Suddenly, being Indian is "hip"

[krsna]

Indian-American Youth Keep Traditions Alive

http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2004/02/

28balancingbetwee.html

 

DELAWARE, U.S.A., February 28, 2004: When 18-year-old Nikhil Neelkantan

of Newark got his driver's license, the first place he drove was the

Hindu Temple in Hockessin for reflection and prayer, begins this

article. Since then, he has gone to the temple every week, surprising

his father, Neel, who emigrated from India 35 years ago. "When we grew

up in India, the first thing you did when you got something was you go

and pray," said Neel Neelkantan, who said he didn't expect his son to

do the same in the United States. Nikhil Neelkantan is one of thousands

of young Indian-Americans in Delaware trying to balance the customs of

their South Asian homeland with the vastly different modern culture of

America. While many young Indian-Americans were once quick to shed

time-honored traditions of India for American ways, more are now

increasingly achieving a balance between their two worlds, in large

part because of the recent explosion of Indian pop culture in America.

The British film "Bend It Like Beckham," which showcased an Indian

family's struggle between tradition and acceptance, scored big with

American audiences. And Indian movies such as "Laagan" and "Monsoon

Wedding" have been hits in the U.S. Artists such as Jaz-Z and Missy

Elliott have combined their hip-hop styles with Indian beats to make

Top 40 music that is striking a chord. Suddenly, being Indian is "hip,"

teens and experts said.

 

S. Mitra Kalita, author of "Suburban Sahibs," a book examining the

impact of Indian immigration on New Jersey, said the desire of young

Indian-Americans to connect with their Indian culture has a lot to do

with Indian influences in American pop culture. "It's not a coincidence

that being Indian is suddenly en vogue," Kalita said. Indian-Americans

are one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the country, increasing

from 800,000 in 1990 to roughly 1.9 million today.

[Dervish]

This is fascinating, I did not pick up on this influence. I was under the impression that this "hipness" only existed in the 1970's. It seems now the only "Indian spiritual" influences people like are hatha yoga and kama sutra.

[krsna]

Hinduism And India "Cool"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/programmes/wtwtgod/3490394.stm

 

LONDON, ENGLAND, February 29, 2004: Indian youth has a new relationship

with religion, according to this BBC report. Bachia Karkaria, The Times

of India Associate Editor, writes about contemporary attitudes of faith

and in particular Hinduism. God has a new incarnation in India--cool,

user-friendly, results-oriented and upwardly mobile, says this article.

Like the sitar, guru shirts and transcendental meditation in the

Beatles-era, India Cool has discovered nirvana, yoga, joss-sticks and

Vastu Shastra, the Hindu equivalent of Feng Shui, via the West. The

computer geek is quite likely to decorate his desktop with stickers of

both Garfield and Ganesha, the popular God of auspicious beginnings.

The mystic word Om once had an exclusively religious context. But it

has acquired a universality, courtesy of Madonna and pop culture. Young

Indian men and women sport Hinduism's most potent symbol as a fashion

accessory. Designer Om pendants dangle from throats and jangle on charm

bracelets.