Foreigner's lessons in Hinduism

[Guest guest]

Foreigners get lessons in Hinduism from RSS

 

Bangalore, Aug 8

 

Close to 100 Hindu foreign nationals are being put through their

paces at a training camp run by RSS in Bangalore.

 

Lalchan Dookie, a 42-year-old from Trinidad, rubs shoulders with his

counterparts from the United States, Britain, South Africa and Kenya

at the camp organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS,

National Volunteer Corps).

 

The RSS is the ideological mentor of Indian Prime Minister Atal

Behari Vajpayee's Hindu nationalist BJP party. Most BJP leaders,

including Vajpayee and Home Minister L.K. Advani, are members of the

organisation.

 

Dookie, whose Indian forefathers settled in Trinidad more than 56

years ago and is making his first trip to India, said the training

camp was helping him discover his roots.

 

"We (Hindus) are one. In my country my Hindu pride was kept down due

to other ethnic groups. Now there is a rejuvenation," Dookie, a bank

employee said. "I know now it is never going to die."

 

The 21-day 'International Training Camp' has been divided into three

sections --- cultural training, self-defence without weapons

and "inspirational" training.

 

All 96 male Hindu students, who previously have enrolled in

RSS "shakas" (branches) in their respective countries, are given

physical training and yogic exercises which combine breathing

techniques and meditation.

 

Specialised Hindu gurus also hold lessons on Hinduism in English and

Hindi and hold debates with the foreigners.

 

Evenings, after a rigorous physical training session, are spent

studying Indian folk music, Hindu religious chants, and mythological

stories.

 

For 19-year-old British medical student, Amit Gupta, it was the Hindu

way of thinking that drew him to the RSS camp, which is held once

every four years.

 

"I wanted to see how Hindu society worked. I met a lot of people and

now I am attuned more towards their thinking," Gupta said.

 

RSS leaders said the focus of the camp was to protect Hindu culture

overseas. "We are trying to protect Hindus from foreign influence,"

Ravi Kumar, chief of the training camp told AFP.

 

"There is a cultural onslaught from the Western nations. In a foreign

country an Indian is seen as a brown man and looked down upon. They

ask questions about the Indian way of life and in this camp we impart

basic knowledge of Hinduism," the Australia-based Kumar said.

 

"Educating the next generation is necessary. Most of them (foreign

Hindus) are confused in a Western society. The parents are not able

to educate them in the Hindu way of life. So we step in."

 

"These youngsters are in their second phase of training," Kumar

said. "They will go back to their respective countries and teach

others. In the final phase they will be brought back to India for

another round of training."

 

V. Nagaraj, who is heading the "intellectual training" section of the

camp said Hindus worldover were facing a problem of "preserving"

their culture.

 

"We want to bring Hindus culturally together in all these nations,"

said Nagaraj, who sported the traditional RSS uniform of long khaki

shorts and a white shirt.

 

"There are far too many associations and one platform will be of

great help."

 

Shambu Shastry, a 46-year-old scientist from the United States, said

overseas Hindus were trying hard to retain their cultural

identity. "We are swimming as a Hindu in a Christian sea. Perserving

our identity is important and events such as these go a long way,"

Shastry said.