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Picture
1: (Caption: Hindu Youth delegates from various countries at the
World Hindu Youth Summit in Bali)
Picture 2: (Caption: A Balinese Hindu Temple)
Picture 3: (Caption 3: Summit
delegates at a Balinese Kechak dance depicting the Ramayana)
Over the thanksgiving
holiday, a momentous event took place half the way around the world in Indonesia.
A 'World Hindu Youth Summit' (www.worldhinduyouth.com) was held from Nov. 26th through
Nov. 30th in the Hindu Island of Bali, commonly known as the 'Island of Gods.' The summit was a
gathering of Hindu youth around the globe to discuss critical and timely
issues affecting Hindu Dharma. Moreover, it gave Hindu youth the opportunity
to forge friendships and bridge Hindu cultural understanding through
interaction. This event provided participants of different backgrounds and
orientations with a common ground to exchange ideas and interact on specific
issues affecting the global community. In spirit and numbers, Hindu
youth from around the world were able to create a dynamic atmosphere of Hindu
'unity in diversity.' A large number of delegates from Indonesia, Malaysia,
India and United States
participated in this vibrant cultural immersion.
The summit was a blend of international seminars and spiritual yatras to the
temples of Bali. Monika Goel and Darshan Soni, U.S. Delegates representing Hindu
Students Council International (HSC: www.hscnet.org), were fascinated by the Balinese Hindu
culture and ways of worship. All participants had the opportunity to
listen to a variety of international speakers on various topics that
included: Challenges for Hindu Youth in the 21st Century, Position of Women
in Hinduism, and Dharma, Religion and Social Action. Throughout the
presentations, delegates had ample opportunity to discuss their thoughts with
the group. Erika Paskarani, a Balinese delegate, stated that 'the Summit truly inspired
her to dedicate more time to studying the Bhagavad-Gita in particular.' Each
evening, the delegates immersed themselves in Balinese Hindu culture by
visiting ancient and well-known temples throughout the island. During
the temple visits, participants joined the Bali Hindus in their worship,
which the delegates found to be very reverential and unique. Darshan
Soni, an HSC delegate, felt that 'the architecture of Balinese temples was
very unique and seemed blend Indian and Balinese forms of Hinduism.'
The conference gave Hindu youth a forum upon which they could share and
discuss issues affecting them in their home countries. In particular,
Indonesian delegates shared their experiences about problems facing Hindu
Dharma in Bali and elsewhere in Indonesia. International
delegates learned that in the Indonesian island of Java,
Hindus are not allowed to perform worship in some of the most ancient temples
because the sites have been converted into National Monuments and tourist
attractions. One of the strongest resolutions passed at the Summit was to increase 'spiritual tourism' in Bali in order to stop the commercialization of temples
and highlight the importance of temples as places of worship. To
support this effort, HSC International intends work with other like-minded
organizations to organize Bali Mahayatras in the near future.
Furthermore, as a part of the ongoing effort to preserve Hindu Culture
in Bali, a Gurukulam (Hindu Educational
Institution) is currently being constructed on 12 hectors land due to be
completed in 2008.
Indonesia, a country composed of
land from 2 continents and 17,000 islands, has a total population of
approximately 20 million Hindus. Within Indonesia,
and even the world as a whole, Bali is the
only island with a population (of approximately 3 million people) that is
predominantly Hindu. Monika Goel, an HSC delegate, was 'impressed that the
Balinese express their Hindu heritage so proudly' and have created massive
structures of Arjuna, Krishna and Bhim all
over the capital city. Indeed, the artistry and piety of the Balinese is
recognized throughout the world. Balinese Hinduism can perhaps be described
as a complex fusion of Indian cosmology, Tantric Buddhism and homegrown
mythology, and is deeply woven into the fabric of their daily lives.
At the end of the four day World Hindu Youth Summit, delegates returned to
their homes feeling more inspired to continue learning about Hinduism and
current issues affecting it. In our rapidly evolving global environment,
Hindu youth are joining hands to spread the knowledge of Hindu Dharma amongst
youth for a more sustainable world.
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