Hindu students at UH are finding ways to connect to their religion and culture through campus organizations.
“Until I came to UH and Houston, I didn't have much contact with my culture,” Rishav Raj, a junior finance and marketing major, said. “Being here has made it a lot more complete for me.”
Hinduism, which traces its roots back more than 4,000 years, is the world's third-largest religion. About 766,000 Hindus live in the United States, according to the 2001 American Religious Identification Survey.
Freshman pre-pharmacy major Ashka Parikh described Hinduism as “one of the most tranquil religions you'll come across.”
The religion is often misinterpreted as polytheistic because devotees worship a pantheon of more than 1,000 gods and goddesses. But it is actually a henotheistic religion in which a single supreme deity, Brahman, is worshipped, but various facets or manifestations of that deity are recognized through many gods and goddesses.
Roshan Patel, a sophomore business and finance major, said the connections on campus helped teach him about the Hindu religion.
“Connecting with Indians got me more into my religion,” Patel said. “I didn't know much at first.”
Indian cultural groups at UH serve as a social and cultural network for Indian students rather than a link to their religion, said Raushan Pathania, president of the Indian Student Association at UH.
“Hindu students here are very in touch with their religion and culture,” he said. “They're very involved at the family level with religion.”
Indeed, for many Hindus, religion and culture cannot be separated.
Patel said the family also has tremendous authority when it comes to dating. Hindu parents traditionally want arranged marriages for their children, but that attitude has relaxed some these days, he said. Most Hindus still want to marry someone who shares their religious and cultural background, he said.
Hindu culture has begun to enter the mainstream in America, largely through music, henna and traditional fashions.
“I see (Hindu) culture more exposed lately, and that's cool. I just wish there was a better way to show it,” said Seetal Parikh, a junior psychology student. “I wish it was out there more for history and understanding.”
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