Hindu American Seva Charities

Seva at Siva Vishnu Temple Lanham, MD

2012-02-03T14:14:00.000-08:00

So, its been a while since your favorite Americorp VISTA has posted about her work :) I know that you must all miss me very much and so, I have decided to fill you in on what's been happening so far this year. The month of January, although it was slow, was exciting. I got introduced to Chandrasekar Uncle of the SSVT Temple and learned about his upcoming SAT program. It was good to know that he already had a curriculum and that there were a suitable number of beneficiaries. He needed more tutors. SO! I accidentally? ended up getting him 3 volunteers. I guess you can say that it was all for the good . .the program hopefully is better supported now and it can continue to grow to a point in which the community will accept it.

I also ended up hosting a Seva Saturday Tea Time and the event was supposed to be for all of the local college students and youth to talk about the topic: "Why Seva?" and the changes in the temple that they would like to see, to help them do seva. I ended up meeting the leaders of the temple and our very own Anju -ji! She and Dr. Siva were talking about not one but 2 possible White House Conferences! (Amaing ya?) . I get to coordinate some part of the event :) Also, I met Colonel Ravi Chaudhary and he was extremely informative on what he can do to, get the word out there to the Indian community that there are Hindu Soldiers in the military and that they( and their families) need help transitioning back into civilian society after military life. He was saying that he was going to organize trips to Andrews Airforce Base and the decision making centers of the Pentagon so that I and a group of 30 people, can see a day of their lives. We can visualize what structure the soldiers were once subjected to and we can form ideas about activities on how we can support them.

St. John's University Hindu Students Council dedicated to seva in the community

2012-01-30T12:49:00.000-08:00

November 21, 2011 - Because the chapter at her university went through a lull last year, President Jonaki Singh has taken upon herself the important job of bringing back the Hindu Students Council chapter at St. John's University. The four executive board members have been working hard to plan events, fundraise and perform seva for their community.The chapter has been putting on and participating in quality cultural, religious and seva events this fall semester. For many events, the chapter partners with the Indian Subcontinent Student Organization. This year, they co-hosted with the ISSO to put on Garba. The chapter took responsibility for planning and performing the Hindu-religious part of Garba, namely the aarti. In addition to garba and bake sales, the chapter participated in a seva project with Street Child International and helped them raise $2,000. The chapter also volunteered their time at a Fall Ball at Chaplin Nursing home.The chapter went all out for Diwali! At an interfaith festival of lights event held at the university, the chapter made a slide show presentation on the significance of Diwali for Hindus. They explained the significance of the diyas, the food and sweets and many other aspects. As a chapter event for Diwali, they hosted a movie night at which the attendees enjoyed samosas and other snacks.St. John's University's HSC has a lot of plans for the upcoming spring semester. The chapter plans on putting on Holi festivities for the university. Additionally, the chapter plans to participate in seva at the Community Center (Belrose or Floral Park) called India home in Eastern Queens.

Rema's Journey to Give-III: Reflections and the Future

2011-12-09T08:15:00.000-08:00

I have felt extremely happy and contented that my efforts over the past year has put a strong program of Annadhaanam Seva activities. Not only are the homeless people getting fed, but also getting the goodies of small complimentary packages of toothpaste and brush, soaps, shampoos and conditioners.. About 2 weeks ago, an Iranian student from Wichita State University,following the path of Islam, interviewed me on behalf of HASC. She was impressed with the Annadhaanam Seva and said that she would love to sponsor one of the meals next year.

Most recently, I met a Christian couple Larry Hatteberg, ( who happens to be a T.V anchor), and his wife Judy, during an Amazing faiths dinner program sponsored by an organization called Global Faith in Action to promote inter-faith dialogue. Judy said that she would be happy to join in on the Annadhaanaam Seva with her group of friends. I felt delighted to hear both of these acknowledgements because both of them are from a different faith and they are willing to cook and serve vegetarian food without any sort of inhibition towards the Hindu faith.

Furthermore, people of other faiths are more interested on what it’s like to be a Hindu in America! Many churches invite me to host interactive sessions through which their members can get educated about me, my way of life and the philosophy of the Hindu religion. These sessions are helpful to clear their misconceptions about a Hindu, their lifestyle ; the philosophy of “ Vasudeva Kudumbakam” makes them subsequently feel comfortable to accept us as one among them, belonging to the big group called human race.

Rema's Journey to Give Part (II)-Success

2011-12-09T08:08:00.000-08:00

This year, I called the co-ordinator of AECH who gave the list of the local churches so that I can set up the time and day early on for the volunteers of HASC to efficiently carry on the Annadhaanam Seva I went ahead and reserved all of the Sunday Suppers for the HASC members. Right about this time, Saajan Bhakta, who was the founder for an organization called POVSOLV, contacted me and was very interested with his group to feed the homeless once a month on a weekday. So I have solicited among the community members to continue the Annadhaanam Seva on the reserved Sundays.

The supper consisted of a nutritionally balanced meal; lentil or dhal soup, bread rolls, pasta , salad and dressing, bananas, chocolate chip cookies, milk or decaffeinated coffee and lemonade.It could be as simple as a peanut butter sandwich , salads, cookies etc., Thus, the first Annadhaanaam for this year commenced on November 2, 2011 by the PovSolve group, continued by groups from the community.

A humble couple in Drs. Joshi, who are physicians wanted to serve supper with their children and parents on the Thanksgiving weekend. Things were looking up and going great!

There was however, a weekend before Thanksgiving on Nov 20^th when everyone was busy and could not commit to the date of Nov 20^th for feeding. In order that this does not happen again, II contacted Lakshmi Ravi, the co-ordinator among the families who are working for the Infosys company in Wichita ; she has nearly 40 committed volunteers to effectively continue the Annadhaanam. Things picked up once again.( woo hoo!)

Journey to Give: Part I-Trials

2011-12-09T08:03:00.000-08:00

If you feed the person, then you feed the soul. That is my belief when it comes to Annadhaanam, or the art of giving food to the poor and the homeless.

I wanted to cultivate Annadhaanam Seva as I noticed a lot of homeless people within my home town of Wichita, Kansas. More than one hundred of these people had no home, food or shelter, and were out in the cold nights on the streets. My journey to help these people started with me investigating the Kansas food bank, who directed me to members of AECH( Advocacy Group for Ending Chronic Homelessness). During my investigation, I found a small conglomeration of the city’s churches which have a temporary housing program from November to March, to give them a hot supper and a warm bed for the night. The homeless rested there and were forced to go out after breakfast into the streets. The breakfast and dinner programs were as a result of the church soliciting sponsorship from the community. The people that usually supported this kind of sponsorship were church members themselves .I am hoping and praying that HASC will have the infrastructure one day to care for humanity , provide food and shelter to the needy and less fortunate.

Inspired about 13 years ago by my eight year old daughter then, our family started this Annadhaanam Seva once a month at the Interfaith Inn in Wichita, KS. We usually fed 35 to 40 people, who lived in the Inn temporarily till they find a home of their own. A few families in the community joined us from time to time. Serving Wichita as an Americorps VISTA for a year helped me to place a consistent feeding program in place, under the auspices of the Utsav Seva.

Going back to the members of the small Indian community in Wichita, I found out that the temples did not have the infrastructure to host the homeless. Also, the volunteer base was really small. About some time into my research, I came across the Kabir Bhakta group, who were primarily from the state of Gujarat in India and their womens’ wing called Mahila Mandal were very compassionate. They are an extremely united group that owned a lot of the hotels, motels and laundromats within the area. Last year they helped me with feeding the people at the Overflow Shelter”. I solicited also with another non-profit organization called PovSolve, started by a young Hindu high school junior, Saajan Bhakta.

Written by Ramya Ramachandran
Edited by Rema Venkatasubban

Sindh and Its Sindhiyat

2011-11-28T18:31:00.000-08:00

Written by Dr. Chainani, a partner of HASC, in response to a recent posting on a community web group regarding the death of three HIndus in Shikarpur, Sindh. Please read below:

The time I've spent in Pakistan over the last year and a half has been life changing. It's taught me much about the history of South Asia, the cultural heritage of Sindh, our Pakistani neighbors, our Sindhi Muslim brothers and sisters, the dynamics of the Muhajir and Sindhi relationship among a few things. But I believe these to be the more obvious lessons that every second generation removed Sindhi Indian American would also search for when they visit.

There's been a deeper and much more personal journey involved for me as well: a spiritual one. I came to the land of Sufis to find myself with the hope to find my God as the grand triumph and ultimate destination of my quest.

I've learnt that I'm still learning and still looking. On this journey I've found beautiful hidden messages that I've read in books or inscribed on the walls of temples and Sufi durgahs:

"Vasudeva Kutumbakam"

"Ekam sat viprah bahuda vedanti."

"Satyam amritasya putrah"

To give pleasure to a single heart by a single kind act is better than bowing your head in prayer a thousand times.
-Shaykh Sa'di

I believe not in the outer religion,
I live ever in love.
Say Amen! When love comes to you.
Love is neither with the infidels nor with the faithful.
- Sachal Sarmast

If you are seeking Allah,
Then keep clear of religious formalities.
Those who have seen Allah
Are away from all religions!
Those who do not see Allah here,
How will they see Him beyond?
- Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai

My time in Sindh surrounded by Sindhi Muslims has shown me the other side of Sindh's story and another side of Islam. The stories of the Muslims who provided their Hindu counterparts their homes to hide out in during the violence that broke out, the Muslims that bid a final farewell to their Hindu friends with tears in their eyes, the Muslims who still hold those memories close to their hearts and feel the loss of the Hindus as something Sindh never recovered from.

On November 7, 2011 three Hindus were killed in Shikarpur district of Sindh, Pakistan. As many of you already know, I worked in Shikarpur at the start of my time in Sindh. I still maintain close contact with my co-workers. A member of my family also sits on the board of a Hindu association of Sindh. Here's what I must say, as it is the other side of the truth that exists.

Immediately following the killings the religious (Hindu in this case) spokesperson jumped on the bandwagon to claim religious bias as a cause of the killing. The fact that they were Hindu was exploited for a few days after which it began to die down. Soon after the Muslims responded with an accusation of their own and we were told that the Hindus were killed because of a girl of the Muslim side had been harassed. A few more days went by and finally I turned to my personal network in Shikarpur for answers:there had been an election recently in which the Hindu community had supported the ruling party which won due to the large number of Hindu votes they received. The opposing party didn't take their loss lightly and instead decided to teach the Hindu community a lesson. The end result of which was the death of the three Hindu Sindhis of whom only one was a doctor. Religious bias was not the reason for their death, politics was. Anyone who follows politics closely shouldnt be shocked to learn of the ways in which politicians use religion as a political strategy. As they say, " The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

What followed next was an absolute uproar within the Sindhi community and an alternate backlash against the government for their inadequate response and towards Sindh warning all Sindhis that this type of violence and is anti Sindhiyat and will not be tolerated by the residents of Sindh. They further emphasized that Sindh is the land of Sufis and believes in living in a tolerant society. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend as I was in Islamabad on official business. A young activist was kind enough to send me pictures.

Following the killings thousands of Pakistanis, both Hindu and Muslim, gathered publically across Pakistan to stand against the death of the three victims and the inaccurate message of intolerance it displayed. There was also a hunger strike that followed.

Sayings in books thousands of years old that we claim as ours aren't good enough. It is far more necessary to put those words to action and there is no better time than now. Hate only breeds hate. History is meant to learn from not to regurgitate. It's wrong to paint today's canvas with yesterday's paint. When you reach into the paint jar you may end up with dried out, useless paint. This is perhaps why they say one should not live today in the past of yesterday.

No one is saying that the sentiments of the Hindu Sindhis are wrong. Anger for being removed from your land and from your sacred river is justified. But another truth follows suit: there's a time for anger and then there's a time to let go, to change and to move on.

Tides must turn.
Peace must prevail.
Only then will their be prosperity in South Asia again.

Praying for peace
Geet

Reference reading:

http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=76954&Cat=2

http://www.thehansindia.info/News/Article.asp?category=1&subCategory=4&ContentId=17528

http://www.demotix.com/news/924585/civil-society-protest-against-killing-hindu-doctors

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/11/protest-against-killing-of-hindus/

"Be the change you want to see in the world." - Mohandas Gandhi

Deploring Anti-Hindu Remarks of Kentucky’s Gubernatorial candidate with Call to Action: Let us Build Bridges of Understanding in Kentucky and around the World

2011-11-04T08:01:00.000-07:00

Hindu American Seva Charities urges Hindus and people of all faiths to come together and turn the narrative around and make it an opportunity for generating better understanding of our culture and heritage through seva, interfaith seva. Let us show Kentucky and the world what Hindu values are and bring the divine, godly qualities to the forefront. Let us honor all the teachers and educators with tilak- GuruSeva, honor the veterans/military and invite our neighbors to come to our homes and temples and learn about our faith, yoga, traditions, food, our very way of life. Let us keep the Diwali light of knowledge and goodness burning brightly. Let us shower the world with Hindu acts of kindness, at every occasion, every festival with UtsavSeva.

We, Hindus, are the people of illustrious heritage of yoga, Meditation, of highest concepts of spirituality, of Mahatma Gandhi's non-violence, of Ayurveda (Holistic health concepts) and so much more. As documented in Phil Goldberg's American Veda, Hindu thought has contributed greatly to American spirituality. Today yoga is ubiquitous and accepted everywhere and it is as much a Hindu spiritual practice as putting a tilak for ground breaking ceremony. Its roots are undeniably in Vedic Hindu tradition. Let us take control of our own narrative and bring the positives to the forefront. We are proud to be Hindus. Let us work collaboratively with people of all faiths to serve all and solve the problems of the country.

Hindu America Seva Charities is appalled at the lack of acceptance and tolerance displayed by the Republican candidate, David Williams, when he criticized Governor Beshear for taking part in a Hindu groundbreaking ceremony of an India based company that is undertaking the construction of a $180 million manufacturing plant and promises 250 jobs in Kentucky. Williams, a state senator, criticized the Governor’s involvement in the ceremony as an act of “idol worshipping” which is against his faith.

It is deplorable that Hindus are seen by some fundamentalist leaders as "idol" worshipers, with a strong negative connotation. Therefore, it’s important to explain what is Murti puja, a core element of Hinduism. Hindus believe that God is transcendent (beyond every thing) as well as immanent (in every thing), ie: omni-present, every where, in everyone and everything, including all humans, animals, birds, trees, the oceans, and so forth. Murtis were created to help humans focus their minds on something tangible. The purpose of murti puja is to facilitate meditation and to promote harmony and brotherhood. It is impossible for humans to conceive of the transcendent God. Whatever human mind could imagine about God, would be deficient and flawed. Therefore, Hindu sages approved of images, expecting that it will help the common person to connect to God. Our scriptures say that Murti worship would be meaningless if the worshipper does not think of the transcendent God (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.29).

The xenophobia that many Hindus have faced, and still face, is coming to the surface in political forums. Hindus must deal with it publicly and strengthen the Hindu American identity on many fronts - through education, through interfaith collaboration, and through seva (volunteer community service).

Seva is our community social responsibility which enables (and ennobles) our youth and adults to put their faith in action and be better understood - people to people. Hindu American Seva Charities is trying to do just that and help our youth not only feel comfortable in their faith skins, but be proud of their heritage. As one example: In Wichita, Kansas, after 9/11 some Hindu kids were abused and called Osama's kids. The Hindu temple is afraid to put a sign outside. Lately, on HASC's initiative, Rema Venkatsubban, working as AmeriCorps VISTA, engaged many youth and adults to build interfaith bridges on many fronts, feed the homeless, and bring the issues to the political decision makers to help diffuse the "otherness".

Let our call to action be for building communities, for becoming the problem solvers of critical problems facing our country and create more jobs like those in Elizabethtown. Let us turn the narrative to show the world the true Hindu spirit of ahimsa and seva!

Diwali: Building Communities in America through Festivals of Seva

2011-10-26T22:17:00.000-07:00

Hindu American Seva Charities

Building Communities through Festivals of Seva

Dear Friends and Sevaks,

Namaste and Diwali greetings! Shubh Kamnaye - from all of us at HASC. We wish you a very Happy Diwali and a New Year filled with health, happiness, peace, prosperity and seva this festive (utsav).

We hope as you celebrate and share the message of Diwali, the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance, with your friends, family and neighbors, you will be inspired to help those who need. You will bring UtsavSeva to action! UtsavSeva promoted by HASC invokes the spiritual values of the festivals through Community Service throughout the year

Today we can proudly state in our Huffington Post blog,

Diwali Lights Community Building in America and around the World .
UtsavSeva is providing a roadmap for Hindu social justice and nation building with our Youth in the forefront.

Now, we need your support to sustain this effort.

- AParadigm Shift has Occurred-

Collectively, we as Hindus have succeeded in creating a national voice where there was none.

We have demonstrated how we, Hindu Americans and our Traditions, strengthen America globally.

Your Seva Voice proved we are effective Problem Solvers, ready to tackle difficult tasks facing our country every step of the way.

Your commitment to serve the people in need came across as UtsavSeva.

In just 2 years, our HASC family has grown exponentially and we are most gratefully for all the support we have received. None of it would have been possible without your active participation, support and blessings. Your 2009 seva response to the President's "Call to Serve”, resulted in the first ever 2010 community assessment report and the appointment and service of our AmeriCorps VISTAs. The collective seva effort and seva center development, in 2011, lead to the historic Hindu American Seva conference at the White House.

As widely reported, the Hindu community in America has joined other religious communities on the national stage, not only as an equal participant, but a veritable host to them. The Hindu White House Conference became a Springboard to Action to solve problems facing America. We focused on Energizing Dharmic Seva by Impacting Change in America and Abroad. Collectively we are spurring a New Generation Of Hindu Volunteers.

As you can see in a very short time, through the seva voice, HASC supporters and volunteers have brought the Hindu American community voice to the highest levels in the country. In addition to the White House, HASC is working with the Council of a Parliament of World Religions and the Hindu American community to bring our collective voices to the global platform.

We need your support to grow this effort in all aspects. HASC welcomes your tax deductible contributions.

Join Us as We Build Communities Across the Nation With Seva

Our efforts are supported only by volunteers and individual contributions!

About HASC:

HASC is working to augment the Community Social Responsibility effort by building a service oriented educational and networking platform to connect the community to America through seva. HASC is supporting development of "Seva Centers" as a lead example of social innovation. HASC will serve as a resource, repository and clearing house of relevant information. Read our Mission

HASC works with Hindu and Dharmic Americans to make service a defining part of Hindu American life and culture (UtsavSeva) and to strengthen immigrant civic engagement and interfaith collaboration. To empower the community and address concerns at the local and national levels, HASC is documenting service activities to develop reports, showcase dharmic seva, promote and support development of seva centers, liaise with government and interfaith groups to communicate the community's needs and enhance seva social responsibility. More...

Hindu American Seva Charities (HASC) is a progressive organization whose mission is to advance seva or community service and promote pluralism, interfaith dialogue, social justice, civic engagement and sustainable activism to ignite grassroots social change and build healthy communities. Seva is an integral part of Hindu and Dharmic traditions and sadhana (practice) and is transforming. To achieve its mission, HASC seeks to mobilize community resources in the United States, bridge the gap between the U.S. agencies and Hindu institutions to connect with America. HASC is a non-religious NGO formed in 2009 under the guidance of the White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and is a service partner with the Corporation for National and Community Service.

We Need Your Support to develop the infrastructures and the future leaders of tomorrow

The Faith Glass Ceiling has cracked in America and is resounding around the globe!

Doors of inclusion have JUST Opened for Hindu Americans at the Highest Levels

We urge you to support and send your tax deductible check or pay online through paypal at www.hinduamericanseva.org

Hindu American Seva Charities (a registered 501 (3) c not-for-profit organization).

184 South Livingston Avenue, Ste 9 #174, Lvingston, NJ07039

Contact: seva @hinduamericanseva .org; Tel: 732‐972‐1489/973-992-5210 www.hinduamericanseva.org

ShaktiSeva: Honoring Feminine Strength and Divinity

2011-09-27T20:34:00.000-07:00

ShaktiSeva: Honoring Feminine Strength and Divinity
Hindu tradition and American expression lead to innovative community service

September 25, 2011, Washington, D.C. While celebrating the Festival of Navratri, Hindu American Seva Charities encourages all to honor the feminine strength. Navratri, the nine nights to honor the Goddess, starts from September 28 so the theme for September – October is ShaktiSeva: community service bringing to the forefront the Feminine Principles, and the feminine energy within oneself.

There are numerous ways in which the strength of the woman can be highlighted by individuals, families and communities. HASC encourages women to use October as a time to reflect and engage with spirit, however that is understood by them, through life-enrichment activities. Celebrate Navaratri in a way that is meaningful to you. Nine nights in a row, observe a ritual: it may be traditional, invented or a combination of the two. Click for more“how tos” at http://www.hinduamericanseva.org/UtsavSeva/shaktiseva/how-to-of-shaktiseva

Honor the Deities, Folk Heroes, Activists, Writers, Artists, Innovators, Politicians…..the women…who inspire YOU.	Have your friends over: share the profound and “silly” female bonding rituals of your heritage and youth - oil your hair, do henna, paint your nails.
Forgive a friend who wronged you.	Light your altar and chant the ancient prayers, then light a candle and relax.
Adorn yourself.	Invoke the values of Ashtanga Yoga. Do Yoga.
Go out for the evening.	Arrange events: be inspired by or inspire others with your shakti stories.
Start a journal, a blog, share your stories.	Get moving: go for a walk, learn to ride a horse, take up a martial art,
Give yourself permission to create something.	Sign up for a class: make pottery; learn to play music, knit a scarf
Write a letter........... Call your sister, friend, mother.	Revive an old love: sing, dance, paint.
Help other women.	Learn more about the issues women face such as domestic violence.
Pledge to continue with ShaktiSeva on an ongoing basis, during the year, every month, every moment

While based on Hindu ideals, these efforts are inclusive. October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month and National Breast Cancer Awareness month. HASC is encouraging women and men of the Dharmic and Hindu-American community to engage in activities that raise funds and empower healthy communities, families and individuals.

HASC launched ShaktiSeva in 2010 and it has been featured in the Washington Post On Faith, and has stimulated a lively conversation. In Huffington post Shakti: Innate Quality of a Woman And, crossing lines of religion and culture and people are responding to the idea of ShaktiSeva - Navaratri, Shakti, and Politics, and Abuse Against African Women. In Wichita Kansas, as highlighted at the White House conference, ShaktiSeva has bridged cultural divides. Every year, the Hindu Temple of Minnesota engages women congregants to gather and share stories.

HASC members and partners are organizing local community woman-centered events that focus on and empower the principles ShaktiSeva It continue to encourage the diverse women to dialog about their faith, culture and heritage. HASC’s unique program, UtsavSeva (Festivals of Seva) augments the spirit of Hindu festivals through seva events organized during this time and connects them with the cultural heritage.

Request for volunteers for floods in New Jersey

2011-09-06T19:28:00.000-07:00

Namaste friends

As you know many people have been affected by the floods. Volunteers are needed to help with the cleanup and rebuilding effort. People of all faiths and no faiths are helping all those who have been affected. See a story here http://www.northjersey.com/news/129282843_Ridgewood_church_lends_a_hand.html

Hindu American Seva Charities has connected with Governor Christie's office and with FEMA. FEMA has just opened an office in Paterson, NJ and will be going door to door to see what the need is.

We are reaching out to our communities - The Indian Americans, people of eastern and western traditions, the yoga community, the Hindu Americans, the temple community, the professional community to mobilize volunteers to join hands and help our fellow brethren in the Garden State.... in the spirit of Raksha Bandhan. Please note your organization will be given FULL credit to your seva. We just want you to come and help!

We particularly request the temples to communicate to the devotees, to put up signs and ask them to volunteer. We ask the yoga community to provide free yoga as stress relief.

Please open your hearts, your resources, your time. Please join us, let us collaborate to serve.

Below is a request from Red Cross, one of our partners

Over the next 7 days we need volunteers to help with mass care. Can your organization put together a team of 10-15 (more or less are invited!) to help us out?

Details are being worked out as I speak, but we wanted to begin the process of reaching out to you to start getting volunteers. Please just respond with interest and I will get you details as they emerge.

The project includes the offloading of trucks; on-loading of Emergency Response Vehicles; driving out to various locations around NJ and caring for the people hit hardest by Hurricane Irene. The above steps are going to be mixed; but if an individual wants, we can make certain they are part of every step.

This will be ongoing over the next 7 days: work days and weekends included. We need teams for all times.

Your teams are more than welcome to wear your logos. Bring out your press and communications teams to document them (or we will send you pictures).

We can adhere to any schedule--2 hours; 8 hours; whatever you wish. Mass care is ongoing at all times.

If any of one is interested, send them to me! We need 100's.

Thank you so much for your time and help!
Karen Horn, Major Gifts Officer
Red Cross of Northern New Jersey

Please contact any of us - niki@hinduamericanseva.org, hanumancapital@gmail.com, seva@hinduamericanseva.org

Thank you for your prompt response.

The State of Formation 2011 Call for Contributors

2011-09-05T08:02:00.000-07:00

The Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue is working right now to identify top emerging religious and ethical leaders from around the country to become Contributing Scholars for its State of Formation forum. They are kooking for folks who have graduated from college and are either pursuing graduate education or have begun to work in a sector that is related to their religious or ethical community

The journal does not have many Hindu American writers and have asked me to help with the nomination process. It would be wonderful to get a good number of Hindu nominees, and I was wondering if there emerging religious or ethical leaders who you might consider nominating or alerting to this opportunity. Those of all traditions would be welcome, provided they are less than three years out of a graduate program and highly involved in their religious or ethical community. The Call for Nominations can be found online here.

We would be grateful for any help in identifying these emerging leaders. Please send your nominations to seva@hinduamericanseva.org

9/11 Days of Service Preparation

2011-09-05T00:20:00.000-07:00

As the country prepares for the 10th anniversary of 9/11, HASC is encouraging Dharmic and Hindu faith based organizations to participate in this National Day of Service. HASC is supporting participation in whatever way they want and requesting them to share their seva stories in as many ways as they can. To facilitate that effort, HASC has partnered with national organizations to promote community service and interfaith collaboration. Toolkits for faith and interfaith activities and sites to record your seva stories are listed below. We request you to let us know of your activities through HASC’s 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance form.

1. Seva and prayers in Hindu faith based places of worship

Many temples/ashrams/spiritual centers plan to conduct a variety of services this year. Services range from YogaSeva (Ashtanga Yoga's first yogic value is ahimsa (non-violence), annadaanam (feeding the poor), honoring the service men and women, (such as military, police and fireman), blood drives, health camps, BhumiSeva, etal.

• We request Hindu places of worship to invoke the value of *ahimsa (non-violence), through prayers and service as they celebrate Ganesh Chathurthi, the day of remembrance through prayer of the birth of Ganesha, symbolizing removal of obstacles. During this time Hindus take fresh spiritual resolve and pray for inner spiritual strength to attain success in all undertakings. (From a yoga perspective, Ganapati - leader of senses - is the deity of the 1st chakra - muladhara chakra. Obstacle removal starts with inner control).

• Let us also remember the other 9/11. Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha movement started on September 11. 1906; the launch of the Modern Non-Violent Resistance Movement which influenced America's Civil Right's Movement. And, on September 1893, Swami Vivekananda, the first Hindu Swami to come to America, gave his welcome address at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. "Brothers and Sisters of America. It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects. YouTube

2. Toolkits for Services
(i) Interfaith projects
HASC, along with many other faiths, has partnered with IFYC in promoting Interfaith Service projects across the country. Click here to download the kit and explore ways in which you can start your own project.

(ii) HASC is a national partner with National Day of Service and Remembrance and 9/11 Days of Service which is encouraging all to share their tribute to those who have served. Click here to record your tribute
National Day of Service and Remembrance "Beginning in 2002, family members who lost loved ones in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and support groups began to seek a forward-looking tribute to honor the sacrifice of those who were lost and pay tribute to those who rose in service in response to the tragedy. By encouraging Americans to participate in service and remembrance activities on the 9/11 anniversary, family members wanted to provide a productive and respectful way to honor those who perished and rekindle the spirit of unity and compassion that swept our nation after 9/11 to help meet the challenges we face today.
9/11 Days of Service: Because of their efforts to build support for this idea, September 11 has been designated a National Day of Service and Remembrance. The September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance was established into law by the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act in 2009, and is consistent with President Obama’s overall call to service, United We Serve." (Quoted from the Corporation of National and Community Service homepage)
(iii) Prepare New York - New York City, NY

Prepare New York is a coalition of New York based interfaith organizations, including Auburn Seminary and its Center for Multifaith Education, Interfaith Center of New York, Intersections International, Odyssey Networks, Quest, and Tanenbaum and its Religion and Diversity Education Program, who have joined together to help create a city-wide climate that promotes healing and reconciliation in anticipation of the tenth anniversary of 9/11. September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows and 9/11 Community for Common Ground Initiative are serving as advisers to the multifaith organizations. HASC is an action partner in this project. Prepare New York is supporting conversations and producing educational materials for the tenth anniversary of 9/11. For more information, visit their website. In addition to lists of relevant books and resources, Prepare NY has created a video, "We the People."

(iv) SAALT’s Campaign

HASC support’s SAALT’s campaign An America for All of US. Click here for more information on the campaign.

Thank you for your participation

HASC Team

- *Ahimsa Paramo Dharmah –
Non-violence is the foremost duty to the extent that it supersedes all other duties

Mahatma Gandhi emphasized this statement and value repeatedly during India's struggle for independence

Explaining the value of ahimsa, Sri. Swami Dayananda Saraswati has this to say:“A human being, as any other living organism, has an instinct to survive. Being endowed with free thinking he/she can recognize the same instinct in all living beings; a value is born—ahimsa. Therefore, we have a statement from the Veda, ‘ahimsa paramo dharmah’ - not hurting is primary value. All other values like non-stealing, non-cheating and so on are derivatives of ahimsa because each one of them would hurt the victim. If people practice, with care, ahimsa, abiding peace and harmony will prevail in the world.”

Seva conference reflections... of a High Schooler...

2011-08-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

Seva conference reflections... of a High Schooler...
by: Shreekari Tadepalli

As a Hindu teenager in the Midwest, I have seen my share of ignorance, prejudice, and general antipathy towards the Dharmic religions – and a temple community that doesn’t always do its best at responding to society. I arrived at the Baltimore airport on Thursday evening, unsure of what to expect. A large gathering of Hindu-Americans – what exactly were we all hoping to accomplish? I’d heard names tossed about – Dr. Pankaj Jain of North Texas University, Phil Goldberg of American Veda fame, Gopal Patel of the Bhumi Project, and of course, Anju Bhargava, the visionary founder of Hindu American Seva Charities. I was interested to hear what they had to say, and not entirely sure what I had to offer. The following days provided me a snapshot of what Hindus across the country involve themselves in – I was overwhelmed.

One of the first things to catch my attention was the number of second generation Hindu-Americans who are involved in seva initiatives all over the country. From climate change projects to Bhutanese refugee support networks, youth are taking an incredibly proactive role as Hindus in seva.

One of the most exciting panels was the first one, on Friday morning – Youth: Ambassadors of Dharma, Hope and Seva. Moderated by Khyati Desai, the three panelists were Sonali Tatapudy, president of Dharma, Harvard's Hindu Student Association, Rev. Brenda Girton-Mitchell, director of the Center for Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships, and Vineet Chander, Hindu chaplain at Princeton University. Everything they said really resonated with me – about a generation redefining Hinduism, taking ownership of their faith and practices, and bringing Sanatana Dharma into the Western world with full force. Over the course of the next two days, I got to know some of the students better, and made friendships that I'm sure will last a very long time. We face common issues, share similar experiences, and our struggles with identity unite us as a generation. Despite the enthusiasm I felt from many, there was still something that bothered me – why was it that nearly every time the word “youth” was brought up, it was in reference to college students? As a junior in high school, I've wished on more than one occasion that at least some of the opportunities available to those in college were extended to my age bracket as well. Now that I'm back home in the Midwest, I'm determined to start something that centers around the efforts of my fellow classmates, because we should have a voice, too.

There were several initiatives launched at the White House during the conference, and many projects, groups, and coalitions were brought up in the course of the panels. While each cause had its own merit, two in particular had an exceptionally powerful impact on the audience, sparking numerous conversations and fresh ideas. Lt. Col. Ravi Chaudhary's talk on Friday about Hindus in the Armed Forces, followed by Capt. Pratima Dharm & Uma Chaudhary speaking on Saturday about military families reached many hearts. In addition, the final panel, on Sanatana Dharma & the environment, had a profound impact on all present. Whether it was two strangers meeting and coming up with a new seva plan to support Hindu soldiers overseas, or my returning home full of ideas and potential connections to make my temple greener – the repercussions were felt almost immediately, and I know that these two particular movements will continue to grow.

There were two other panels that spoke to me, personally. One was the interfaith panel on Friday – with a number of layleaders and clergymen from various traditions (Evangelical, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu) – and the other was the interfaith panel of Saturday morning – with Philip Goldberg, Rev. Eric Shafer, and Kusumita Pederson. All the speakers encouraged Hindu-Americans to become involved in bridging gaps between religions by doing service work together, and while I see this as a worthy effort, something didn't quite fit. In my Michigan experience, most of the community service work is already being done by large, typically evangelical churches, who seek to proselytize. How then, I asked, can Hindus work with these Christians? They have all the resources, all the infrastructure – but they don't accept us or our beliefs. My question was posed to both panels, and the only solution given was to simply not work with those people. Or confront them, if they tried to convert me. I heard a similar question later Saturday, asked to the panel on college seva initiatives. The number of people who came up and introduced themselves after I spoke out told of how many see this as a major issue. It made me realize that we as Hindus need to bring the topic of proselytization out more often, because it is only in discussing the difficult questions that we find solutions. I hope to see more conversations about conversion – both in America and around the world – happen in the coming months.

When it comes to conversations – there was no shortage of them! I met so many people, who had so much to say – and it wasn't all one-sided, either. Whether it was discussing Wendy Doniger on the streets of downtown D.C., or grappling with identity over dinner, or even crossing generations late into the night – the conversations that I had at this conference are unforgettable. It really struck me that despite the fact that we come from widely different backgrounds, there is a lot that we have in common, as Hindus in the west. I hope that these relationships are maintained and furthered, because we have so much to give as a community, both to each other, and to the world outside. I went in knowing that the important names would have a lot to share – and I came away realizing that we all have something important to offer, after all, even me.

The Wichita Interfaith Journey.... Seva and Faith in Action

2011-08-07T17:33:00.000-07:00

My name is Rema. I am happy to be here today, having come all the way from Wichita, Kansas. I proudly introduce myself as a federal employee, a VISTA, volunteer in service to America , working for the Corporation for National Community Service, through Hindu American Seva Charities.

Born and raised in India and having made this great country my home nearly two decades ago, I call myself an Indian Hindu American. Touched by the kindness and compassion of fellow Americans around me, I decided to lead my life true to Mahatma Gandhi’s quote—“ The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”.

My SEVA journey began with volunteering in my children’s schools, initially in their classrooms and later in their school libraries. Soon, I was noticed and requested to be present in ‘show and tell’ events, demonstrate how to wear a sari, talk about India, the food, arts and crafts and the cultural traditions of India. In no time, I found myself in the site council of schools and as an office bearer in the parent teacher organizations. This exposure gave me knowledge on the administrative side of the public school system in the US. Around the same time, I heard about reduced breakfasts and lunches for students in schools which exposed the fact that many families were below the poverty line in their income bracket. This was a shocking reality to my husband and self; back home in India, America is considered as a land of the riches, the abode of Lord Kubera, where one will not find any beggars. The sad reality was in America they are known as ’homeless’. Our hearts went out to them and prompted by our eight year old daughter, we started serving food at the Interfaith Inn for the homeless. ANNADHAANAM is the best form of ‘dhaanam’(service), according to the Hindu scriptures and we were happy to do it in USA. Started in 1998, we are still continuing , now joined by many volunteers of Hindu American Seva Charities.

The tragic events of 9/11 was a turning point in our lives. I saw first-hand Hindu youth being taunted with questions like “ Are you related to Osama Bin Laden?” or “ What race are you and why do you have monkey and elephant headed Gods ?”. At an impressionable age, many Hindu American youth were told by their peers that “ if they believe in Jesus, they will go to Heaven, otherwise they will go to only 711, the corner store”. Many were told to go back to where they came from . I felt the need to convince Hindu American children that they are valuable citizens even though they had a different skin color, are from a different race and following a different religion. It also made me realize that making one’s home is much more than becoming a self-sufficient and law abiding citizen. I was afraid that their Hindu identity is shaken.

To live in harmony in a diverse environment and mutually understand and respect each other, I realized that I have to do my bit to build bridges to the mainstream American society which could be used by the present and future generations of all Americans. President Woodrow Wilson said “ There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed.” I committed myself to give back to the country and the community that I have chosen to live in. Rev. Sam Muyskens, the then director of Interfaith Ministries, an advocate of the Golden Rule ,”Treat others the way you want to be treated” was a great mentor to me and my husband that we could raise our children with respect and dignity in a foreign land. We reinforced to our children that America is a melting pot of different cultures from diverse backgrounds. We all have landed in America by different boats at different times but right now, we are all in the same”BOAT”.

I feel fortunate to have had a chance encounter with Ms. Anju Bhargava, through my good friend Janet Falk of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Saylorsburg, PA. My husband and self, attended the first annual conference of HASC in Baltimore and was impressed with the goals and board members of this organization. Caring for my 90 year old mother in the nursing home, for whom I cook and serve vegetarian food every day convinced me that I must do my bit for Hindu elders in this country. I was getting ready to take HASC’s help and my community members support to start an assisted living facility, where vegetarian food and yoga will be offered to the residents. Soon, I got a call from Anju asking me if I would like to take up a full time position as a VISTA and be a part of the Americorps program. My instant response was “no”, as I had just quit a part time position at the public library to be a better care giver for my mom. I felt that taking a full time position will be a stress giver and jeopardize my attention to my mother. I was assured that I will have a lot of flexibility and will be helped whenever necessary by the board members. I committed myself as a ‘Volunteer In Service To America” under the auspices of HASC and went off for the orientation program in Atlanta in Aug 2010.

The reception and training that I got there made me feel so proud of belonging to CNCS and the Americorps program. They respected all the members and treated us with dignity and respect. I felt fortunate to take up this historic appointment as a Hindu, working for a Hindu faith based service organization. I met my colleagues Niki Shah and Dr. Kumud Sane there along with my Supervisor, Dr. Ved Chaudhary. I take this opportunity to thank Dr. Chaudhary who has been a great mentor to me in community service ideas. I also thank Points of Light and Hand on Corps for their excellent support and monthly training calls. Anju’s ideas in community service, her knowledge of the Hindu scriptures inspired me to get on board the wagon of HASC.

The first event that HASC organized was on a national basis, a kick- off event, promoting yoga called the YOGATHON. Education on health and nutrition contribute an important means to eradicate poverty and build healthier communities. The invaluable support given by Lakshmi and Soumya to design flyers and volunteer during the event gave me confidence. The teachers from The Art of Living Foundation, who drove all the way from Dallas and volunteered to teach three sessions of Yoga in a day was very generous. It was a grand success. The community demanded regular yoga classes and the teachers from Patanjali Yog Peeth came all the way from Kansas City and have made it possible to put the program in place. Classes are regularly held at the Wichita State University, temple or the Bhakta Community center.

Anju’s brain child, is the unique creation of UTSAV SEVA , an interfaith “Festival of SEVAs “caught my attention. She had proposed a SEVA for each month commemorating any Hindu, Jain, Sikh or Buddhist festival. She gave an interfaith twist to it for the popular holidays in USA, like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter etc., As a child growing up in India, I used to look forward to the festivals every month to eat sweets and savories, meet family and friends and also do some prayers together. So I felt that many children may feel the same way and felt that the best way to sow the seeds of SEVA or selfless service in young minds is to popularize the festival of SEVAS, the Utsav- Seva.

One such event was Shakthi Seva, organized soon after the Hindu festival of Navaratri. This festival involves prayers for nine days and nights, praying for feminine strength and value enrichment within oneself. Deciding to give an interfaith touch to this event, I invited a mayor from the Christian faith, a financial planner who is a Hindu and a professor who has independent views to come and share their success stories. They symbolically represented Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi. Two of my good friends, a Hindu and a Muslim who are both entrepreneurs agreed to share their challenges and struggles which empowered those present. This event also coincided with the ‘breast cancer awareness month”. My daughter’s suggestion to add a little glamor to the event by inviting Miss Kansas 2010 was an icing on the cake. The event was a huge success and all those who were present were empowered and thanked HASC for organizing this event. Many in the community are eagerly looking forward to the Shakthi Seva event of 2011.

HASC partnered with Kansas Food bank to donate canned foods and got in touch with the advocacy group to end chronic homelessness. Community volunteer leaders came forward to organize and feed the homeless in the overflow shelter during the winter months. Dhan Seva, Sarvadharm Seva, Kala Seva, Kalyan Seva, Vidya Seva, were all celebrated with “amazing faiths dinner”, an interfaith dialogue over vegetarian dinner, financial seminar in the public library and feeding the needy. All this would not have been possible without the help of community leaders and volunteers like Suparna Tirukonda, Nalini Gangadhar, Lakshmi Ravi, Soumya Bhatt, Rekha, Siva, Jaya Narsai , Bushra Sayeed, Marcey Gregory , Venkat and Nithin Acharya. Many students from middle schools like Yash and Vikas were ready to clean our temples before the Yogathon . Students from Asian Student Conference, Indian Students Association , American Hindu Students Association and the dancing Shocker Shakthis were a great support to make all events successful.

The partnership with Sam Muyskens who organized the Golden Rule retreat, Interfaith harmony concert gave a lot of prominence to HASC. Pov Solve, a non- profit organization started by a high school student to reduce poverty in USA and abroad joined hands with HASC to feed the homeless. All these associations have made a name for the Hindu community in Wichita to help build healthier and enriched communities.

In the years to come HASC ‘s focus in Wichita will be on achieving two goals that are nearest to my heart.

Building a seva center in Wichita that will serve to empower our youth, and
Elder care for Americans focusing on the dharmic principles of holistic healing, yoga and vegetarianism.

I know that I cannot do this alone. So I will be actively seeking the help of organizations and individuals, particularly those in the audience today, who can help me in this effort.

Thank You !

Rema Venkatasubban

AmeriCorps Vista Member

Wichita State Coordinator

Hindu American Seva Chairites

Seva reflections... and learning to come....

2011-07-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

Seva reflections... and learning to come.... by Ramaa Reddy Raghavan

As I prepare to attend the first HASC Dharmic Seva conference on July 30th at Georgetown University, I am impressed by the variety of speakers who will be making presentations in the fields of religion, heath, well-being and the environment. My goal for this conference is that we each leave with practical, simple seva plans than can be instituted within our communities - be it in schools, places of worship or workspaces.

Seva, is a term I have greatly admired. In one of Vivekananda’s speeches ‘Secret of Work’ he speaks of Karma-Yoga: the practice to serve without asking questions, without expecting gratitude but rather to be grateful to them for giving you the opportunity to practice charity. Many great men like Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and more recently Anna Hazare have used these principles to improve the lives of the downtrodden.Using simple, cost effective methods Hazare transformed his drought ridden village, Ralegan Siddhi into one that today is self-sufficient and thriving. For his outstanding civic service, Hazare was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the government of India.

Selfless love given without any expectation of reward is the secret to making this country and world a better place. Let us set forth with this spirit and activate change.

Ramaa is a broadcast multimedia journalist and has just graduated from the Columbia School of Journalism. She covers lifestyles, especially areas relating to yoga and immigrant education. Her pieces have appeared on Huffington Post, Feet In Two Words and yogacitynyc.com

http://www.ramaareddyraghavan.com/

Niki Shah's Letter of gratitude to his grandfather

2011-07-22T21:40:00.001-07:00

Dear Dada

I am very grateful to you for what you have taught me-the basics of life. You taught me to be respectful towards women, children and elders; to care for everyone; pursue and share knowledge without arrogance; and remain satisfied and content with what has been provided to me in life. And those teachings have been the foundation of my life upon which I continue to prosper spiritually, socially, and economically.

For example, while teaching me math and English when I was in 5th standard, you asked me, "Niki, if you were make a difference in the lives of ordinary people, what would you do?" I replied, "Dada, I would make sure that the population was healthy and better educated so that a more peaceful and prosperous world could exist-where people have access to the economic opportunities they desire and dream of.

Reflecting back on that conversation today, I had an opportunity to impact 10 children, 8 girls and 2 boys at school # 3 in Passaic, NJ by sharing with them the benefits of healthy eating and living and then doing hatha yoga. I immediately thought about the example you have set for me. You respected and cared for each individual that crossed your life. You practiced a holistic life by rising early, engaging in yoga and physical activity, eating healthy and exact portions at the proper time, working hard, always reading and writing, and then, going to bed early to rise early. You understood your role as a grandfather and the aspects of child development.

You explained my shortcomings and mistakes, lifted me up when I was down, coached and mentored me every day of my life and made sure I was physically active and eating healthy. And today because of those teachings, mentoring and coaching, I am successful in learning and educating, and successful in most tasks I undertake.

I felt grateful for your teachings and your example as I was interacting with children at School # 3 in Passaic, NJ. As an AmeriCorps VISTA working for the Hindu American Seva Charities (HASC), I had the opportunity to lead a yoga and nutrition class with these 10 children. All of us introduced ourselves. We talked about the fruits and vegetables we ate, our lifestyle and diet, how much playing time we had in the streets, to the food (both good and bad) that was being provided in the school. Collectively, we spend one hour together fixing ourselves in to the various yoga asanas from the Surya Namaskar to the Bhastrika Pranayama. We started the class with laughter and joy and then filled with serenity and focus only to write in

our journals about our experiences, feelings and lifestyles we all had. I wrote about mine. I said:

"Today, I am glad that I spent one hour of my day with the children at School # 3. I appreciate the positive attitude and joy that children exhibited, I enjoyed learning and sharing knowledge, I am grateful to know that children are focused on eating a balanced diet focused on fruits and vegetables. I feel relaxed and happy to see the smiles on the faces of these 10 children and burdened by the fact that 1 girl does not eat dinner and that the peach a girl ate was "rotten." Next week, I want to do more yoga and see more smiles. I am committed to noting in my journal the physical activity and reading and writing exercises I conduct with my friends at School # 3 in Passaic, NJ."

From the perspective of HASC, it is important to take the teachings of faith and philosophy to bridge gaps between communities and then address those gaps-whether it is through yoga and nutrition on the health front, or encouraging a child to read books and playing with him or her in a park, or meeting the needs of the senior citizens, or empowering a recent immigrant to conduct their lives in the United States and become prosperous-or just putting up a smile to encourage and motivate others.

With this day behind me, I look forward to continuing this journey to continue making a difference in the lives of every individual I cross-whether it is through physical activity and nutrition, or bringing a smile on someone's face and making individuals feel good about their life. But in making that impact, I am grateful, again, for what you have taught me and the legacy you have left behind.

Your Loving Grandson,

Niki

Dharmic digressions—a little bit of everything

2011-07-22T21:27:00.000-07:00

Dharmic digressions—a little bit of everything

by Pankaj Kumar http://www.pankajkumar.net/

The main goal of HASC conference is to promote pluralism, tolerance, social justice (gender/race/class equality), and community service/seva. This journey made me ponder how my Vedanta philosophy and its subsequent interpretations contribute to the same. Hence, I have tried to address such topics as tolerance, role of women, caste and seva from vedic prism.This note intends to illustrate some of the interesting aspects of vedic philosophy, emphasizing its relevance in the modern world. Hermeneutics as propounded by Friedrich Schleiermacher and Wilhelm Dilthey is to be invoked to understand the essence of vedic literature, wherein not only the literal grammatical meaning but also the holistic context is taken into account.

Namaste/ Namaskār—utmost form of respect for others

All religions unequivocally put others before themselves when it comes to greeting strangers. Be it the Christian greeting of "May the peace of the Lord be upon you” or the Jewish greeting of "Shalom Alekum (peace be with you)" or the Islamic greeting of “Assalamu alaikum (peace be upon you)," peace wins hands down.

Sanatana dharma has its own uniqueness in that it greets others as if they were parts/representatives of the Almighty. The followers greet with Namaste/ Namaskār. Namaste is composed of Namah, a Sanskrit verb meaning “to bow” and te, meaning “you.” Namaskār literally means "I bow to your form/shape", which in turn may be interpreted as “I bow to the spirit/consciousness/divinity within you.” This is why when one greets by saying namaste he/she bows slightly.

Another illustration of this respect for others is the case when one's foot accidentally touches another person's leg. In such cases, the “offending” person touches another person’s leg with finger tips of his/her right hand, and then using the same hand touches his/her own forehead and/or chest.

Varna/Caste System—division of labor or discrimination?

Originally, the varna system was based on individual’s merit and aptitude. Bhagavada Gita says, "Of Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas, as also the Sudras, O Arjuna, and the duties are distributed according to the qualities born of their own nature." “We were all Brahmins or all Sudras” –mentions Brhadaranyaka Upanisad. According to Apastamba Dharmasutra, every human being is Sudra by birth. It is by education that one becomes Dvija (literally means “one who is born twice”, a synonym for Brahmin).

Varna had nothing to do with birth and lineage. Members of the same family had different varnas as evidenced in the Rig Veda (IX, 112) which says: "A poet I am, my father a physician,/ And my mother is a grinder of corn,/ Diverse in means, but all wishing wealth,/ Equally we strive for cattle.'' Chandogya Upanisad talks about Satyakama Jabala, who though unable to give his father's name, was yet initiated into spiritual life. Aitareya, son of a sudra woman, authored Aitareya Upanisad. Välmiki, a hunter was considered brahmin after he penned Ramayana. Ved Vyäsa, a brähmin sage and the author of Mahabharata, was son of Satyavati, a fisher woman. Much later, Chandragupta Maurya, from the Muria tribe, became emperor of Magadha. Such venerated saints as Sura Dasa, Kabir and Tukaram belonged to the lowest strata of the society. Dr. Radhakrishnan aptly points to the inner cohesion of different varnas despite the divisions.

Tolerance—Freedom of expression

Tolerance is deeply ingrained in Sanatana Dharma. “Truth is one; the wise call it by many names,” proclaim the Vedas, thus acknowledging the difference of opinion on any given subject. Rig Veda says that good thoughts come to us from all sides, exhorting us to have an open mind. Ramakrishna Paramahansa, the spiritual guru of Swami Vivekananda suggested, “As many minds so many paths to God”.

Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam, the “Global Village” concept is mentioned in Panchatantra. To summarize, toleration is the homage which the finite mind pays to the inexhaustibility of the Infinite (Dr. Radhakrishnan).

Women in vedic culture

"Yatra naryastu pujyante ramante tatra Devata (Where women are honored, God resides).”--Manusmriti 3.56. Sanatana Dharma venerates womanhood as source of learning (Goddess Saraswati), wealth (Goddess Laxmi) and power (Goddess Durga). Infact, shakti, the only word for power in Sanskrit, is feminine. There is no masculine word for the same.

Education: Several hymns of Rig veda are attributed to as many as 30 female saints (rishikās) such as Apala (the daughter of Atri), Ghosa (the daughter of Kaksivant), Paulomi, Vac (daughter of Ambhrna), Shashwati, Sri, Laksha ,Rathir Bharadwaja ,Lopamudra, Romasha,Sarama Devasuni, Yami Vaivasvathi and Indrani ( the wife of Indra) and many others. The Upanishads mention women philosophers such as Gargi and Maitreyi.

Women scholars indulged with their male contemporaries in scholary debates. Sulabha, a female authority on Vedas entered into vedic arguments with King Janaka. Vacaknavi, a female philosopher debated with her male counterpart Yajnavalkya. Much later, Manadan Mishra’s wife, given her superior knowledge moderated the theosophical debate between Shankaracharya and him. Scholar Panini mentions the names of several noteworthy women scholars of the past such as Kathi, Kalapi, and Bahvici, providing evidence that women used to teach.

Military: Queen Vishpala is mentioned in the Rig Veda. She is said to have lost her leg during a battle, and was given a prosthetic leg of iron so that she could return to fight. Additionally, Ramayana talks about how queen Kaikeyi helped King Dashrath in the battlefield. Megasthenes (5^th century B.C.) writes about heavily armed female warriors guarding the palace of emperor Chandragupta.

Marriage: Women enjoyed remarkable freedom in marriage affairs through "swayamvara" wherein they chose their soul mates from among a group of eligible suitors. Marriages of Sita and Draupadi are cases in point. Occasionally, social gathering called Samanas were organized to help young boys and girls meet each other. Moreover, a woman, if she chose, could marry in older age. Gosha, a well known female sage, married late.

None of the ceremonies after marriage could be performed without the presence of the wife (Rig veda 5.102). Women chanted mantras along with their husbands during rituals (Grihya Sutras).

Furthermore, marriage was not compulsory in the vedic period. Shrutavati, daughter of Rishi Bhardwaj and Shrimati, daughter of Rishi Shandilya remained bachelor throughout her life.

Seva—Corporate/human social responsibility

The word seva originated from sev, a sanskrit verb meaning “to attend." More and more prestigious universities such as Harvard and Wharton have taken up creation of social value by businesses, but I want to give credit to some of the immortal universities of mankind who knew the concept of corporate/human social responsibility long ago. Since the lines are succinct and self-explanatory, I will directly quote them from scriptures.

Christianity: In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ (Acts 20:35); Giving sets us free, while hoarding entraps us (James 5:2); Giving changes the lives of others (John 3:16). Giving brings blessing back to us (Luke 6:38); Giving allows us to store up treasures in Heaven rather than here on the earth (Matthew 19:21).

Judaism: "Tzedakah" derives from the Hebrew root Tzadei-Dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness. In Judaism, giving to the poor is considered an act of justice, righteousness and the performance of a duty. The Talmud details various level of charity ranging from the least recommended “Giving begrudgingly” to highly recommend “Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant.”

Islam: In Islam, “Sadaqat al tatawwu” means voluntary alms-giving. “Sadaqat” literally means ‘righteousness’ and is derived from the root word Sadaqa, which means “to speak the truth”. Alms-giving is called Sadaqat to indicate the veracity (sidk) of the giver’s religious belief and looses religious merit when the act is other than voluntary. (Akham al-Quran, 2/946-7)

Sanatana Dharma: The name of God in itself symbolizes the twofold “virtuous” implication, - of always giving out help and never accepting help. (Rig Veda: II, 28, 9 - Varuna Sukta);"Everyone is only a trustee or custodian for the wealth lying with oneself (from God); he cannot enjoy all of it". (The Upanishads: Ishavasya Upanishad, 1); Not by great deeds nor by great progeny but just by a single virtue, namely relinquishing all possessions one acquires immortality (Maha Narayana Upanishad IV, 12); The Divinities rejoice in that when somebody's happiness owes to another's sacrifice given voluntarily (Maha Narayana Upanishad IV, 78).

To summarize, it may be too extreme to say that “Religion is as helpful as throwing a drowning man both ends of a rope.” Dharma tries to catalyze the self, atman, from dormancy to consciousness. When seen through logical prism, it calls for generic inclusiveness and equality.

(Recommended Nice reads: Dr. S. Radhakrishnan-The Principal Upanishads; Will Durant - Story of Civilization: Our Oriental Heritage; Stephen Knapp- Women in Vedic Culture; R. C. Dutt - The Civilization of India and works of Thoreau, the American thinker and Arnold Toynbee, the British historian )

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