have with humans, Hinduism’s reverence for dogs is expansive, as they are worshiped in festivals and appreciated in connection to a number of Hindu gods and stories. Observed in Nepal, Bhutan, and the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal, Kukar Tihar (the 2nd day of Tihar) honors dogs as messengers that help guide spirits of the deceased across the River of Death. In the Mahabharata, Yudhisthira, his brothers, and the queen Draupadi renounced their kingdom to ascend to the heavens. However, Yudhisthira was the only one that survived along with a dog that had joined them. Yudhisthira refused to go to heaven without the dog, who turned out to be Yamaraj, the God of Death. Sarama, the “female dog of the gods,” was famously asked by Indra to retrieve a herd of cows that were stolen. When the thieves were caught, they tried to bribe Sarama but she refused and now represents those who do not wish to possess but instead find what has been lost. The symbolic import of dogs is further driven in connection with Dattatreya, as he is commonly depicted with four of them to represent the Vedas, the Yugas, the stages of sound, and the inner forces of a human being (will, faculty, hope, and desire).

Dogs and Diwali? 5 Things to Know about Hinduism and hu(man)’s Best Friend

10/25/22Black Panther

In 2018, the long-running Marvel comic series Black Panther, was brought to the big screen. A more prominent scene is when M’baku, a character vying for the throne of the fictional country of Wakanda, challenges T’Challa/Black Panther, and yells, “Glory to Hanuman.” However, despite dharma as an unsaid aspect of the characters’ interactions, Black Panther relies slightly more on Hindu symbolism than philosophy. But the significance of Hanuman as a transcendent deity cannot be overlooked, especially at a time when dialogues about global migration, the right to worship, and access to natural resources are becoming more overtly racialized. The film provides more than just an entertainment escape: it reimagines a world in which the current racial and theological paradigms are challenged forcefully. With the film expected to have at least several sequels, there will be more opportunities to reference Hinduism and Hindu iconography.

Why Black Panther’s References to Hinduism are Significant in Hollywood

10/24/22Diwali

One of the most celebrated Hindu festivals, Diwali (dee-VAH-lee) or Deepavali (dee-PAH-va-lee) commemorates the victory of good over evil during the course of five days. The word refers to rows of diyas — or clay lamps — which are put all around homes and places of worship. The light from these lamps symbolizes the illumination within all of us, which can overcome ignorance, represented by darkness. Devotees gather in local temples, homes, or community centers, to spend time with loved ones, make positive goals, and appreciate life.

Hindu Holidays & Dharmic Days Calendar 

Diwali Toolkit

10/23/22Dhanteras

On this day, because Diwali is a time for dana (charitable giving) and seva (selfless service), Hindus traditionally perform a deep cleaning of their homes and surroundings, as cleanliness is believed to invoke the presence and blessings of Goddess Lakshmi who, as mentioned earlier, is the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. Many will also make rangoli or kolum (colored patterns of flowers, powder, rice, or sand made on the floor), which are also said to invite auspiciousness. Observers thus begin Diwali by cultivating a spirit of generosity, doing things like giving money to charities, feeding the hungry, and endeavoring to help those in need.

5 Things to Know About Diwali

10/22/22The Hindu Diaspora in Bali

The spread of Hinduism to Southeast Asia established powerful Hindu kingdoms in the region, most notably the Khmer Empire that encompassed modern Cambodia and Thailand, and influential kingdoms in the Indonesia archipelago. Though Buddhism and Hinduism co-existed in the region for several centuries, Buddhism (and Islam in Indonesia) eventually replaced Hinduism as a primary religion. Today, there are approximately five million Hindus in Indonesia, primarily in Bali. As Bali is roughly 90 percent Hindu, this makes it a religious enclave in a country that contains the world’s largest Muslim population. There are also roughly 60,000 Cham Hindus in Vietnam, and smaller numbers in Thailand. Hinduism in Fiji, Malaysia, and Singapore is a much more recent phenomenon, with Hindus arriving in the 19th and early 20th centuries as indentured laborers. Today, Hindus are prominent in politics and business in all three countries, though they continue to experience discrimination as religious minorities.

Hinduism Beyond India: Bali

Hinduism Around the World

10/21/22Smithsonian/American History Exhibit - American Indian experience

In 2014, the first Smithsonian exhibition chronicling the experiences of Indian Americans, many of whom are Hindus,  in the US was unveiled at their National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. This exhibit was one of the largest ever produced by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, occupying 5,000 square feet and reaching millions of visitors. The message behind “Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation,” aimed to dispel stereotypes and myths that have followed Indian immigrants since they first arrived in the U.S. in 1790. The exhibit explored the heritage, daily experiences, and the many diverse contributions that immigrants and Indian Americans have made to the United States. The exhibition at the Museum of Natural History includes historical and contemporary images and artifacts, including those that document histories of discrimination and resistance, convey daily experiences, and symbolize achievements across the professions. Music and visual artworks provide commentary on the Indian American experience and form an important component of the exhibition. In 2017, this exhibit went on the road, traveling from city to city so that all could see the impact of Indians on American culture.

All About Hindu Heritage Month

10/20/22Swami Yogananda

Paramahansa Yogananda was a Hindu monk and yogi who came to the United States in 1920 and lived here for the last 32 years of his life. He is considered to be the first major Hindu Guru to settle in the United States. When Swami Yogananda arrived in the US, he made his first speech, made to the International Congress of Religious Liberals, on “The Science of Religion,” and was enthusiastically received. It was soon after that he founded the Self-Realization Fellowship (also known as Yogoda Satsanga Society (YSS) of India) and introduced millions of Americans to the ancient science and philosophy of meditation and Kriya yoga (path of attainment). In 1927, he was invited to the White House by President Calvin Coolidge, making Swami Yogananda the first prominent Indian and Hindu to be hosted in the White House.

Hinduism: Short Answers to Real Questions

Countless Americans Have Been Influenced by Swami Viveknanda

10/19/22Avatar

For those of us who are Hindu, we have noticed that some of the biggest Hollywood films produced in the last several decades have mirrored many of Hinduism's most fundamental philosophical ideas. One example is Avatar, a film named for the Sanskrit word avatāra (‘descent’), in which the protagonist, Jake Sully, enters and explores an alien world called Pandora by inhabiting the body of an indigenous 10-foot, blue-skinned being, an idea taken from Hinduism’s depictions of the various avatars of the blue god Vishnu, who are said to descend into our world for upholding dharma. Instead of aligning with the interests of the humans, who merely want to mine Pandora for the valuable mineral unobtanium, Sully fights alongside the alien humanoids native to the world, called Na’vi, who live in harmony with nature, believe all life is sacred, and that all life is connected by a divine force — teachings synonymous with Hinduism. Thus, similar to the avatars of Vishnu, Sully defends and preserves a spiritual culture by defeating those who would destroy it for materialistic pursuit. While this film doesn’t indicate in any direct way that they have anything to do with Hinduism, it’s clear they are communicating Hindu ideas that everyone relates to and understands on a profound level.

What do the Matrix, Avatar, Groundhog Day, and Star Wars have to do with Hinduism?

10/18/22Swami Prabhupada

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishna movement, was founded in 1966 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, a highly respected Vaishnava  (devotion to the god Vishnu and his incarnations avatars) scholar and monk. At the age of 70, Swami Prabhupada traveled from India to New York City to bring the Bhakti tradition, or Krishna Consciousness, to the west. In the 11 years before his passing in 1977, Srila Prabhupada translated, with elaborate commentaries, 60 volumes of Vaishnava literature; established more than 100 temples on six continents; and initiated 5,000 disciples. Today, his writings are studied in universities around the globe and are translated into nearly 100 languages. To date, ISKCON has over 400 temples,  dozens of rural communities and eco-sustainable projects, and nearly 100 vegetarian restaurants world-wide with 56 of them in the US. 

Statement Against Caste Based Discrimination: ISKCON

Who was that Hare Krishna at the start of “Get Back”?

10/17/22The Hindu Diaspora in Africa

Hinduism came in waves to Africa, with Southern Africa getting Hindu workers during the early years of British colonization, while East and West Africa experienced Hindu migration during the 20th century. Hinduism’s roughly 0.2% presence in Africa is seen as so inconsequential, most data organizations don’t even bother explicitly mentioning it in their census reports. But Hinduism is Ghana's fastest growing religion and one in which there are steady populations in both Northern and Southern African states. Durban is now home to most of South Africa’s 1.3 million Indians, making it, according to some sources, the largest Indian city outside of India, and thus a most powerful hub of Hindu practice. In the US, there are both communities of African Hindus who have migrated, as well as Black Hindus, who according to the 2019 Pew Survey, make up 2% of the Hindu population in the US.

Hinduism Beyond Africa

Hinduism Around the World

10/16/22Star Wars

George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, drew much of the inspiration for this major cultural phenomenon from the teachings of his mentor who was a lifelong student of Vedanta. In these films, many aspects of Hinduism are interwoven with the story. Some include Hanuman (Chewbaca and Ewoks), Shakti (force,energy), Yodha (Yoda), Brahman (infinite being). Besides the many philosophical parallels that can be highlighted between Star Wars and Hinduism, Star Wars also exhibits similarities in story structure and character roles to one of India’s famous epics, the Ramayana. Never seen the movie? Now might be the time to see how universally relatable Hindu thought can truly be.

What do the Matrix, Avatar, Groundhog Day, and Star Wars have to do with Hinduism?

10/15/22Ayurveda

The term Ayurveda is derived from the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (science or knowledge), translation to the knowledge of life. Ayurveda is considered to be the oldest healing science, originating in 1000 BCE. Based on the five elements that comprise the universe (space, air, fire, water, and earth), they combine and permutate to create three health principles  that govern the functioning and interplay of a person’s body, mind, and consciousness. These energies are referred to as doshas in Sanskrit. Ayurveda can be used in conjunction with Western medicine and Ayurvedic schools have gained approval as educational institutions in several states.

5 Things to Know About Ayurveda

In Hinduism, What is the Relationship Between Spirituality and Health?

10/14/22OM

While it’s synonymous to meditation, and seen simply as a doorway to tranquility for yogic practitioners, the true meaning of Om is deeply embedded in Hindu philosophy.

The word Om is defined by Hindu scripture as being the original vibration of the universe, which all other vibrations are able to manifest. Within Hinduism, the meaning and connotations of Om is perceived in a variety of ways. Though heard and often written as “om,” due to the way it sounds when it is repeatedly chanted, the sacred syllable is originally and more accurately spelled as “aum.” Broken down, the three letters of A – U – M represent a number of sacred trinities such as different conditions of consciousness (waking state, dreaming state, and deep sleep state), the deities in charge of the creation, preservation, and destruction of the universe ( Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva), aspects of time (past, present, and future), among many others. 

5 Things to Know About Om

Religious Symbols

10/28/22Dr. Anandibai Joshi

Dr. Anandi Gopal Joshi is credited with being the first woman from India to study medicine in the United States. Born in Bombay in 1865, she was married at the age of ten to an older man who had been her teacher. Dr. Joshi had a child at the age of 13, but the child died when only 10 days old. She believed that with better medical care, the child would have lived, and she frequently cited this as motivation for her desire to attend medical school. Her husband encouraged her in her academic pursuits and in 1883, Joshee joined the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, now known as the Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia. She graduated in 1886 with her degree in medicine; her M.D. thesis focused on Hindu obstetrics. Unfortunately,  Dr. Joshi was only able to practice medicine for a few months before passing away from tuberculosis.

Science in Hinduism

10/13/22The Hindu Diaspora in Guyana

Hinduism is the religion of almost 25% of Guyana’s population, making it the country with the highest percentage of Hindus in the Western Hemisphere. But from British professional recruiting agents targeting rural and uneducated Indians, to the aggressiveness of Christian proselytization of Hindus with a promise of a better life, Hinduism has been in a steady decline for many decades with many escaping to the United States for better opportunities and to practice their religion freely. Today, over 80% of Guyanese Americans live in the Northeastern United States with heavy concentrations in New Jersey and in New York, where a “Little Guyana”  helps these immigrants stay connected to their Guyanese roots.

Hinduism beyond India: Guyana

Hinduism Around the World

10/12/22Karwa Chauth

Karwa Chauth or Karva Chauth (kuhr-vah-CHOATH) is a North Indian holiday in which wives fast for the longevity and health of their husbands, however, many unmarried women celebrate in hopes of meeting their ideal life partner. Typically, wives spend the day preparing gifts to exchange, and fasting until the moon is visible. It is believed that its light symbolizes love and blessings of a happy life. While there are varying legends behind this holiday’s traditions and meaning, the message of honoring the relationships women form with their family and community prevails.

Karwa Chauth

Hindu Holidays & Dharmic Days Calendar

10/11/22Hinduism and Music

As sound vibration can affect the most subtle element of creation, it is interpreted in Hindu scriptures that spiritual sound vibrations can affect the atman (soul) in a particularly potent way. Such spiritual sound vibrations are said to have the ability to awaken our original spiritual consciousness and help us remember that we are beyond the ambivalence of life, and actually originate from the Divine. As such, the main goal of many types of Hindu musical expression is to help stir us out of our spiritual slumber by evoking feelings of love and connection that help us to better perceive the presence of the Divine within all. Some of the more popular examples of musical expressions within Hinduism include shlokas (verse, or poem), mantras (sacred syllables repeated in prayer), kirtans (congregational singing of mantras), and bhajans (devotional songs). You can find musical spiritual expressions through the US in temples,  Mandirs, and community centers.

The Power of Music According to Hinduism

What is Kirtan?

10/10/22Yoga

Yoga is considered Hinduism’s gift to humanity. At its broadest, yoga, from the root word “yuj” in Sanskrit, means to unite. Most Hindu texts discuss yoga as a practice to control the senses and ultimately, the mind. The most famous is the Bhagavad Gita (dating back to 6th-3rd Century BCE), in which Krishna speaks of four types of yoga – bhakti, or devotion; jnana, or knowledge; karma, or action; and dhyana, or concentration (often referred to as raja yoga, though not all sources agree on the term) – as paths to achieve moksha (enlightenment), the ultimate goal according to Hindu understanding. According to a 2016 study,  in the United States there are an estimated 36.7 million people currently practicing yoga in the United States.

Yoga.Day

The Hindu Roots of Yoga

10/9/22Swami Vivekananda

According to Vedic cosmology, 108 is the basis of creation, representing the universe and all our existence. As the soul is encased in two types of bodies: the physical body (made of earth, water, fire, air, and ether) and the subtle body (composed of intelligence, mind and ego), Swami Viveknanda is often attributed with bringing Hindu teachings and practices — such as yoga and transcendental meditation — to Western audiences. In 1893, he was officially introduced to the United States at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago, where in his speech he called for religious tolerance and described Hinduism as “a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance.” The day that Swami Vivekananda delivered his speech at the Parliament of Religions is now known as ‘World Brotherhood Day.’ And his birthday, known as Swami Vivekananda Jayanti, is honored on January 12th each year. On this day he is commemorated and recognized for his contributions as a modern Hindu monk and respected guru of the Vedanta philosophy of Hinduism. In 1900, Swami Viveknanda founded the Vedanta Society in California and to date there are 36 Vedanta Society Centers in the United States.

Swami Vivekananda Influenced Countless Americans

Hindu Holidays & Dharmic Days Calendar

10/8/22108

According to Vedic cosmology, 108 is the basis of creation, representing the universe and all our existence. As the soul is encased in two types of bodies: the physical body (made of earth, water, fire, air, and ether) and the subtle body (composed of intelligence, mind and ego), 108 plays a significant role in keeping these two bodies healthily connected. Hindus believe the body holds seven chakras, or pools of energy, which begin at the bottom of the spine and go all the way down to the top of the head and it is believed there are 108 energy lines that converge to form the heart chakra. Ayurveda says there are 108 hidden spots in the body called marma points, where various tissues like muscles, veins, and ligaments meet. These are vital points of life force, and when they are out of balance, energy cannot properly flow throughout the body. Sun salutations, yogic asanas that honor the sun god Surya, are generally completed in nine rounds of 12 postures, totaling 108. Mantra meditation is usually chanted on a set of 108 beads.   In Hinduism there are 108 Upanishads, the sacred texts of wisdom from ancient sages. Additionally, in the Sanskrit alphabet, there are 54 letters. Each letter has a feminine, or Shakti, and masculine, or Shiva, quality. 54 multiplied by 2 equals 108. Ultimately, breathwork, chanting, studying scripture, and asana’s help harmonize one’s energy with the energy of the supreme spiritual source. These processes become especially effective when they are performed in connection with the number 108. Hindu scriptures strive to remind people of this divine commonality by continuously highlighting the innumerable threads connecting everything in existence. One of these threads is the number 108.

5 Things to know about 108

Here's How the Number 108 Binds Us to the Universe

10/7/22The Hindu Diaspora in Trinidad/Tobago

A decade after slavery was abolished in 1834, the British government began importing indentured labor from India to work on their estates in other countries such as Trinidad and Tobago.  From 1845 to 1917, the ships would continue to arrive, carrying over 140,000 Indians to the island, facilitating Trinidad's population growth from Indian laborers. Today, there are roughly 240,000 declared Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago, comprising about 18% of the island’s population. There are a total of about 300 temples on the island, welcoming all who wish to enter and where many beloved Hindu festivals take place. But for some, the migration journey doesn’t end as New York and Florida have seen the development of large Indo-Caribbean communities.

Hinduism beyond India: Trinidad and Tobago

10/6/22Tattoos

From ancient tribes to present-day devotees, tattoos have held a special place in Hinduism for centuries. In the Indian states of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, the Ramnaami community invoked Rama’s protection with tattoos of the name “Rama” in Sanskrit on every inch of their skin, including the tongue and inside the lips.The Mahabharata tells the story of the Pandavas that were exiled to the Kutch district of Gujarat. Today, their descendants - members of the Ribari tribe - live as their ancestors did, with women covered in tattoos that symbolize their people’s strong spirit for survival. Some Hindus consider tattoos as protective emblems,such as tattoos of Hanuman are often used to relieve physical or mental pain. People will often get tattoos of other deities to invoke their blessings. Mehndi, a plant-based temporary tattoo, is commonly done at weddings and religious ceremonies as a form of celebration of love and spirituality. While tattoos have been in Hindu communities for centuries, tattoos as symbols of honor, devotion, and even fashion are incredibly popular today. Hindus and non Hindus alike adorn themselves with Hindu emblems and tattoos that reflect Hindu teachings.

Guidelines for Commercial Use of Hindu Images

10/5/22Navaratri

Navaratri (nuhv-uh-RA-three) is a nine night celebration of the feminine divine that occurs four times a year — the spring and fall celebrations being amongst the more widely celebrated. Some traditions honor the nine manifestations of Goddess Durga, while others celebrate the three goddesses (Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati) with three days dedicated to each. This is a time to recognize the role in which the loving, compassionate, and gentle — yet sometimes powerful and fierce — feminine energy plays in our lives.

Nine Things to Know About Navaratri

Hindu Holidays & Dharmic Days Calendar

10/4/22Dussehra

Dussehra (duh-sheh-RAH) or Vijayadashmi (vi-juhyuh-dushuh-mee) celebrates the victory of Lord Rama over the ten-headed demon King Ravana. This also marks the end of Ramalila — a brief retelling of the Ramayana and the story of Rama, Sita, and Lakshman in the form of dramatic reading or dance. It also signifies the end of negativity and evil within us (vices, biases, prejudices) for a fresh new beginning. Dussehra often coincides with the end of Navratri and Duga Puja, and celebrations can last ten days, with huge figures of Ravana set ablaze as a reminder that good always prevails over evil.

Hindu Holidays & Dharmic Days Calendar

Hinduism 101 & Women

10/3/22Ahimsa + Cow sanctuaries

Many Hindus hold reverence for the cow as a representation of mother earth, fertility, and Hindu values of selfless service, strength, dignity, and non-harming. Though not all Hindus are vegetarian, for this reason many traditionally abstain from eating beef. This is often linked with the concept of ahimsa (non-violence), which can be applied to diet choices and our interactions with the environment, and potentially determine our next birth, according to the doctrine of karma. This is part of the reason that some Hindus may choose a vegetarian lifestyle as an expression of ahimsa as well as explains the growing number of cow protection projects that are led by individuals who have felt compelled to put their Hindu values into practice. The US is home to several cow protection projects and sanctuaries

Dairy Is Traditionally Sattvic Food, but the Way We Treat Cows Today Can Be Tamasic

Cultured Meat and Animal-Free Dairy Upends the Plant-Based Food Discussion

10/1/2022First Hindu temple in US

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 facilitated the journey of many Indian immigrants to the United States. In this new land, many created home shrines and community temples to practice and hold pujas (services). As Hindu American populations grew in metropolitan and rural areas, so did the need to find a permanent temple site for worship. In 1906, the Vedanta Society built the Old Temple in San Francisco, California but as this was not considered a formal temple, many don’t credit this with being the first. Others believe it is the Shiva Murugan Temple built in 1957 in Concord, California, whereas others believe it is the Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devanstanam in New York that should be considered the first. Today, there are nearly 1,000 temples in the United States . Regardless of where you live, you have the right to practice your faith.

A Guide To Temple Safety and Security

5 Things to Know About Visiting a Hindu Temple