WASHINGTON, USA, August 18, 2001: In a new survey of Americans’ attitudes about Hindus, 666 people — two-thirds of those surveyed — said they have no familiarity with Hindu beliefs and practices. When asked if they wanted to learn more about the religion, 59 percent said no. Members of the Hindu Leaders Forum, a global network that commissioned the survey, are not surprised at Americans’ limited knowledge of their faith, which with one billion adherents worldwide, is the third-largest religion after Christianity (1.9 billion) and Islam (1.2 billion). To further understanding by people of other faiths and foster pride among Hindus, the forum, a project of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad Overseas, has begun a 38-country, 47-city yatra, or pilgrimage, to spread the message that “the world is one family.” This is the first international yatra in more than a century, organizers say, and it will bring spiritual leaders from India to have discourses with local Hindus. The guests will visit five major U.S. metropolitan areas: Events are scheduled Monday in Miami, Tuesday in Atlanta, Wednesday in Washington, Friday in Chicago and Saturday in Los Angeles. The program includes talks and discussions on such topics as the fundamentals of Hinduism, religious-related violence and the global environment. For details on the global tour, go to www.hindunet.org.
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