More than 16,000 people poured into De Anza College, Cupertino, to be part of an exciting day, to celebrate the Hindu way of life. Hindu Sangam, a one-day grand cultural program aimed at displaying the various Hindu intellectual, cultural and spiritual contributions made over thousands of years, was organized by Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh with support from over 40 SF Bay Area organizations including Sunnyvale Hindu Temple as one of the Grand Sponsors. This event was organized on occasion of birth centenary of Shree Golwalkar Guruji.

The day started with a yagna (offering and prayer) for world peace on the background of September 11. Attendees then participated in programs that took place on eight parallel tracks. Ayurvedic medicine, cultural program, Dharma Vedika (religious philosophy), exhibition, Hindu theme park, Samskritam, Yoga, and youth activities. This was followed by a grand Ramayana play enacted by over 300 children. Shri. Mohan Bhagawat, General Secretary of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the chief guest at Hindu Sangam, addressed the huge gathering and implored everyone to show unity in diversity. The day ended with Smt. Anuradha Paudwal entrancing the audience with her melodious music.

At 10.00 AM the parking lot was teeming with people where a grand stage had been erected just the day before. The air was filled with the chanting of ancient Vedic hymns and the smell of sweet incense. As a grand prayer offering was made to the One God, or Ultimate Reality, through the God of Fire, Agni, a somber silence fell over all present. This has been the way Hindus have been showing what they have eternally believed in, i.e. Vishwa Shanti or World Peace as they chanted the mantra, ‘lokaa samastaa sukhino bhavantu’. (Let everyone be happy . Let there be peace in the whole world.)
 

Ms. Cindy Chavez, Vice-Mayor of San Jose inaugurated the Parallel Track Programs and said that she was honored to be present at such a grand cultural event. The parallel track program options were so numerous that people had to make difficult choices. Programs ran in parallel tracks on different aspects of Hinduism such as Ayurveda . the traditional medicine of India, Yoga. the holistic science of individual health, Samskritam – the language considered to be created by the Gods themselves, and Dharma track on the Hindu dharma and philosophy. Those interested in Indian dance and music were treated to an exotic flair of color on the main stage as part of Kala Sangam.

The youth had excellent programs put together by youth themselves and with speeches by stalwarts of Hindu society. Children had a gala time at the Hindu Theme Park, participating in puppet shows, magic shows, face painting and visiting with Ramayana characters. Also at the venue were demos of self-care remedies and consultations by renowned Ayurveda practitioners.

The Yoga Sangam track was inaugurated with a Yogic dance by Sangita Das and her students, presented the Yoga philosophy in various forms. There were sessions on Pranayama techniques, Art of Living meditation techniques, and yoga for children. Shri. N.V Raghuram of sVYASA, the keynote speaker at the Yoga Track, emphasized that Yoga is a way of life which brings harmony at the individual level and peace at the universal level. The last session was Laughter Yoga by Ms. Robin Pollard, presenting different laughter techniques used for stress-reduction.

 

The Dharma Vedika, or Dharma track, dealt with the enormous Dharmic heritage of the Hindu civilization. Swami Paramahamsa Nityananda, founder of Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam, a worldwide movement for meditation and healing, defined Dharma as a way to connect with Divine and other individuals. Linda Johnson, author of several books related to Hindu traditions, recounted personal experiences with Swamis and Gurus and how she got over a debilitating disease with the help of mantras.

As the intellectual and spiritual dimensions got the requisite attention, so did the artistic dimension through the Kala Sangam. Folk dances with traditional, colorful costumes, were presented by groups representing different Indian states as well as Nepal and Fiji. Classical dances of various types were performed by Madhuri Kishor and the Natyalaya Kuchipudi dance school, Anuradha Nag’s Group (Kathak), Abhinaya Dance Company of San Jose (BharatNatyam), Jyoti Kala Mandir College of Indian Classical Arts (Odissi and Kuchipudi). Dr. Romesh Japra, Community Leader and Trustee of Fremont Hindu Temple, was the guest of honor at Kala-Sangam.

Not to be left behind, the youth had a series of exhilarating and dynamic set of activities in the Yuva Sangam. With the slogan Youth for Unity, Virtues and Action, youth aged 13 through 25 enjoyed dance, music and special presentations. Hindu Students Council (HSC) from UC-Berkeley and UC-San Diego chapters and Hindu Awareness Club (HAC) of Monta Vista High School presented some of the issues faced by Hindu students and the importance of maintaining one’s Hindu identity. While The Art of Living group presented a basic overview of Hindu astronomy, youth from BAPS talked about the inspiring movie .Mystic India.. Teenagers from East Bay Sai Yuva Group and HSS presented dance and music of India.
 

Samskrita Bharati volunteers helped organize the Samskritam track which featured short session where participant could learn to speak 10 sentences. Equally effective was a lecture by Dr. Uday Bhaskar Deekshit, a Samskritam scholar and a priest on the contemporary relevance of Hindu way of worship.
Children, through the Bal Sangam., found unending fun and entertainment in the Hindu Theme Park. Magic shows, face painting, mehndi, art and crafts and traditional games held them in rapt attention. Groups from Chinmaya Mission, Shri Chaitanya Ashram, and HSS, as well as Magician Steve, engaged many children with stories and activities, while hundreds more participated in drawing and shloka competitions. Even infants were not forgotten! A quiet room complete with snacks, milk, sleeping bags, and a TV playing favorite Indian videos gave much needed relief to parents with very young children. Adults dressed as characters from Hindu epics and freedom fighters met with the children, telling their stories. Along with the melodious kirtans sung by devotees of Shri Chaitanya Ashram, the atmosphere in the theme park was both fun and educational.

 

A sumptuous, free lunch was provided to all attendees. It seemed as though there was a never-ending supply of food, water, and soft-drinks thanks to Sunnyvale Hindu Temple, Swagat Restaurant and Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America. There were 70 booths at the event, some of them selling Indian jewelry and clothes. Many non-profit organizations found Hindu Sangam the perfect place to disseminate their message. A volunteer for Vedic Foundation commented, “I feel like I was at home. I was served lunch, snacks and tea. This was the best organized event.”

Later in the evening our hopes of tomorrow were encouraged when 300 children aged 5-15, enacted the Ramayana, the oldest great epic. Wondrous props and authentic costumes brought the story to life on the main stage as the packed audience watched in rapture and kept shouting Jai Shri Ram. and Shri Ramchandra ki jai..


 

Mayor Mr. Richard Lowenthal of Cupertino, in Indian attire, said he was honored to be at such a gathering.Your grandfather and grandmother have given you a great gift of your culture and heritage. Today you celebrate your culture with your children and grandchildren. This evening is about celebrating India and celebrating your culture today in America. It is a gift from your ancestors that you are passing on to your children this way. Vice-Mayor Ms. Kris Wang also attended the grand event. The Mayor of Milpitas, Mr. Jose Esteves who was also a guest of honor said, .I respect you all coming together, celebrating your culture and asserting your existence in the American society. He also presented HSS with a plaque commending their work and invited Hindu Sangam back to his city.


 

The keynote speaker, Shri. Mohan Bhagawat, General Secretary of RSS was introduced by Mr. Prakash Balerao, a well-known entrepreneur and venture capitalist. Shri Bhagawat spoke about bringing unity by accepting diversity. Diversity is to be accepted, not just tolerated. This is what Bharat (India) stands for . seeing diversity as the expression of unity. He continued, Hindus should lead by example. There comes our duty. Many Indians living abroad have asked me what India expects of them. India does not expect anything of you for India. She is capable of managing herself.

 

But one thing that is expected of the Diaspora living abroad is – you are the cultural ambassadors of India. You must live up to that. You must show to the world unity in diversity. He also spoke about how happy he was to come to the USA . the country that is a beacon of hope and justice. All great achievements have been shown by this country to this world. Bharat (India), through her spirituality has shown the same values that America has freedom, democracy and justice. The world has been shaken by religious intolerance and the resulting effects of terrorism. The answer to this problem can be given to the world by these two great nations together. They have to come together, stay together and work together to address this issue.



 

The grand finale occurred when Smt. Anuradha Paudwal, enthralled the audience with a magical evening of devotional songs. She ended her session by singing the Indian national song, Vande Mataram, a song in praise of Mother India.

Hindu Sangam was an event that was brimming with overwhelming enthusiasm, excitement and emotion. This grand cultural display certainly cast its spell on the bay area on September 9th after five long years. Not only did it charge up those taking part to live the message of .unity in diversity, but it also put on display the elements of the grand Indian culture that has guided human civilization since time immemorial.

The Central Pacific regional chapters of HSS initiated a “Vidyadaan” school supplies donation drive to ease the financial burden of needy students and enable their academic success. Other HSS chapters around the country also chimed in by replicating this Seva (charitable) drive in their regions.

• Children volunteers in Mountain House CA set up a Pani Puri stand with the help of their parents to sell these tasty treats and raise funds for backpack donations. They eventually donated 35 backpacks with supplies to SJQ Child Support. Similarly, the nearby Pleasanton Shakha organized a fundraising drive by selling savory chaat items, lassi, and tea

• HSS San Joaquin chapters in partnership with San Joaquin Kannada Sangha, Poorba – Mountain House Bengali Association, Central Valley Marathi Mandali, and Central Valley Gujarati Association donated around 167 Backpacks filled with school supplies to 4 beneficiary organizations in San Joaquin County. Gauri Shakha also set up a buttermilk stand during cricket matches in parks and playgrounds to raise funds for the Vidyadaan campaign. They donated all of the backpacks to the Jefferson School District

• As part of Vidyadaan, the Tri-Valley area shakhas came up with unique ideas for raising funds to help the local school districts in Dublin, Livermore, and Pleasanton. The Kishor Shakha organized a Bake Sale, the Bala Gana conducted a Jewelry workshop and set up a Lemonade Stall, and the Family Shakha arranged a Chaat Corner/Lunch Corner and a Walkathon, in which each family pledged an amount of choice for the supplies donation

• In Contra Costa, the volunteers of the Rudra Shakha donated 70 school backpacks filled with essential supplies to the Brentwood Union School District. Similarly, the Ayodhya and Chanakya Shakhas donated 50+ backpacks to Los Cerros middle school in SRVUSD along with additional supplies

• The HSS Columbus team in partnership with Sewa International USA organized its annual school supply drive, in which they donated school supplies to Royal Manor Elementary School in Gahanna OH

• The Subramanya Bharathi Shakha in the Seattle WA area concluded their Vidyadaan drive, donating 22 backpacks, along with supplies like crayons, glue sticks, pocket calculators, and scientific calculators to Lake Washington School District

• As part of their Seva initiative, Madhav Shakha raised funds through pledges and donated 180 backpacks to Alcott Elementary School in Houston TX. The school’s principal appreciated the HSS volunteers, stating “The backpacks with all the supplies get our students ready to learn!”

• The Chicago area chapters of HSS organized a notebook donation drive for School District #33. It was their third successive back-to-school drive for the same school district. The HSS volunteers donated around 1,200 notebooks and some cash donations, beating the school district’s request for 1,000 notebooks. Volunteers of Abhimanyu  Shakha, Vivekananda Shakha, and Panchjanya Shakha participated in the drive. The Balas/ Kishores of Buffalo Grove Shakha raised funds through a lemonade stand and also donated from their piggy banks

HSS chapters nationwide observed the annual tradition of celebrating Raksha Bandhan as Universal Oneness Day, which symbolizes the bonds and shared responsibilities of safeguarding one another by exchanging a thread known as “Rakhi.” Below are some highlights –

• 50 HSS volunteers and Hindu community members in Cleveland OH tied rakhi – the symbolic thread of protection – to firefighters, policemen, and city officials. They also set up a display of the Hindu civilizational expo, called Darshana. Mayor Edward Kraus of the City of Solon thanked the HSS for “sharing traditions and ongoing contributions to our shared vision of a harmonious community.” Solon Fire Chief, Mark Vedder proudly displayed a Rakhi tied to his vehicle from last year’s celebration. “This Rakhi is more than a thread; it’s a daily reminder of our noble duty to protect and serve,” he noted.

• HSS chapters in the San Ramon CA area celebrated Raksha Bandhan collectively by hosting 12 first responders. Children and youth volunteers tied them to the rakhi. All the 140 attendees enjoyed a traditional, festive lunch

• The Connecticut chapters of the HSS partnering with other Hindu community organizations visited the Norwalk and Milton Police Departments to honor the staff by tying rakhis, as the bond of “protection, obligation, and care”.

• Members of the Hindu-American community in Livermore CA, including the HSS and the Hindu Community and Cultural Center – Shiva Vishnu Temple, visited the Livermore Police Department to offer their greetings to the community’s protectors—police officers, firefighters, and first responders as part of the Raksha Bandhan celebration. “We were honored to share in this Hindu tradition, where Rakhis were tied as a symbol of unity. We also appreciated their prayers for our well-being and safety”, says the Livermore Police’s post on social media

• HSS volunteers from Austin TX visited APD’s Office of Community Liaison (OCL) and celebrated Raksha Bandhan with Interim Austin Police Chief Robin Henderson, Community Engagement Officer, Lt. Fausto Rodriguez, and other department members. The volunteers showered wishes and tied Rakhi (Protection) wristbands on their wrists to symbolize the bonds shared between the protectors and the public

• Hindu American youth belonging to HSS Aurora IL visited with Aurora police officers and firefighters, honoring them with rakhis and sweet treats in gratitude for their service to the community. In the nearby town of Naperville, the local HSS chapters organized a similar ceremony outside the Naperville Police Department.  Having witnessed this annual tradition several times, Naperville’s Fire Mark Chief Puknaitis remarked, “I have a collection of rakhis that have been presented to me over the years”

• HSS chapters in Edison NJ celebrated Raksha Bandhan with the Piscataway Police Department to extend their appreciation for the first responders. Volunteers in HSS uniforms and traditional outfits tied rakhi to 20 first responders. In a similar celebration in Parsippany, the children volunteers got to shake hands with police officials and peek inside the police car

• Through the efforts of Shivaji Shakha, the HSS received a proclamation for its celebration of Raksha Bandhan as Universal Oneness Day from Mayor Susan Landry of the City of Campbell CA

The Austin Hindu community celebrated their biggest cultural event of the year, Diwali – “festival of lights” by having a pleasant surprise.  Multiple city councils around the Austin Metro area proclaimed Hindu Heritage Month to coincide with the months of October and November. Please read more about this activity here.

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) concluded the 16th annual Health for Humanity Yogathon, also known as Surya Namaskar Yajna (SNY), on January 29th. Surya Namaskar integrates simple Yoga postures in 10 steps that, along with easy breathing techniques, can provide immense health benefits to the body and the mind. It was first launched in 2007 to create awareness about Yoga and its advantages in fostering a healthy body, mind, and spirit for any practitioner regardless of age, faith, gender, or ethnicity. The event is free to the public from all walks of life.

In this year’s Yogathon, 13,392 enthusiasts from 39 states, actively performed Surya Namaskar sets throughout the two-week duration of the program. This includes over 4,475 students and teachers from various schools who learned the steps and participated. Many participants acknowledged its benefits in attaining physical and emotional balance and committed to continuing this activity regularly. A highlight from the program was that the African American community performed Surya Namaskars at the Martin Luther King Day celebrations in the Dallas, TX, area.

Several elected officials, including US senators, Governors, State representatives, and Mayors, issued proclamations to recognize the Yogathon and encouraged their constituents to participate in this valuable health awareness program.

Appreciating the Yogathon in the Sully School District in Virginia, Fairfax County Supervisor Kathy Smith said, “This was a great community event, and I appreciated being a part of it. The presenters provided valuable information for the families, and I loved the focus on children being physically and mentally healthy.”

“It was a pleasure attending the Surya Namaskar Yajna. Most importantly, I personally benefited by performing Surya Namaskar, as it relieved my longstanding lower back pain. It was heartwarming to see the enthusiasm of youngsters and their parents alike. The overall positive energy in the room was palpable. There was an active exchange of information and ideas with local county government officials and staff from the Fire Station”, said Dr. Krishna Madiraju, President of Century Pediatrics Inc., VA.

Reflecting on the Yogathon, national project coordinator, Dr. Amit Chimanpure, said, “During the pandemic times, we as a community realized the need of mental, physical well-being, and caring for people around us. Through SNY, countless volunteers were able to reach families, community groups, and schools across the country, promoting a healthy lifestyle.”

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