Why has Hinduism mired itself into a slush of bigotry?

krsna · April 14, 2004

Report on Attitude of Non-Resident Gujaratis

ID=IE820040410090800&Page=8&Title=NRIs&Topic=0&

AHMEDABAD, INDIA, April 11, 2004: This report appeared in the

Newindpress.com and is attributed to Indo-Asian News Service.

They are well versed in Hindu rituals and are proud followers of the

religion. But some young non-resident Gujaratis (NRGs) are not willing

to say the same for India. "I perform puja (prayer) every morning, and

I know the Gayatri Mantra by heart. I am a proud Hindu but not a proud

Indian," says Tejas Patel, 24, a London-based second generation NRG. "I

can't imagine settling down in India." Agrees New York-based dentist

Bhavna Patel. "We know the essence of Hinduism which has a broader

perspective. In India, Hinduism seems to be mired in the slush of

bigotry." Both Tejas and Bhavna are part of a 60-member delegation of

NRGs on a visit here to celebrate the 60th birthday of Tejendra Prasad

Maharaj, the sixth descendent of Lord Swaminarayan. The Swaminarayan

sect of Hinduism has hundreds of thousands of followers in India and

abroad. Of different religious sects, it perhaps has the largest number

of NRI followers, mainly Patels from Gujarat settled in the US and

Britain. The Swaminarayan sect's activities focus on the spread of

Indian culture and religion among NRGs. Under the influence of the

Swaminarayan sect, second generation NRGs aged 20-30 manage to keep

many a vice at bay and follow religion ardently. Nirav Patel, a teenage

high school student from New York, says: "In the past I was into wine,

women and drugs, but they didn't give me the peace of mind that I get

now from the morning puja. Hinduism is not only my religion but is my

identity." Delineating Hinduism, Patel says: "Hinduism does not mean

India alone. You don't have to be in India to practise your religion.

We practise Hindu religion as a global citizen, the essence of Hindu

shastra (or texts)," he says.

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