History
When we had a new neighbour arrive a few years back, no one in the family paid any more attention to them, than they would when crossing the road. However, things began to change as I became more and more interested in them. It wasn’t as though something untoward was happening, but I began to see a number of people visit them on weekends. One day, I saw a couple whom I know very well, walk out of their house; a common friend; Andy’s parents. The Murray’s are born-again Christians who spent most of the Sundays in Church. While Andy would spend some time in Church, his parents were said to spend most of their Sunday in Church. They were very religious, and their new-found love and belief in Christianity came after their daughter Cole died in a road accident. Gradually, their visits to the Church on Sundays began to decrease, until sometime last year, they stopped coming to church altogether. So, when I saw the Murray’s at our neighbor’s, I had to ask Andy what his parents were doing with his neighbour. The opportune moment came when one day at school; I met Andy in the cafeteria. He was alone, and so, I walked up to him. I sat next to him and exchanged the normal pleasantries before getting to the point. The discussion went like this:
Me: Andy, could I ask you a question?
Any: Sure, why not? What is it that you want to ask?
Me: I don’t see you with your friends, and now, you’re sitting alone. Is everything okay?
Andy: Couldn’t have been better. It’s just thatyou know I wanted some time for myself and thought it better to be here rather than in class with friends.
Me: Something is troubling you for sure. Want to talk about it?
Andy looked at me for some time, and then casually mentioned that it was his parents.
Andy: What’s wrong? I can understand that it has hit them hard (the loss of their daughter) but they too, like you, must move on in life.
Andy: My parents spend a lot of their time on weekends with a family that migrated from India. They seem more positive now their behaviour I really don’t know how to explain. They seem happier, and spend a lot of time talking to each other.
Me: Andy, I have seen your parents at my neighbor’s house often. Sorry, I wasn’t prying it’s just that a lot of people go there during the weekends, and I really wanted to know why. I was waiting for an opportunity to ask you.
Andy: Have you heard of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness or ISKON, as it is more commonly called?
Me: Not really. What does this so-called ISKON got to do with your parents?
Andy: It’s not just ISKON, but Hinduism. I see that you have absolutely no idea on Hinduism. Let me explain. Mr. Menon and his family, your neighbour, are Hindus from India. They migrated from Kerala, and Mr. Menon is a doctor by profession. Kerala is one of the numerous states that form the Indian Republic. India is also called as Hindustan, and as the name suggests, is home to millions of Hindus. ISKON is a Hindu entity.
Me: What has all this got to do with your parent’s happiness or behavioural change?
Andy: Krishna is a Hindu god, and so too are Lakshmi, Ganesha, Shiva, Subramaniam, Parvati, and Saraswati. Each god or goddess signifies a certain character of power. Mind you, there are hundreds of other gods and goddesses whose names would take pages to list.
Me: So, what has this got to do with my neighbours, who are from India and are Hindus?
Andy: My parents have found solace and peace from Hinduism!
Me: Hinduism? What makes Hinduism so special to entice your parents to it?
Andy: They chant certain verses every morning, and meditate for an hour. I find this harbouring on idiosyncrasy, but as long as they’re happy, I have no complaints. They visit the Menon’s during the weekends, and believe methey return home so much happier, and full of life. They act as though they haven’t missed Cole at all!
Me: I think I should visit our neighbors soon, and get to understand Hinduism too. Thanks Andy. It’s a pleasure talking to you. Goodbye.
On Hinduism, Amrute (2010:524-25) says, “In Hinduism, it is difficult to say what the standard religious practices could be, as Hindu practice varies widely by region, time period, class, and caste.” The origin of Hinduism, unlike Christianity, goes way back in time memorial. Singh and Singh (2009), say Hinduism is “the most ancient religion of the world.” ISKON is well known in the U.S, and popular personalities, which include Boy George; who sang “Bow down Mister,” a song in reverence of Lord Krishna, and a host of Hollywood bigwigs, follow Hinduism in a big way. Kate Winslet travels to the Himalayas to meditate and rejuvenate. The Himalayas is the abode of Lord Shiva, and many Hollywood and other artists travel to India to meditate before Lord Shiva. In Hinduism, no one is permitted to pray unless they are cleansed, and before they sit to pray (meditate), they apply sandalwood paste on their forehead. All Hindu gods and goddesses have sandalwood on their forehead. Why they do this, is beyond one’s comprehension, but sandalwood and Hinduism go hand-in-hand. Hermansen (2008:161), substantiates this view in saying in A Twentieth Century Indian Sufi Views Hinduism: The Case of Khwaja Hasan Nizami (1879–1955), that Khwaja Hasan Nizami described the “Chishti appropriation of Hindu rituals, which included the rubbing with sandalwood paste from ceremonies surrounding idols, to ritual veneration of Sufis saints’ graves.”
On the question of how the religious belief and behavior of Andy’s parents illustrate common themes in American religious history, it did take some time for the Murray seniors to get used to the idea of accepting Hinduism, but once they did, they saw no reason to not follow millenarian beliefs. One day, after hearing Andy’s story on his parents, I went to a temple. There were a number of photos framed on the walls inside the temple, and a few statues in black marble, which I immediately recognized were of Hindu gods. Before entering the temple, I was asked to remove my footwear, which I did, and entered the temple. I was asked to fold my hands before a deity, which I again did, and the ritual (pooja) began. The priest asked me to close my eyes and look at the deity without opening my eyes. I was amused but did so, lest I disrespect their tradition. I tried to picture the figure of the deity in my mind, but couldn’t see anything. The priest, sensing my uneasiness, asked me to open my eyes and look at the deity once again. This time, he asked me to look at the deity carefully. After a while, I was asked to picture the deity in my mind. I could imagine and draw a picture of a figure that wasn’t exactly like the deity, but nonetheless, close enough for me. This whole exercise took 3 minutes, and when I opened my eyes again, the priest told me that this is what Hinduism teaches; it teaches us to look at the world from our inner side, and not through our eyes, for our eyes can deceive us.
Hinduism can be said to be a term applied to the religious practices native to India. While the origin of Hinduism is hard to trace, the religion stands among the oldest religions ever known to mankind. The Hindu doctrine believes that a person’s action directly determine his or her life; presently, and in future lives. As mentioned, Hindus believe that the cosmos is made up of gods and goddesses, who actively influence the world and people who live on Earth. It is a way of life with considerable freedom of belief. “Its vast contours are not limited by Quranic or Biblical commandments. It is a family of four Vedas, eighteen Puranas, 108 Upnishads, two epics (Mahabharata and Ramayana), various Neetis, Bhagavad Geeta, Manu Samhita (or Smiriti), and other texts with regional flavours of the same grand narration to which the concept of dharma remains central” (Singh and Singh, 2009:246).
For me, Hinduism was not a change in religious beliefs, but a way to approach life itself. From what I saw Mohan and his practice every day, I understood why Indians in particular, were successful everywhere. If one were to take the example of successful Indian IT workers for example, their style and work ethics can be linked to their way of praying. Amrute (2010:521) says “Hindu practices among IT workers highlights how prayers are linked to work, national ideologies and the development of an ethics of migration.” She continues by saying “Indian IT workers often employ an appropriate action and equilibrium to produce new conjunctures between right action (dharma) and the conditions of labor in a global, high skilled economy.”
Sardar (2004:50), in Festivals of Austerity, says “during the Hindu festival of Thaipusam, the Feast for the son of Shiva, Lord Subramaniam, devotees require even more rigorous spiritual exercises.” By praying to Lord Subramaniam, devotees have his blessings, and their wishes are granted. However, those who do seek his blessings and grant, must fulfil a vow they make in return, and so, during their prayer, they “fast, walk for miles, carry kavadis; a colourful ornate made up of wood and peacock feathers on their heads, and some even, in a state of spiritual trance, pierce their bodies with metal hooks.” This just goes to show the power of meditation. It would be near to impossible for a normal person to have hooks pierced on their body in show of religious beliefs, but it is common practice among devotees of Lord Subramaniam during Thaipusam.
Conclusion
Hinduism, as a religion, is practiced by more than 80% of Indians, and the religion has spread slowly across her borders into countries as far away as the U/.S. While the religion in itself, is not what attracts the masses, it is its practices that are positive, and healthy that turn people toward it. Many noted international stars go to India to meditate, and they return happy. India is an enchanting place, and her people are warm and courteous. Hinduism has taught me to be calm, positive, and analytical, and as Amrute (2010) said, Hindu practices highlights how prayers can be linked to work, and national ideologies.
References
Amrute, S, (2010), Living and Praying in the Code: The Flexibility and Discipline of Indian Information Technology Workers (ITers) in a Global Economy, Academic Journal, Anthropological Quarterly, Vol. 83 Issue 3, p.519-550
Hermansen, M, (2008), A Twentieth Century Indian Sufi Views Hinduism: The Case of Khwaja Hasan Nizami (1879-1955), Academic Journal, Comparative Islamic Studies, Vol. 4 Issue 1/2, p.157-179, DOI: 10.1558/cis.v4i1-2
Sardar, Z, (2004), Festivals of austerity, Periodical, New Statesman, Vol. 133, Issue 4718/4719, p.50-50
Singh, A, N, and Singh, P, (2009), What Can International Law Learn from Indian Mythology, Hinduism and History? Academic Journal, Journal of East Asia & International Law, Vol. 2 Issue 1, p.239-271
