The American Hindus, with origin from various global countries, had assembled in the spacious auditorium of Ganesh Temple in Flushing, New York last month. The unusual occasion was the mass celebration of the Hindu Sangathan Divas, a tradition of the Metropolitan City now going into its thirteenth year.
The rare event that carried great historical significance for Hindus of the world was jointly organised by Hindu Temple Society of North America and Indian American Intellectuals Forum and wholeheartedly supported by other 47 big and small Hindu groups.
Commemorating the coronation of brave Hindu king 333 years ago
The prestigious auditorium was full to the capacity. The expression of enthusiasm and jubilation of the audience was seen to be believed. For more than 1000 Hindus to assemble at one place to reaffirm their deep pride in their Hinduness, in itself, was a powerful commentary on the surge of Hindu renaissance around the world.
The enthusiasm, energy and excitement of the audience was clearly evident as they proceeded to commemorate the coronation, 333 years ago, of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the brave and courageous Hindu King who successfully demolished the Islamic domination in India and once again established the Hindu rule in the country.
The energised audience was addressed by Chief Guest Dr Subramanian Swamy, the former Commerce and Law Minister and the president of Janata Party in India. In his eloquent and thought-provoking speech Dr Swamy reminded the assembled people how the Hindus in India were being systematically targeted in the Jammu & Kashmir and mercilessly killed in various bomb blasts in places like Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Varanasi, Coimbatore and Kerala.
Hindus under siege in their own country
Dr Swamy pointed out that the Hindus, actually, were under siege from all directions by the jehadi Islamic elements and the fanatic Christian groups. Hindus had already become a minority in their own country in states like Kashmir, Kerala and in the North-Eastern corridor.
Dr Swamy continued that in the circumstances, the Hindu unity had become the crying need of the hour. Right now, it was not enough to have a mere Hindu Ekta (unity). What we really needed badly was the Viraat Hindu Ekta? for the very survival of India as the Hindu nation.
Chiding those who label Hinduism as a religion practicing casteism, Dr Swamy gave examples galore from the Hindu history refuting the baseless and motivated charges that Hinduism condoned the discrimination on the basis of caste. Learned leader reminded that Sage Valmiki who wrote Ramayana was not a Brahmin. Sage Vishwamitra described as the rishi of rishis, Mahakavi Kalidas, Ved Vyasa who wrote the epic Mahabharata?all these were not the Brahmins. Lord Ram was not a Brahmin but a Kshatriya, Lord Krishna was a Yadav. Yet, Hindus worship all these saints, intellectuals and heroes with equal reverence.
Stop vilification and demonisation of Sanatan dharma
After India'sIndependence, an anti-Hindu cult has emerged in the country that seeks to rubbish our gods, damn our scriptures, belittle our saints, demonise and vilify the Hinduism as a whole. ?Unite and jettison these atheists and their fellow travelers,? thundered Dr Subramanian Swamy. We need new Hindu leaders with mission and vision that can work to safeguard our dharma and society.
Dr Frank Morales, now re-named Shri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya, the president of International Sanatana Dharma Society and the keynote speaker of the occasion, spoke on the subject of ?Dharma Ascending: Restoring Hinduism as a Global Force.?
Sanatana dharma is at a crucial point in its history. Having withstood over a 1000 years of brutal oppression and battering, the Sanatana dharma today finds itself rising from the ashes and reconstructing from the scratch. It is facing several challenges? both internal and external. Of these, it is the internal ones that is in most dire need of being met.
Hope for all Hindu temples in US to celebrate such Sangathan Divas
Dr Uma Mysorekar, president of Hindu Temple Society of North America, reminded the gathering that Hinduism necessarily believes in the non-violence and tolerance. Only Hinduism has the capability to bring peace in the world. She expressed hope that the day was not far when all the temples in US would celebrate the Hindu Sangathan Divas; the first one among them to join hands was the Maha Vallabh Ganpathy temple in New York.
Dr Mysorekar expressed an urgent need to save the temples in India from the clutches of the vote-bank politicians. She urged Hindus to send their children to temples so as to enable them to learn more about their ancestral dharma and heritage. Shri Narain Kataria, president of Indian American Intellectuals Forum (IAIF) and Shri Arish K. Sahani, its senior vice president, also spoke on the occasion.
Five prominent American Hindu leaders, Rajan Zed, who led the Hindu prayer at the US Senate in July, Nathir N. Lalchandani, Prof. M.G. Prasad, Gopinathan Pillai and Pabitra Chaudhuri, were honored for their valuable and untiring contributions to the service of Hindu society.
Three resolutions were also unanimously passed by the assembly by a voice vote. In first resolution the American Hindus resolved to call upon the Government of India to immediately cease the destruction of Ram Sethu.
In second resolution they called upon the Government of India to scrap the Hindu Charitable and Religious Endowment Act in force today. This Act is being systematically abused by numerous state governments across the country to encroach upon and sell away the temple lands. This land has been the property of Hindu temples since ages and is meant for the sustenance of temple priests and the Hindu devotees.
In third resolution they solemnly observed silence for two minutes for thousands of innocent Hindus killed in numerous Islamic jehadi attacks and other religious cleansing of Hindus carried out all over the country.
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