Jaimal Patel
NHSF (UK) London Zone Coordinator
When I was younger, I grew up in a multicultural school and often questioned about my faith. I was constantly asked in school why do you worship cows? Don’t you Asians put that red dot on your head? Why do you pray to a monkey god? Being at secondary school and not knowing enough about my faith meant I wasn’t able to answer all these questions thrown at me. However I shook it off and didn’t let these questions play on my mind. When I got to university and joined the Hindu Society, there I met Hindus from all over the country that had similar experiences to me. Many were Hindu because of their parents. I quickly realised that I was following my faith blindly and this was something that had to stop straightaway. I started to do more research to understand more about Hindu Dharma. When coming on to NHSF (UK) National Committee, I believed that we young youth need to know why we follow this religion we call Hinduism and what is it all about. What really defines us as Hindu? I believed we need to stop following this faith just because our parent told us to. After speaking to Kamal Panchal we decided to create Hindu Awareness Week in 2014 so are Dharma could come alive in a fun and vibrant way.
Hindu Awareness Week this year happened nationally across NHSF (UK) and no doubt it was successful. Chapters held amazing events which brought Hindu students and non Hindu students together to learn and understand Hindu Dharma. Through the week the misconceptions that many had about Hinduism were put to rest as NHSF Hindu Societies across the county held stalls, exhibitions, quizzes, and performances on Hinduism. Our dharma was not meant to behind closed doors, it is meant to be shouted about so others can learn and know about the Hindu faith. This is exactly what Hindu societies did through the week of February 2nd to 6th. Hindu societies held thought provoking events that made more Hindus question and understand their faith. More non Hindus attended events to see performances Hindu societies held to teach dharma in an entertaining way. Through the week many NHSF Hindu societies came together to collaborate on events such as Big Fat Hindu Quiz held by NHSF Imperial and brought 8 Hindu Societies together, NHSF Aston, Birmingham University and Birmingham City University held a Question Time event which brought more than 60 students together. NHSF Kingston and Roehmapton held a brilliant talk on Women in Hinduism which was intriguing and insightful. Kings College London started their week off by raising awareness of the different Hindu organisations around the UK that are keeping Hinduism alive today.
Hindu Awareness Week is now in the NHSF (UK) calendar and will be a week which will bring many together to learn through bhakti gyan and sewa. There is amazing scope for it to develop over time and become a week which every Hindu organisation knows about it. I hope for it to become bigger and better for the future but this will only happen with us strong Hindu leaders paving the way. The time is now to create change and for us Hindus to arise and awake.