What it is to be a Hindu in Today's Britain

By Bonnie Evans-Hills

A very gracious welcome was given to us by devotees at the Hindu Swami Narayan Temple in Trafalgar Street , Portslade. We began with a prayer in the temple itself in which a flame or arti was lit, 'presented' to the gods and then shared with us all. The flame is a purifier and represents 'that which cannot be touched.' The air was filled with singing, drums and bells, and by the end of the evening, all senses were made full!

We were then invited upstairs for a short but informative talk about Hinduism given by Kamal Patel. He said one of the biggest challenges facing a Hindu in Britain is the misconception that they worship idols. The idols represent the ways in which the One God comes into the world. God takes on the form that is most pleasing to the people of the time and place. And there is a balance of male and female.

Another common misconception about Hinduism is with regard to the 'caste' system. Kamal pointed out that this system came about following a series of invasions from outside the culture. Originally, the roles or gifts people brought to their society were recognised. Individuals could change roles as they changed jobs, and the concept of 'untouchable' did not exist. As fear entered society with the onslaught of invasion, the system became rigid and the concept of caste took root. The Vedas, or 'holy scripture,' contain no such idea as 'untouchabe.'

The word Hinduism comes from the family of religions originating in the Hindu Valley in India . It is the oldest religion, from before recorded history. The religion embraces non-violence in its entire form.

India is presently around 80% Hindu. There are about 57 million Hindus worldwide, 400,000 in the UK (of which 160,000 are practicing.)

The main concern of the Hindu community in Britain is education of the young. There is a fear they are losing their traditional and religious roots, and every effort is being made to translate texts into English so the children can understand them. Religion has changed from a way of life into an option - and they are now trying to but it back in their daily lives.

The temple in Portslade is named after the main idol in the temple, but houses others. 'Saints' or sadhu are brought over from India to continue prayers in the temples. This is becoming increasingly difficult due to pressure from the government that all religious leaders have a strong understanding of the English language. For this community, the sadhu has the role of praying, and the temple committee of imparting the teaching. - but the committee speaks English, they live here!

The key prayers are twice a day, morning and evening, but there are also five times for meditation as well. Every 11 days there is to be a day of fasting, and it is important to go to the temple every day to 'be' with God.

The evening finished not with the usual tea and biscuits but with a wonderful strict vegetarian meal offered by the devotees. It was all so delicious - and we could smell it cooking during the talk! So, all the senses were made full, including the inner, spiritual senses!