Page 16 - The Indian EYE 072823

SPECIAL FEATURE JULY 28, 2023 | The Indian Eye 16

TOWARDS BETTER LIVING

Mandirs: Inspiring Personal and

Community Growth

I
was taking my 2.5-year-old son
to school when we saw a pile of
clothes and old toys towards the
front for a donation drive. I explained
that the school was trying to help chil-
dren who may not have toys or clothes.
It is normal to feel happy when we
receive toys and clothes, but we will
always feel more joy when we give
to others who may have less than us.
While many people around the
world are charitable and giving, for
me, it was something I was taught
while going to a mandir. A mandir is
a Hindu place of worship. These re-
ligious structures are vital in bringing
communities together, serving as a
place of spiritual guidance, cultural
preservation, and social connection.
As a child in the 1980s, my par-
ents took me to the BAPS Shri Swam-
inarayan Mandir in Flushing, NY, the
first mandir for the organization in
the United States. I used to stay there
throughout the day with other kids
and partake in the mandir’s activities.
The mandir in Flushing, NY,
along with the 100+ BAPS Hindu
mandirs and hundreds of other Hin- BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Los Angeles, CA
du mandirs that now exist in the USA,
serve as centers for cultural, social,
and educational activities, such as lan- like cleaning restrooms, helping visi- consistently by going to the mandir gion and spirituality into his daily life.
guage classes, music, and dance pro- tors, and cooking food. Additionally, consistently. He eventually saved enough, enabling
grams, and community service events, events such as blood donation drives, In 2003, I traveled with a few him to send his kids to school and ex-
that help people connect and foster a health fairs, food drives, and walk- friends and BAPS Swamis (monks) to pand his hut for more comfortable
sense of belonging. I can honestly say athons are organized throughout the some rural and tribal areas of Guja- living. His friends were also inspired
that my ability to speak publicly, com- year to support the larger community. rat, India. The purpose of the trip was and began attending the mandir or
municate, lead teams, dance, play In- It is not surprising that some of for us to recognize that while schools re-engaging in their worship choices.
dian instruments, and read/speak my my friends during college, and a few and hospitals are needed in society, Over time, the entire village became
native language is due to the various now, questioned why I regularly at- so too are mandirs. We met a family more spiritually inclined, creating
opportunities the mandir offers. tended the mandir. For them, being who shared their story with us during a peaceful and harmonious society
Beyond the personal develop- a good person and giving to others our visit. The male householder was a where villagers respected, helped, and
ment of tens of thousands of individ- was more important than creating farmer who had to have his wife and appreciated each other.
uals that mandirs help inspire, their such places. Some even considered children work on the farm due to fi- Peace and harmony are essential
true gift is helping communities and it a waste of money to build places nancial hardships, which led to them in our world, but we are often con-
bringing people together. One of the of worship. However, I can directly having only one decent meal a day. trolled by our baser instincts of ego,
central tenets of Hinduism is seva or attribute my talents, skills, and dispo- He could not afford to send his kids to greed, jealousy, anger, and lust. The
selfless service. By performing seva of sition in life to my association with the school and not work on the farm be- news often contains stories about
others, we are in fact serving God. So, mandir. A mandir provides a space cause of his addiction to alcohol and wars, shootings, and partisan issues.
whereas it might be seen as volunteer- that continually inspires individuals to bidis (hand-rolled cigarettes). However, as HH Pramukh Swami
ism by many, for Hindus, this is an act do good, every day, at all times, even After meeting BAPS Swamis, Maharaj said, “Change yourself, and
of devotion that helps in one’s spiritu- when it is not convenient for them. It he was encouraged to start attending you have done your part in changing
al growth. is one’s religious and moral obliga- the nearby mandir once a week for the world.” We need to change first to
Mandirs provide a space for reg- tion. And, just like schools are only religious services. Through this, he create a better world.
ular seva, allowing people to help oth- useful if one attends them regularly, gradually gained the strength to give Yogesh Patel
ers directly by participating in tasks these positive thoughts are reinforced up his addictions and incorporate reli- BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha

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