Hindu youth, heritage and the search for belonging
A community Gala on September 18 was the milestone event, celebrating Hindu heritage, strengthening relationships around shared civic values, and valuing the next generation. It also highlighted the accomplishments of the nearly one-year-old Minnesota chapter of CoHNA. The event was attended by more than 150 Minnesotans, including Hindu youth and community members, mayors, political leaders, and public safety officials. Representatives of other faith groups also attended the Gala.
The nearly three-hour event featured a youth conversation, a dialogue with keynote speaker Shawn Binda, dinner, a cultural heritage performance, and recognition of community leaders and partners.
Indira Kurane, a 6th grader, spoke eloquently about Hinduism and declared herself a “proud Hindu.” Very few of her age group will say that with such fervor. When I asked about her message for the day, she said, “Freedom of religion does not come with an asterisk, and Hinduism is no exception.” She went on to add, “Stand up against what is wrong, always.”
The other two high schoolers, Ansh Shah and Vedant Srinivas, spoke about what it was like growing up in Minnesota. Ansh’s message was that “sometimes being pluralistic and inclusive (as a Hindu) can cause you to become complacent.” He urged all Hindus to wake up, connect with their community, and not take things for granted. It was the core message for Hindus not only in Minnesota but everywhere.
In contrast, Vedant said that being a Hindu is “confusing,” between what he saw and heard at home about Hinduism and his experiences in the classroom environment, and what is written about Hinduism and heritage in the textbooks. I surmise that a significant number of Hindu youths in North America are in that confused state of mind. This necessitates continued efforts and advocacy for improved textbooks that reflect Hindu heritage and Dharma, not from a Western lens, but from its truth.
When Shawn Binda, an Indo-Caribbean living in Toronto, took center stage with Chapter Director Neha Markanda, he was asked—what made him say yes to being the guest for the Gala? Binda said that we are at a point where we need to articulate how we (Hindus) want to be perceived in North America. He was in Minnesota to convey that Mandirs matter, our Hindu traditions matter, but advocacy for Hinduism and Hindu rights matters just as much.
In my one-on-one conversation with Binda, he talked about his own upbringing and intergenerational challenges. About his personal journey, he said, “My story is one of double migration, similar to every Hindu alive today who has a story to tell. It is a story of survival, a story of a search for truth, and a story of finding their voice.”
Double migration meant, “From indentureship, when my ancestors left India and settled in the Caribbean, they endured severe hardships. Then came another migration, from Trinidad to Canada, where he was born.” Hinduism took root for him as he visited the Mandir founded by his father week after week.
When asked about the generational challenge, he reflected, “When Hindus came to North America, they transplanted their traditions; they took what they knew and replicated it here. That was necessary; it laid the foundation. The question now is: who carries that baton into the future, and are we doing enough?”
He went on to say, “Hindus need to go back to tradition and maintain those practices. But we also need to find our voice, because as we live in a Western society and approach modernity, we have to be able to advocate for ourselves. After all, we can see what happens when we don’t.”
In my conversation with Binda and on the stage, he emphasized a three-pronged approach—Head, Heart, and Belonging—to building Hindu identity.
First, “an appeal to the head,” which he defines as the rational side, the logic and reasons why we do what we do. People have questions, and that’s necessary.
Second is the emotional appeal (Heart): to reason our way through and prove how rational and scientific Hinduism is, but in the end, none of that convinces someone to remain Hindu. Here he was referring to the younger generation born and raised in North America.
Binda said, “There has to be an emotional appeal; what draws Hindu youth in, what creates that hook in their mind.”
For belonging, Binda said that our Mandirs have to create social groups for Hindu children to meet, interact, and form relationships—not just come for darshan. Hindu youth need to find their tribe.
While Mandirs are the anchors of Hinduism, it seems that the Hindu community is operating on the myth of “if we build it, they will come.” But unless we engage our youth, we will be left with beautiful Mandirs and empty halls. All Hindu households, Mandirs, and community organizations must use both the “head and heart” approach to make the next generation feel they belong to North American culture as much as to their roots of Dharma.
On the question of the path forward, Binda’s answer was straightforward: “Hindus today are at the point where we need to decide who we want to be, and how we want our community represented. If we can’t find our voices, who will speak for us?” He went on to say, “Finding our voice means being rooted in whatever tradition you’re part of—North Indian, South Indian, West, East, Caribbean—maintain those traditions, and learn what other traditions are. It’s only when we’re rooted in tradition that we’ll be able to find that collective voice to advocate for ourselves.”
In conclusion, the Gala propagated the message of community building, defining who we are, and using our head and heart to ensure that the next generation feels that it belongs. The message was also loud and clear: if we don’t advocate for who we are and ask for our rights, someone will define who we are. The Mandirs must also transform to value, engage, and celebrate the next generation.
The first Gala successfully attracted a large gathering under one roof to listen to a profound message from Minnesota youth. Toronto’s Shawn Binda’s presence, with his continued path of Dharma despite his own generational challenges, was a role model for many. This milestone by CoHNA Minnesota is also a call for grassroots investment in Hindu unity, preserving our voice, and empowering/valuing the next generation to lead.
Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
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Formerly, a researcher in Italy, Japan, and France, he has widely travelled and came to the US in 1978. He was a faculty and academic administrator in several different universities in PA, TX, NJ, MN, WI, and NY, and an Executive Fellow in the White House S&T Policy during the Clinton administration.
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