Putting the life back into how Hinduism is taught
Most of my early knowledge about Hinduism came through a movement called Swadhyaya. Although in the past few years I have ceased to be an active part of the movement, I am extremely grateful for having received an amazing and practical appreciation of my cultural and spiritual heritage.
What I learnt at Swadhyaya was mostly delivered in a fun, easy to understand, interactive and very practical manner. Therefore, even though I…
May 18th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
This article should be merged with the discussion on temple building and support in the Hindu community. All of these ideas are interrelated and required for a community that is cohesive, supportive, and united in its ideals for a good life.
Could you find a place where that book you read “The Life of Sri Krishna” is available to others? There could be parents reading the HVUK. Might be good to spread the word.
Keshav
May 19th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
The way Hinduism is taught is unfortunately a bit of a mess. I’ve come across countless people who have lost interest in Hinduism because they haven’t found suitable or adequate teachers/sources on Hinduism. I’ve had this problem as well, and it gets discouraging at times.
We can object all we want about the western stranglehold over how Hinduism is taught and projected (especially in academic circles), but unless we offer coherent and sensible teachings on Hinduism, it all makes it a bit fruitless in the end.
But coming to the article Rajesh Patel is spot on when he states that a lot of religious leaders don’t make their teachings applicable to the real world as much as they should. Failure to do so will make Hinduism look irrelevant, and once something becomes irrelevant, it disappears.
May 19th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
“We can object all we want about the western stranglehold over how Hinduism is taught and projected (especially in academic circles), but unless we offer coherent and sensible teachings on Hinduism, it all makes it a bit fruitless in the end.”
But teaching them privately won’t do much, the main reason for the portrayal is the absolute lack of practicing Hindus in humanities, sure u have people with Hindu names but they are usually commies or leftists.
Among modern Hindus how many know Sanskrit (both Vedic and Classical) and Old Tamil, these are indispensable if you want to know ancient Hindu history or read the scriptures and other literature in the original. Most can’t even speak modern Indian languages properly and mix in English half the time.
When a Hindu wants to read the Vedas, he goes to the first available English translation which turns out to be some outdated one by Max Mueller or some other Indologist, and soon he reads more crackpot translations of other stuff by people like Witzel. In time he becomes more and more Hindu in name only type.
Most Hindu parents just want you to be either doctor or engineer, if you leave non practitioners to portray ur religion whichever way they like it, then why crib about it later, the problem is so acute that even people battling these crackpots, like Rajiv Malhotra themselves have to rely on the English translations of ancient literature because they can’t read Sanskrit.
The ignorance is apalling, once I came across a Hindu online who kept insisting that “Ram”, “Bhim”, “Yog”, “Ved”, “Gyan” (which are just derivations present in non Southern languages from Sanskrit) are Sanskrit pronounciations and the rest are South Indian “distortions” even after I showed him a Sanskrit dictionary pointing out that its Veda in Sanskrit not Ved, Mahabharatam not Mahabharat, and Jnana not Gyan.
It’s shameful to see the same people who once produced giants like PaNini have now been reduced to propagating PN Oak’s etymological theories as linguistic scholarship.
If we want to stop the distortions then its imperative that we encourage people with interest in fields like linguistics in our community to pursue them instead of telling them its useless and they better become a doctor or engineer.
May 19th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Harish Duggirala,
I agree with ur post above, but I think you’ve misunderstood me.
I concur that there is a distinct lack of (practicing) Hindus in the relevant areas of the academia. And your right this is partly due to Hindu parents pressurising their children to follow other more lucrative professions (although you can hardly blame them, unless they start complaining that their kids are now losing their culture). But ask yourself this, where exactly are these practicing Hindus going to come from?
Obviously not (solely) from the western further educational system, but from the Hindu community itself. So teaching Hinduism ‘privately’ as you put it is vitally important.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:50 am
True, we have to teach the kids privately, but in the larger scheme if we want to affect change we have to have the same kids go into the relevant fields.
Also its def not true that Hindu parents want u to do it because its “lucrative”, from my experience there is a systemic bias against anything other than doc, engineer, or computers, especially anything which involves physical work (like fireman, police, army etc). If u want “lucrative” in Canada or US, then the army is a very good place, they pay for ur education, while the salary is not as good as u make as a doctor or engineer unless u r higher up there are a lot of additional benefits, at least in the US army I know u get free housing, tax breaks, and non contributory pension after u serve 20 years. But how many Hindus do you see in the army, very negligible amount, in the UK its mostly Gurkhas who serve.
There is a mindless pursuit of wealth among Hindus, if we think only doc and engineer are “lucrative” then something is wrong with us, most Hindus are middle class and well settled, so whats the point if u earn 60k instead of 55k, its not a huge difference, and why do only we think like this, if its not “lucrative” or will put u in poverty, then what are all those goras in humanities doing, i assume they arent all begging.
There are many sikhs in Yuba city (Cali) who own vast amounts of farmland (note that they are doing well), but u tell some of these Hindu parents that u farm, u will get a look of incredulity cum disdain as if u have committed the most heinous crime. They think there is nothing in this world other than doctor, engineer, IT.
Here is an example:
“A few years ago Bains began selling parcels of land to housing and commercial developers. “When I saw the way that agriculture is going, not too much profit, then I thought I’d start to downsize.” He still owns about 6,000 hectares of prime California land in the Sacramento Valley and further south, near Bakersfield, most of it near cities.
http://www.nriinternet.com/NRIfarmers/USA/Index_Information/1_Sikh_rule_CA..htm ”
I assume 6000 acres is not bad and certainly more than what most doctors have as their assets.
I am just saying that there is a bias in our community, and we need to correct it.
May 21st, 2008 at 7:26 am
I am glad some has taken interest in Swadhya started by Late Athavale. I did attend some of his programs and first thing I noticed was he had picked the right things for teaching Hinduism. First thing was stressing the importance of Krishna in Hindu life and secondly importance of Hindus of all shades coming together sitting in congregation to get the message of Bhagwat Geeta.
Over the years due to Moguls and then the British rule Hindus had forgotten Krishna and had resorted to practice and made Hinduism more ritualistic. Christianity and Islam are congregational religions and visually show solidarity, unity. Most importantly congregation develops affinity between the worshipers and better understanding of common beliefs. This relatively new direction by Athavale did worry Pope and many Mullas who had no choice but to invite him to their pads for discussion. To them Late Athavle was playing the same game that sustained their faiths. I was delighted because I knew his direction should be able rid Hindus of age old castes and divisions. In one sermon Athavale said that it will take three generations to bring about this change and that worried me, because I think in three generations time Hindus will lose their political freedom and administratively will be dictated by other non Indian religions whose sole objective is to grab lands of the Hindus. I think all Hindus should worship Krishna and Krishna alone and follow Geeta. Most importantly come together in congregation at least once a week.
May 21st, 2008 at 4:20 pm
While I too have heard Sri Athavalejis’s pravachans which I found inspiring, I found the controversies during the past few years very unnerving. The swadhyayi’s especially in the U.K. are too narrow-minded, egotistical and arrogant. They do not easily make friends or accept anything and keep on being rude about everything. For example, when I asked some of them wether they are planning to do anything charitable for the victims of floods etc. they rudely brushed me off and said ‘’ we do not discuss business here'’. When I asked them if they have any audios or videos they took it as an insult to Dada and treated me badly. They do not want to work with other Hindus nor do they care if a Hindu neighbour or acquaintance requires help. They continue with their blinkered attitude of idolising Dada and do not want to think of the larger Hindu community. They think they are too good for the rest of us, and act as if they are the only ones who practice Hinduism just because they go to pravachan sessions every week and waste tons of money on their activities. They are hypocrites and have formed a cult of their own. I know because I have experienced this myself.
May 21st, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Religion taught lively manner and related to spatial state can be more effective.
Also some people need welfare aspect too. It is no use to celebrate when people around us are suffering, widows are crying and kids do not have school fees, unemployed ahve to beg why ???Religion is not only about GOD but it is about people around us too.
In Englans there are NO religious conflicts because of welfare where every citizen holds head high as he has enough pocket money..in ANY circumstances.
That is GOD and that is religion.
Ramesh Jhalla
May 29th, 2008 at 6:21 am
Ramesh I agree with you. Religion has to be seen in action and benefits not necessarily in monetary form but also socially. As I look into the history of Hinduism and what stage we are now, it doesn’t surprise me that we still have to discuss the religion itself.
I find that occupation of India by foreign religions by force has considerably damaged and fragmented Hinduism and Hindus with it. The Moguls looted and occupied Hindu temples and institutions and British systematically destroyed the Ashrams, Hindu institutions by introducing heavy taxation and replacing them with Christian institutions. I find Hinduism despite such onslaught has survived due to its own inner spiritual strength and blessings of the Creator. Yes, the Creator because other religions do not have one. It is interesting to note the castes became institutionalise only after the foreign invasion and the Brahmins had to charge the worshippers for performing rituals to enable them to pay the taxes.
The fragmentation of the Varnas into castes distorted Hinduism has been very detrimental to Hinduism and understanding of it. It simply disunited the Hindu communities. The British loved it helped towards their ‘divide and rule’ policy. The British welfare system is the benefit of industrializaton which was denied to India. I think Hindus can still bring uniform distribution of wealth by understanding the Varnas and not castes as intended by the Vedas.
May 29th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Does anyone comment as to the caste supported by the church of england by maintaining a royal caste sustained by male genetic markers?
hariaum
June 21st, 2008 at 5:29 am
Navin,
If you look at history of Christianity and various Christian kingdoms in Europe you will find total male dominance. These kingdoms have always carried the banner of Christianity and have invaded, plundered and taken over lands in the name of ‘male God’ in heaven. It was always Adam and Eve and not Eve and Adam like in Hinduism Sita Ram, Radhe Krishna.
Before the ‘reformation’ Britain was feudal and later managed to democratise with elected Parliament and administration as a concession from the Kings who were the patrons carrying banner of Church of England. Hence the Kings or Queens, C of E and the Parliament were always interlinked. Hindus in India have not realised C of E is part and parcel of British Government and so whosoever does any work of or for the Church in India is working and doing dirty work for the British Government that with links with the Church believes the God in Heaven has to be male as patronised by the Queens or Kings of Britain. Is it bizarre? Yes.
It is only recently the Archbishops and Popes have accepted Hindu definition of our creator (Paramaatma) and started referring to Him as ‘Holy Spirit’ as they couldn’t prove who their God is and where the Heaven is. But who cares as long as they are protected by the Feuds in Europe, British Government and Indian converts who are prepared to carry out their dirty work. Hindus all over the world should be proud of this change, only they had it right all the time.
June 23rd, 2008 at 2:44 pm
I wanted to bring focus to the idea/reality of caste in christian tradition. (also of course in islam and the passing down genetically of the priesthood, royalty, and economic power.) The fact is that christo-islamists practice caste discrimination far more than hindus but the hindus allow themselves to be blamed. there have been recent articles against caste as innate to hinduism but you usually don’t see the discussion of its practice in the christo-islamist context.
o/w of course the CofE (coffee) is demonstration of the intolerance of UK culture to other religions, the legitimacy of the government is based on the church, not on “WE THE PEOPLE.”
hariaum
June 26th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
The worst case of caste discrimination in Europe is the one of Gypsies. For centuries Gypsies were compelled to do dirty work, live in appalling conditions outside the higher caste Christians and many countries they were banned by legislation. In most Churches they were never allowed inside or were made to occupy only last rows of seats. It is a well-known fact that Hitler had started killing the Gypsies in Hungary and Poland even before his plans of exterminating the Jews. In Britain before the war many counties had members passed legislation against them and were not allowed burying their dead anywhere near the upper caste British. At least in India there never had been legislation against the Shudras or Dalits. Our misguided Dalits and the poor converts in India should challenge the missionaries and so called do-gooders form the West about their own caste system.
In Islam laso there existed caste systems with Mongol Khans at the top and converted Indians and Bedouins at the bottom. I am sure even Imran Khan wouldn’t have been allowed to marry Jemima if she were not ‘white’ or she were from Karachi.