MERRICK, NY (TIP): Parveen Chopra, Editor-Publisher of ALotusInTheMud.com and a meditation teacher, introduced Hinduism to 9th graders at Sanford H. Calhoun High School in Merrick, NY on March 24. His presentation to multiple groups of 15-20 boys and girls each was part of a Multi-Faith Forum program at the school aimed to make students understand diverse faiths better. A majority of the students at this school are Christians, with a sprinkling of Jews, and barely any other faiths. Chopra found they did not know much about Hinduism, but they were attentive and eager to learn.

Given the 15-20 minute slot for each group before they were shepherded to the Islam table and Christianity and Judaism tables, he confined himself to talking about the basics. He introduced the young students to Om, Namaste, Swastika (and how it differs from the Nazi hakenkreuz). He told them that yoga has origins in Hinduism, and that meditation is an essential part of yoga despite yoga in popular culture becoming identified with physical postures. He even had them mediate for a couple of minutes at the end of his talk.

Clearing the misconception that Hinduism is otherworldly and promotes renunciation, Chopra said it prescribes four aims of life — Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. But the pursuit of material things and fulfilling desires should be in alignment with dharma or righteousness, which will lead to moksha.

One student pointed out that Hinduism is monotheistic. Chopra said it is correct, but there are also thousands of deities, gods, and goddesses, which many people can relate to and worship instead of a formless, nameless ultimate reality called Brahman (the underlying ground of all, a concept different from God).

Chopra shared with the children some common strands running between Hinduism and the three other faiths that originated in the Indian subcontinent, namely Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Reincarnation-karma theory is one of them. Pursuit of liberation in this very life is another.

One teacher who dropped by wanted to know about the caste system. Chopra agreed that it has bedeviled Indian society for long but has been weakening in modern times. Called Varna vyavastha, it was based on social and economic roles, but over time it became rigid and generational.

As an interesting sidelight, only a handful of students could name the Vice President of America, J.D. Vance, so no way they would know that his wife, Usha, is a Hindu.

Chopra told TIP, “Talking non-stop on my feet for six hours with one coffee and bagel break made me tip my hat to schoolteachers everywhere who do it day in and day out. My fellow presenter, Daisy Khan, could not even take a sip of water as she was observing Ramadan fasting.”

Two other presenters of the day were – Tim TenClay and Cheryl Bennett. Timothy Dolan, Social Studies Chairperson of the school shepherded the students.

Simultaneously a similar program was conducted in Three Village Central School District in Suffolk County, under Christine Cone, Director of Social Studies. Both programs were coordinated by the Interfaith Institute of Long Island, in Westbury, chaired by Dr Faroque A Khan.

Reaching out and interacting with 900 plus youngsters in Suffolk and Nassau was made possible by the presenters who gave their time pro bono.