A sth e s u n s in k s b e h in d tre e -lin e d h ills, th e d u s t a n d d ino fth e M a h a b h a r a ta fills th e n o c tu rn a l s ile n c e --th ek a n n icd e s tin yo f Y u d h is th ira 's d ic e th ro w ,D r o n a 'sa rc h e ry to u rn a m e n t, th e fa ir D r a u p a d i's h u m ilia tio n

and revenge, the fiery tap aso fA Iju n a , th e w o rld -b a ttle b e tw e e n the K auravas and P andavas on the K urukshetra

T heM a h a b h a r a ta ,"G reatL a n d ," is n o w in F r a n c e and is stirring to life inF r e n c h w ith a E uropean!A sian!A frican!A m ericanc a s tT he lO -hour stagingo f the epic, perfonned over 3 n ig h ts , is s p e llb in d in g a u d ie n c e s .T heth e a te r is a

m e d ie v a l s iteo fC a th o lic is m 's p a p a l p a la c e.I t isn o w th e a r e n a fo r a m a g ic a l a n d a n in te n s e ly m a g n e tic

S ta g e d ire c to rP e te r B ro o k s, th e s c re e n p la y w rite rJ e a nC la u d e C a rrie re a n d th e d e s ig n e r C h lo eO b o le n s k y a re th e w iz a rd s

India, Sri L anka and elsew here have been forced to rem ain silent as they passed a m osque. F esti\ue000 v a l p a r a d e s w ith th o u s a n d so fd e v o te e s m o v in g th ro u g h

te m p le d ru m s a n do th e r m u s ic a l in s tru m e n ts w ith in e a r s h o to fa m osque, pass by in eerie s tilln e s s , c o n tin u in g th er p r o c.e s s io n a b lo c ko r

C a lc u tta 's H ig h C o u rtth a t s u c h re lig io u s p ra c tic e s c a n n o t law fully bere s tric te d

T he case before the court involved a com \ue000 m itte e w h ic h w a n te d to h o ld a p ro c e s s io no fa D urga im ageo nV ija y a D a s h a m i, O c to b e r 4 , 1 9 8 4. A lo c a l m a g is tra te h a d u p h e ld a c rim in a l c o d e p ro h ib itin g th e m u s ic a l in s tru m e n ts n e a r a B am nabad

w e lla tT e c t t h o u s a n d so fc e le b r a \ue000 tio n se a c h y e a r, w a s b a s e d o n th ela w 's p ro \ue000 te c tio no fa s s e m b ly a n d re lig io u sf r e e d o m.

c o u p le ts , 7 tim e s a s lo n g a s H om er'sIlia da n dO dyssey c o m b in e d S ta n d in g o v a tio n s a re n ig h tly re w a rd so f ap \ue000 p re c ia tio n . C ritic s b o th inF r a n c e and abroad a re ra n s a c k in g th e ir m in d s fo r fre sh a c c o la d e s o fp ra is e . T h e s h o wi s b o o k e d s o lid (2 5 ,0 0 0 tic k \ue000 e ts s o ld ) fo r th e A v ig n o n F e s tiv a l e n g a g e m e n t a n d itsP a r is b o o k in g s w h e re it m o v e d th is fall. G ennany,Ita ly , P o la n d a n d th e S o v ie t U n io n a re a rra n g in g fo r to u rso f th eF r e n c h p ro d u c \ue000 tio n in 1 9 8 6 -8 7 .

A m a z in g ly , B ro o k s is a lr e a d y a s s e m b lin g a n E n g lis h v e rs io n s c h e d u le d to to u r In d ia in late 1 9 8 7 , th e no n to Los A ngeles, C alifornia for th e L o s A n g e le s F e s tiv a l. A

U .S . te le v is io n b ro a d c a s t is p la n n e d to b rin g th e H in d u w a rrio r face-otT betw een the 5

m illion-franc play is the w orld pre\ue000 m iereo fth e en tire e p ic - th e first tim e in1 5 0 0 y e a rs ( w h e n its fin a l fo n n s o lid ifie d ) th e w h o le

ta le h a s b e e n s ta g e d .I thas been heard/read by m illio n s , p a rtia lly a c te d inH in d ufo lk th e a te r, d iv id e d in to1 0 0 s to rie s fo r In d o n e s ia 's p u p p e t s h a d o w th e a te r a n d fa v o rite s c e n e s c a rv e d o n to the w allso fS a iv ite C a m b o d ia 's A n g k o r W at te m p le . N o w , n e a r in g th e 2 1 s t c e n tu r y , its fu ll fonn is stretchingo u tin the play's three parts:

F r a n c e 's c e le b ra tio no f th e F e s tiv a l o fIn d ia , w ith w h ic h th e p la y is a s s o c ia te d , h a s b ro u g h t In d ia n e le m e n ts in to P a ris ia n fa s h io n d e sig n s. T h a t's strictly skin deep.T he B harata produc\ue000 tio n g e tsu n d e rth e a u d ie n c e 's sk in .A s B ro o k s e x p la in s , it g iv e s W esterna u d ie n c e s a n e n te r\ue000 ta in in ga n de n g ro ssin g w a y to s e e to d a y 's w o rld th ro u g h th e g la sso fa g e -o ldH in d u dram a a n d d h a n n a .T heB h a ra ta h a s e v e ry th in g : p o litic a l p o la riz a tio n s , s h a llo w d e te n te s , s c ra m b lin g fo r a llie s a n d e v e n n u c le a r-lik e w e a p o n s .U n lik e the real w orld, how ever, w here a nuclear con\ue000 fro n ta tio n w o u ld in c in e ra te m u c ho fth e p la n e t, th e n tu rn it in to a n u c le a r w in te r re frig e ra to r,

H in d u F e d e ra tio n F o rm s. . . . . . . . . . 3 C h r is tia n S n a k e C h a r m e r D ie s. . . .5 D e fe c tio n s " K ilf' R a jn e e s h S e c t. . . 1 2 4 0 - D a y M is s io n in M a u r itiu s. . . . .1 2 H in d u K id s a t C h r is tm a s T im e. . .1 4 D r.K a ra n S in g h : A P ro file. . . . . . . 1 7 M a la y s ia S c o r n s C h r is tia nP lo y. . .2 0 N e ig h b o r s T a lkt o H in d u T e m p le. . .2 3

O nS e p te m b e r 9 , b la c k a n g e r in th e re p u b lico f S o u th A fric a m a te ria liz e d a g a in s t th e In d ia n c o m m u n ity . H u n d r e d so fc h a n tin g , s tic k -b ra n d \ue000 is h in g b la c k s la id s ie g e to th e m ix e d -ra c e to w n \ue000 s h ip

P h o e n ix ,1 5 m ile s n o rtho fD urban.A s b la c k s ra n th ro u g h th e a r e a lo o tin g a n d b u rn in g h o m e s a n d

R io te rs ra m p a g e d th ro u g h th e fo n n e r h o m e o fM a h a tm a G a n d h i, w h o le ft S o u th A fric a in 1 9 1 4 a fte r w o rk in g a s a c iv il rig h ts la w y e r a n d c h a m p io no fI n d ia n c iv il rig h ts .A n a d jo in in g h o u s e b e lo n g in g to G a n d h i 's s o n w a s s e t a b la z e .

since the C ato M anor rio tso f 1 9 4 9 . T h is in c id e n t w a s fa r le s s s e v e re , b u t fe a rin g th e

w ere lo o te d a n d b u rn e d . T h ed a yc lim a x e d fo u r d a y s o f rio tin g

In d ia n re s id e n tso fI n a n d a w e re to ld e a rlie r b y th e g o v e rn m e n t th a t t h e a r e a is d u et o b e in c o rp o ra te d

(lite ra lly ," a p a r tn e s s " ) ,is, indeed, nearly com \ue000 in g a p a r ta tthe seam s.I ti s pressured b y w orld o p in io n a g a in s t a re p re s s iv e w h ite g o v e rn m e n t, a n d b u rs tin g w ith its o w n b la c k p e o p le 's re s e n t\ue000 m ent agairist racism .

In d ia n si nS o u th A fric a n u m b e r a b o u t 8 0 0 ,0 0 0 (5 0 0 ,0 0 0 are H in d u s), a tin y fractio no f a to tal 3 0

classified as "A sians" a n d e n jo y m o r e p riv ile g e s th a n b la c k s ,b u t le s s th a n "w hites,"(w ho com prise %1 5o f the pop\ue000 U la tio n ).T he In d ia n s ' re la tiv e a fflu e n c e , th e ir clannishness and their business acum en

a t o d d s w ith th e b la c k c o m m u n ity .A sa g ro u p , th e y h a v e trie d to re m a in in g o o d g ra c e s w ith th e g o v e rn m e n t, y e t m a n y rig h te o u s ly

In d ia n s a n d B la c k s w e re fu rth e r p o la riz e d b y th e n e w c o n s titu tio n 's tri-c a m e ra l p a rlia m e n t, w h ic h w e n t in to etT ect in S e p te m b e ro f1 9 8 4 .I t g a v e n e w p o litic a l rig h ts to A s ia n s a n d C o lo r e d s (m ixed races), but m ade no concessionst o th e n a tio n 's2 2 m illio n b la c k s , w h o m a k e u p n e a r ly 7 3 %

p ilg rim a g e e a c hy e a r t o A y o d h y a , inU tta r P r a d e s h , t h e b irth p la c eo fth e ir b e lo v e d R a m a , th e d e ifie d h e r o

p r e s s e d to g e th e ri n nam askar, they gaze through a locked w ro u g h t-iro n g a tea t a d ila p id a te d s h rin e b u ilt several hundred

c e n tu ry , re p o rte d ly o n eo f th e m o s t fo u g h t o v e r p ie c e so fre a l e s ta te in In d ia . T he m in a re t o fa s m a ll m o s q u e ris e s a b o v e th e s ilh o u e tteo fth e R am a s h rin e . T h e c o m p o u n di s lo c k e d , th e k e y h e ld b y th e s ta te g o v e r n m e n t L e g is la to rs h a v e b e e n

T h is J u n e, H in d u re lig io u s le a d e rs re k in d le d th e fireso fp ro te s t s u rro u n d in g th is a n d 2 o th e r H in d u h o ly s ite s w h e re M u s lim m o s q u e s n o w

a n d th e b irth p la c eo fS ri K rishna inM a th u ra A ll a rei n th e s ta teo fU tta r P ra d e s h . C e n tu rie s h a v e p a s s e d s in c e th e m o s q u e s w ere b u ilt, b u t H in d u s c o n s id e r th e s ite s s o im p o rta n t th a t th e p a s s a g e o ftim e, they say,i sin s ig n ific a n t

S h a n k a r a c h a r iy ao fK anchi(w hose d o e -lik ee y e sa n d v e ry b e in gra d ia te d a ta n g ib le m a g ic ),w e w ere ta k e nt o am an in D in d a g u lw how as fam ed for his s id d h iso r spiritual pow ers.N everw ere th e re m o ree a g e r b e lie v e rs ,r e a d yt o s ta n d in a w eo fpow ersth a ttr a n s c e n d th e n a tu ra lo r d e rw h ic h s oim p e rio u s ly d o m in a te s m a te ria l e x is te n c e .W ew a n te d tos h a r e in th e w o n d e rsth a ta recom m on c u rre n c y in In d ia , w o n d e rsth a tp r o v e , a s little e ls e c a n ,th e e x is te n c eo f S o m e th in gG re a te r.

t ob ea b o u t6 0 y e a rs o ld c a lle du s fo rw a rd o n e -b y -o n et o a c h a ir w h e re h ew as s e a te dI nh u s h e d to n e sh e u tte re d a fe w w o rd sa b o u te a c h in d iv id u a l's lifea n d c h a ra c te r.B ya n d la rg e , h is w o rd s w e re in sig h tfu l, su rp risin g lya c c u r a t e (c o n s id e rin gw ew ere s tra n g e rs fro m

th e rei s al o to f h a n k y - p a n k y a m o n g m ira c le m o n g e rs .N ot.o n ly th a t,b u t th eu n a b a s h e d friv o lityo f c e rta in "m iracles" irk e d E veni f y o ub e lie v e th a t S a iB aba p ro d u c e s fiv e -c e n t p la s tic rin g s w ith h is p h o to o u to fth in a ir, w h o c a re s ?L eti tb e a m e a l fo r a h u n g ry d e v o te e , a s h a w l fo ra n ill-c lo th e d g ra n d m o th e r o r, m in o r p h e m o n e n a a s id e , a m illio n a c re so fh a rv e s ta b le c ro p s in E th io p ia n d e se rts.

o fd iffe re n tH in d u d e n o m in a tio n s lik e V e d a n ta , A d v a ita,V aishnava, H are K rishna,A rya S a\ue000 m a j, C h in m a y a M is s io n ; v a rio u s s o c ia l s o c ie tie s

In d ia n n e w s p a p e rs a re n e g le c tin g in te n tio n a lly a m ain m asso f H indus, H indu new s, H in d u interests. In d e e d , th e y a re d e s tro y in g th e v e ry fo u n d a tio n

p e o p le 's fe e lin g s to w a r d a p o s itiv e H in d u s o c ia l im a g e is th ro u g h a s tro n g m e d ia. . .

I e n jo y e d th e a rtic le so n th es c h o o l so f S a iv is m a n d th eo n ea b o u tB hagw an R a jn e e s h .I n fu tu re issues, I w ould verym uch lik et os e e a n a lo g o u s tre a tm e n tsofV aishnavism

Ju d e o -C h ris\ue000 tia n c u ltu re ( w h ic h v e ry n e a rly m o n o p o liz e s th e m e d ia in m ucho fth e U S A ), it is refresh in gt o s e e a lte rn a tiv e tra d itio n s a n d p h ilo s o p h ie s h a v \ue000 in g a m o u th p ie c e . Ih o p e y o u w illn o ta d o p to n e b a dh a b ito fth eC h ris tia n s,a n dth a ti st op r e s e n t o n ly th e S a iv ite v ie w p o in t,a n dn o th o n o r th e o th e r v ia b le tra d itio n s in

lin e st os a yth a t I th in ky o u r n e w s \ue000 p a p e rH in d u is m T o d a y is g reat;m uchric h e r in m anyw aysth a n T h e N e w S a iv ite W o r ld.K eep u pth e g o o d w o rk !

m akrishna w o u ldn o t s te po n e fo o tin s id eth e K a li te m p le .H eto o ku p re s id e n c e o u ts id e th e te m p le p re c in c tsa n da b a n d o n e d a llw orshipo f th e H in d uG ods,e v e n K a li.W hen h e p ra c tic e d Is la m , h e w a su n d e rth e d ire c tio no f a M u slim G u ru .H ed r e s s e da s a M u slima n du tte re d o n ly th enam eo f A lla h . L a te r, w h e n a s k e da b o u tth e d iffe re n tp a th s

F u rth e r, w h e re d id th is id e ao f re lig io n b e in g lim itedt o b irth com e from ?C e rta in lyn o t fro m H in d u is m .N o

H in d u sw ho w ereh a n d ic a p p e d , c rip p le do r s e rio u s ly ill-h a dcom et ob e h e a le d.T h e re fo llo w e d th e o b lig a to ry s to rie s o fh e a lin g s , th eu r g e n t n e e d toa c c e p tC h rist firsta n d h o p e fu l p e o p le th ro w in gdow nc a n e s a n dc ru tc h e st ob ea n n o in te d w ith o il.T he e v a n g e lis tb ro u g h t a c h ild o n to th e s ta g ea n d s a id th eb o yh a d a b irthd e f e c ta n dh a d n e v e r ta k e n a ste p ,b u t w o u ld w a lk to n ig h tb yJ e s u s ' p o w e r. H o ld in g th e b o y in tw o s tro n g h a n d s , th e h e a le r s h o u te d a s th e b o y 's feet touched the stage:" H e 's w alking. Y ou've seeni t Praise the Lord!" T hep e o p le re m a in e d u n m o v e d , fo r th e h e a le r's h a n d s n e v e r re le a s e d th e frig h te n e d b o y 's fra il b o d y .

n o n \ue000 e x p la n a tio n fo r th in g sm a n -ilo e sn o ty e t c o m p r e h e n d , lik e g iv in gs u p e r n a t u r a l a g e n c yt o e c lip s e s a n d com ets?C e rta in ly not!I tju s tm eans th e re are m iraclesa n dthere are m iracles,a n d le t'sb e c e rta ino fth e d iffe re n c e .

fo ra d v a n c e d y o g a tra in in g . W ishingt o fa v o ra b ly im p re s s h is m e n to r, th e d is c i p Ie d e la y e d th e jo u rn e y fo r1 2y e a r s w h ileh ep e r f e c te d th e s id d h io f w a lk in go n w a te r. T heno n e d a y h ea p p e a r e do n th efa rb a n ko fth e riv e r, c a lle do u tt oth e G uru th a th ew as th e re ,a n d

T h o u g h s p iritu a lly n e g lig ib le , m iraclesd o h a p p e n . T hey a re w o n d e rfu l. O urow nm odern-day g u ru sh a v eblessed us w ith a th o u s a n dm iracles.E venth eV edasw ere w ritte n m ira c u lo u s ly .M any w e k n o wh a v ee n c o u n te r e d th e m ira c u lo u s , w h e th e rb y re v e la tio n ,a n illn e s s c u re d , d e liv e ra n c e fro m

T e c h n ic a lly ,m iracles a rere s e rv e d fo r o u tw a rd ly v e rifia b le e v e n tsa n d th u sd on o t in c lu d e th e s u b je c tiv e w o rldo f v is io n so rm y s tic a l e x p e rie n c e . T hat a s id e ,w e s u g g e s t th a t th e m ostw o rth y m ira c leo f a ll is th e a lc h e m ic a l tra n s fo rm a tio n o fth e m in d fro mle a d e n slo th , d e lu s io n sa n d d e s ire s to th e g o ld e n lig h to fcosm ic energy, love, freedom , charity and self-know ing.W hat is m ore w ondrous th a n th es o u l'sjo u rn e y fro m

d e a tht o im m o rtality ? A ll o th e r m ira c le s p a le b yc o m p a ris o n .O h y e s, th e yd o s e rv et o g iv em an a c o m p e llin g g lim p s e in to th e D iv in ePow era n d C onsciousnessth a td a n c e s in th e s ile n th e a r to f e x is te n c e . A

ra in b o wo ra b u tte rflya re w o n d e rs, to o .T og e t e n g ro s s e d ina n y m ira c lee x c e p tth a to f B e in ga n d S p iritu a l B e c o m in g ist o m is ta k e th e te m p o ra l fo r th e e te rn a l,th ero a d s ig n fo r th e d e s tin a tio n .

S o c ie ty a n d In te g ra lS a r v o d a y aM ovem ento f S riL a n k a h a se ith e rn o t r e a d th eK orano rh a s m isunderstoodi t .S h eh a so n lyt or e a dth e a y a ts V III/1 2 ,V III/3 6 , IX l5 ,IX l2 8 ,IX l7 3 ,a n d o th e rst o le a rn th a tI s l a md o e sn o tp erm it c o m \ue000 p a r is o n w ith o th e r re lig io n s , le t a lo n e e q u a tin g w ith th e m .

M oham m edan s a y s , 'T h e r e isn oG odb u tA lla h .' "I nth esam e b o o k h e s a y ,"O ne re lig io n m ay o rd a in s o m e -

th in g v e ry h id e o u s .F o rin s ta n c e , th e M oham \ue000 m edanre lig io n a llo w sM oham m edanst o k ill a ll w hoa ren o to fth e ir re lig io n.I t is c l e a r l ys ta te d i nth e K oran,

im p ly.A reth eH in d u ss u p p o s e dt o s u r r e n d e rt oa ll o th e r v io le n t re lig io n s th a tp u t in top ra c tic es u c h d ia b o lic a l p re c e p ts ?

C h ris tia n ity in M a la y s ia , Ic a ns a yth e re is n o w alm osta to ta l a ll-o u t c o ld w arb e tw e e n H in d u s and Christians.I t ' s all-outi nth e new spapers. P e o p lea re ta lk in ga b o u ti tT e n s i o n s a re rid in g h ig h .B utth e C hristians are still goingo u t relent\ue000 le s s ly.T he

a s th o u g h th e yh a v e a ta rg e tt or e a c ha n d th e ya re in te n tu p o n c o n v e rtin g a ll H in d u sb y th ey e a r 2 0 0 0 . T h e rea r e s om any c o n v e r s i o n s ta k in g , p la c e th a tw ere a lly c a n 't h a n d lei t B e s id e s , w e aren o ttra in e d in handlings u c h cases. A llo u r effo rti sh a rd ly m a k in g ad e n t in th is c o u n tryo f I~

a te s to p -g a p m e a s u re ; e d u c a tio n in th e re lig io n is o n ly a lo n g -te rm s o lu tio n .T hew ay th in g s a re g o in g h e re ; ju d g in g fro mth e b u ild -u po fte n s io n am ong

B ib le .S o it lo o k s lik eth e y w illn e v e r le a v e u s a lo n e. . . ..,R e c e n tlyM r.N agappano fth e M a\ue000 la y s ia H in d uS a n g a m( s e e a rtic lep a g e2 4 )m et w ith

is q u ite sim ilart o w h a tth eNa y a n a r s faced a thou\ue000 s a n dy e a r sa g o . O n ly th e ni tw asB u d d h is ma n d Jainism .

In d ia , th e n C h ris \ue000 tia n itya n dI s l a ms h o u ldb e n o p ro b le m .I n fa c t, b o th

s tru c tu ra lly d e fe c tiv e in term so fp h ilo s o p h y.T h is s h o u ld m akei te a s ie rfor us.

H in d u s w o rld w id e a re fa c in g th e sam e p ro b \ue000 lem ,a n dI th in kth e ya rer e a d y fo r a c tio n ,a t le a s t a c h a n g e in d ire c tio n . A ll th e c irc u m s ta n c e s n e c e s s a r yfor ato ta lH in d ure v iv a l a rea th a n d T he oilly m issingfa c to r is a leader.W en o w

like ash o rt b u rsto fb o y is h enthusiasm . Y es. P e rs o n a lly , I th in k th a tn o th in g le s s th a n a s o lid d e m o n s tra tio no fH in d u pow er,o fH in d u is m 's tru th s ,i sn e c e s s a r yt o c o n v in c eth e w o rld.S in c e th e ya r e a s k in g fo r it, le t's g iv ei tt o th e m . Ifw e d o n 't,w ew illb e g u iltyo fth e c rim eo f selfish \ue000 n e s s

P re \ue000 m anandao fN orth India, a sm all group o fp ro \ue000 fessionals and businessm eni n the San Francisco B a y a r e a h a v e m a d e u p th e ir m in d s th a t H in \ue000 d u is mi slo n g o v e rd u e to h a v e a u n ifie d v o ic ei n th e U S A . A lth o u g h a tte m p ts a t fo rm in g u m \ue000 b re lla o rg a n iz a tio n s a re w ell k n o w n , w h a t m a y d is tin g u is h th is p a rtic u la r e ffo rt fro m

p re v io u s o n e si nth is c o u n tryi s its s e rio u s b lu e p e rin t fo r s e ttin g u p a lo o s e b u t e ffe c tiv e n a tio n a l H in d u o rg a n iz a tio n w h ic h p e rm its m e m b e rs to re ta in th e ir a u to n o m y ,

w h ile le n d in g th e ir v o ic e to a d e m o c ra tic a lly e le c te d H in d u

N a tio n a l B o a rd. A lre a d y , le a d e rs a re a sk in g h a rd q u e s tio n s a n d c o n fe rrin g w ith th e ir colIeagues even on international levels about th e

C oastIn re sp o n se , th e H in d u F e d e ra tio no f A m erica issued a new sle.tteri n O ctober to the h e a d so fh u n d re d s o f H in d u o rg a n iz a tio n si n th eU . S. , e x p la in in g th e ir c o n s titu tio n a n d p ro \ue000 g ra m to a lla y c o n c e rn s th a t th e H in d u F e d e r a \ue000 tio n re p re s e n ts a" t a k e - o v e r " o r" h i e r a r c h y " that m ay seekt o dom inate m em ber groups or a n ta g o n iz e

c h a u v in is tic s ta n c e . T h e n e w s le tte r a ls o in v ite d s u g g e s tio n s fro m

counterpart, begun just m o n th s b e fo re th eU .S . F e d e ra tio n . In A u g u st, T o r o n to w a s th e s ite fo r a h ig h ly s u c c e s s f u l Federation-sponsored peace m archo f6 ,0 0 0 p e o p le

re lig io n s , in c lu d in g H in d u s , Sikhs, C hristians, M oslem s and Jew s.S w am i P r e m a n a n d a la u d s th is p u b lic e ffo rt to c la rify th e

H in d u id e a lso fb r o th e r h o o d a m o n g re lig io n s , u n iv e r\ue000 sal peace and love are so needednow . W hen H in d u is mi s understood, feelings ofseparation g oa w a y ."

W h a t m o tiv a te s th e F e d e ra tio n fo u n d e rsi s th e c o n v ic tio n th a t H in d u s m u s t ta k e th ere \ue000 s p o n s ib ility fo r e d u c a tin g n o n -H in d u s o c ie ty a b o u t H in d u is m, s p e a k in g u p w h e n H in d u is m

rem ain s ile n t a n d lo w -p ro file w h ile fo rc e si n a m odern society race ahead m isunderstanding and even m a lig n in g H in d u is m. A d d to th is H in d u is m 's u n iq u e c o m p le x ity a n d ta le n t fo r th e fo u n d in g o f in d iv id u a l o rg a n iz a tio n s a lo n g re g io n a l o r e th n ic lin e s, a n d th e w o rld lo o k s o n b e w ild e re d , c o n v in c e d

tion. D r. M ahesh M ehta, G eneral S ecretaryo f th e V is h w a H in d u P a r is h a di n th e U SA , w o n \ue000 d e rs if th e F e d e ra tio n w ill ta k e ah a r d s ta n d a g a in s t S ik h so r a n y o th e r s e c t fro m

In d ia , a p o s s ib ility s u g g e s te d b y F e d e r a tio n s ta te m e n ts e x p r e s s e d

th a t a rtic le , o b je c tio n s w e re v o ic e d o v e r H in d u s b e in g c a lIe d" d o g s " b y S ik h s d e m o n s tra tin g a fte r th e In d ia n A rm y a tta c k

m a n y d iffe rin g H in d u g ro u p s to a c tu a lly b rin g a b o u t a F e d e ra tio n ." I tre q u ire s tre m e n \ue000 d o u s

th e v a rio u s H in d u in d iv id u a ls a n d g ro u p s, a s s u rin g th e m

o rie n te d to w arda nid e a lo f H in d u S o lid a rity.I t w o u ld n o t b e g o o d to m a k e p r o m is e s a n d n o t fu lfill th e m . H in d u p e o p le h a v e h a d e n o u g ho fth a t already." A lso, D r. M ehta expresses concern o v e r th e v e ry c o n c e p to fH in d u S o lid a rity , fo r " w h e nw e s p e a ko f H in d u S o lid a rity ,w e a re s p e a k in g o f ta k in g a s ta n d , e v e n a n ta g o n iz in g , if necessary, pow erful forces such as C hrist\ue000 ia n ity ." T h e in te rn a tio n a l le a d e rs h ip o f th e V H P ,

a p p e a ra n c eo fs u c h H in d u S o lid a rity g ro u p s a s th e F e d e ra tio n a n d th e H in d uA llia n c e a n d w ill g oin to th e m a tte r m o re d e e p ly w h e n th eV H P

a lis t a n d p o litic a l to n e sh e detects in the first p re ss a n n o u n c e m e n t o f th e H in d u F e d e ra tio n o fA m e ric a . "O ur o rg a n iz a tio n a n d o u r in te r\ue000 n a l o rg a n iz a tio n, th e A llia n c e fo r I n d ia 's U n ity a n dS e c u la r D e m o c ra c y, p ro m o te th e c u ltu re a n d in te g rityo fth e A s ia n -In d ia n sra th e r th a n o fju s t o n e re lig io n. A n y th in g e v e n re m o te ly d iv is iv e o f I n d i a' s s o c ie ty w e condem n. " Presi\ue000 d e n t A n a n d a d d s th a t th e H in d u F e d e ra tio no f A m erica m ay

a lie n a te o th e r re lig io n s if iti s re a c tiv e in a n y w a y, s u c h a s to w a rd th e S ik h s. "Y ou

a ls o prom ote secularism , because Indiai sb u ilt o n s e c u la r is m, j u s t lik e th eU .S ."H egoes on to s a yh eap p la u d s th e F e d e ra tio n fo r c o o rd in a t\ue000 in g H in d u re lig io u s fe s tiv a ls , b u t th a t th e y c a n \ue000 n o t b e th e v o ic eo fIndia at the sam e tim e.

N a r e n d r a K u m a r, C h ie f A d m in is tra to r fo r th eH FA, re p lie d to th e a b o v e o b s e rv a tio n s : "T he

w a s a little o v e r-e m o tio n a l a n d s h o u ld n o t b e ta k e n fo r th e F e d e r a tio n 's b a s ic g o a l, w h ic hi s to im p ro v e re la tio n s w ith

S ik h s a n d a ll o th e r re lig io n s. T h e d e lic a te s itu a tio n c o n c e rn in g th e S ik h s a n d H in d u s a t th is tim ei s c o in c id e n ta l to th e c re a tio no fth eH F A, w h ic h e x is ts to p ro \ue000 m o te b ro th e rh o o d.W ere g re t th a t th e tim e n o w

o fit. The Federation reacts against no o n e , b u t r a th e r in v ite sa ll-B u d d h is ts ,J a i n s, S ik h s,

p e o p lei nH in d u te m p le so r o rg a n iz a tio n s a n d h a v e v e ry c a re fu lly c o n s id e re d th e c re a tio n o f a F e d e ra tio n

d o n e e v e ry th in g p o s s ib le to m a k e it th e m o s t d e m o \ue000 c ra tic o rg a n iz a tio n im a g in a b le . "T here w ill b e n o ro o m

o r c h a n c e fo r c a re e r-b u ild in g o r p e r\ue000 sonal self-aggrandizem ent," adds D r. R am esh Japra, a leading trusteeo fth e F e d e ra tio n .

K u m a r e x p la in s , " s o m e o n e h a s to ta k e th e in itia tiv e to b rin g u p th e e te rn a l v a lu e so fH in d u is m

and discover w ays together as H indus as to how w e can coor\ue000 d in a te o u r a c tiv itie si nth is c o u n try ." T h e v e ry s p i r i to ffounder Sw am i P rem anandaji's organ\ue000 iz a tio ni nIn d ia , th e V is h w a A d h y a tm ik S a n g h , a n d th e S w a m i' s p e rs o n a l m is s io n w o rd lw id ei s to c re a te u n iv e rs a l b ro th e rh o o d a m o n g p e o p le o f v a rio u s fa ith s," n o t to

their present head\ue000 q u a rte rsi nF re m o n t, C a lifo rn ia , in v itin g n o n \ue000 H in d u n e ig h b o rs to e v e n in g so fclassical Indian film s, a r t e x h ib its

p ro m o te s H in d u is m ra th e r th a n th e c u ltu reo fA sian-Indians (as the F e d e ra tio no fIndian Associations does),N . K u m a r e m p h a tic a lly re p lie s," C u ltu rei s th e o u tc o m eo fre lig io n. T h e y c a n n o t b e s e p a r a te d. T h e y

o f c e n tu r ie so f liv in g to g e th e r. T h o s e w h o o b je c t to th e w o rd H in d u n e v e r w o rry if C h ris tia n s a n d M u s lim s s p e n d m illio n so f d o lla rs try in g to c o n v e rt H in d u s, b u t s a y in gH in d uw o rrie s th e m , fo r th e y d o n 't tru ly grasp the universal aspecto fH in d u is m ."

m a in ta in s th a t a ll re lig io n s o rig in a tin g w ith.in India are basically H indu in th a t th e y s h a rei n th e e te rn a l tru th so f u n iv e rs a l b ro th e rh o o d , lo v e

T h e H in d u F e d e ra tio n o f A m e ric a c le a rly h a s its g r e a te s t ta s k c u t o u t fo ri t :c o m m u n ic a t\ue000 in g its program successfully to fellow

H in d u s . E arly assum ptions am ong som e key H indusi n the U S A m ustb e changed and replaced w ith the c o n fid e n c e th a t, ra th e r th a n c re a tin g a d y n a s ty , th eH FA in te n d s to p ro v id e a s im p le s tru c tu re w ith in w h ic h H in d u in d iv id u a ls a n d o rg a n iz a \ue000 tio n s c a n s u c e s s fu lly c o o rd in a te e ffo rts fo r th e first tim ei nh is to ry to b rin g H in d u is m fu lly in to th e m a in s tre a mo fm odern tim es. Ju st how that w illh a p p e n w illb e w orked outb y the represent\ue000 a tiv e s th e m s e lv e si n conference,H F A leaders p o in t o u t.

te din H in d u is m ; 3 .T o d is p e l m y th s ,illU S io n s a n dm is in fo rm a tio na b o u t H in d u is m ;4 .T o p ro - te c t,p re s e rv e a n dp ro m o teth eH in d ur e lig io n ,e s p e c ia lly th eS a iv a D h a r m a ;5 .T o n u rtu re a tru ly s p iritu a l H in d u re n a is s a n c e . W ein v iteo u r re a d e rst o s h a reth e s ep u rp o s e s w ithu sb y