HAWAII, April 30, 2016 (Hinduism Today): With its July, 2021, issue, Hinduism Today introduces four youth writers who are becoming (we hope) regular contributors to Hinduism Today magazine. In this opening salvo, there are four stories all under the URL at “source” above:
1. This Is How One American-Raised Hindu Prays, By Shaina Grover, 16.
Growing up in America is obviously not the same as growing up in India, and being a Hindu raised in America and India are two very different experiences. Being raised in India will often mean that a child has a greater understanding of their religion, its practices and beliefs. Being raised as a Hindu in America can be a little confusing. While we follow some aspects of Hindu culture and aim to understand them, we also must follow American culture. Our identity is a mixture of both Hindu and American beliefs. And it’s not just the kids raised in America–their parents, who immigrated to the US, definitely don’t participate in the same traditions as they used to. Although my parents and I try to follow these [traditions] to the best of our abilities, certain things in our lifestyle as a person living in the US often interfere. Essentially, even though we are Hindus, living in America has diminished how much we participate in certain Hindu traditions. That’s not to say we don’t follow anything properly, or that we aren’t in touch with our culture and religion. Looking back on my life, I’ve probably been praying or participating in one puja or another since before I knew what that was. I’ve sat in front of the temple, with my eyes closed, palms touching, “praying,” before I even understood what belief was, what worshiping was, or what praying even meant. Complete story at “source” above.
2. I Made Better the Way My Classmates Studied India, By Sanjeevani Dedge, 12.
Ever since I was little, I have been deeply involved in my culture and traditions and wanted others to learn about them as well. For example, I showed my entire first-grade class the sun salutations, with my parents’ help. We distributed posters so everyone could practice at home. My class enjoyed the experience so much that we practiced it several times again throughout the year. Growing up further, I came to understand that California social studies class for 6th and 7th grade had inaccurate and unfair content on Hinduism. I decided to do my best to change that. During my 6th-grade year, I realized that the class was spending quite a while on other ancient civilizations, and I was nervous that there would not be enough time left for ancient India. My suspicions came true, and I was concerned that my teacher would not get enough time to cover India. I most certainly wanted my classmates to learn about ancient India’s achievements, traditions, economics and social structure as well! Complete story at “source” above.
3. Understanding Today’s Hindu Youth, By Rutvij Holay, 15.
Oftentimes, we hear about how our youth have lost touch with our culture, and how our community must establish programs to regain it. These programs have succeeded in some aspects, but have failed in many others, likely due to the lack of a youth perspective. In my 15 years of life, I’ve been blessed to meet many Hindu youth across our diaspora. I’ve met those who could speak fluent Sanskrit, and those who only spoke English. I’ve met some who would go on to Harvard, and some who preferred to start with community college. Hindu Americans cannot be considered a monolith. By understanding the commonalities and differences among us, we may be able to plan programs that truly ensure our culture remains in this nation far longer than we do. Complete story at “source” above.
4. How Meditation Made Me a Better Dancer, By Santhanaa Hariharaputran, 16.
What is meditation? Is it the art of engaging in contemplation or reflection for the purpose of attaining an elevated level of spiritual awareness? Or is it something that goes beyond the mind and transmutes into an art form of beauty and grace? As an Indian-born child raised in America, my interactions with the distinctive skill of meditation were quite limited. Every summer I went back to India where I had a close-knit group of friends, most from my Bharatanatyam dance class. Our gurus were pleased to find such young students asking so many questions about an art form they would usually reserve for the more experienced students and told us all about the importance of meditation and yoga in dance. We learned about each of the chakras we utilize when dancing and how we could achieve better control over our movements through meditation. We learned about the existence of a superior power, and how surrendering to this higher power would help us become one with the forces spiritually, and with Mother Earth physically. Unfortunately, none of us really knew what was meant by “superior power.” We tried clarifying with our gurus, but they could only offer that we would know it when we felt it. Complete story at “source” above.