Swami Vivekananda once stated “Hinduism is the mother of all religions”. Having existed for over four millennia, this may very well be the case as Hinduism has etched its own very rich history, steeped in visual and oral tradition. From the great statues in the Caverns of Elephanta that bring to life the tales of Lord Shiva to the ancient temples on the seven hills of Tirupathi, our forefathers crafted a vast legacy dedicated to preserving the Hindu culture and mythos. They supplemented their stonework with the power of the spoken word to pass down our traditions over time from parents to children, gurus (teachers) to shishyas (students), and most importantly, elders to adolescents.
However, as the 21st century world moves towards greater secularization and religious disconnect, today’s youth are slowly losing this intrinsic connection to the past, leaving only the older generations to remember the truths of our great religion. Thus, as custodians of an amazing faith, senior citizens are the key to ensuring that the meaning and purpose of Hinduism continues to play avital role in the lives of future generations.
Personally, my Hindu beliefs have been carefully molded since my early childhood through my numerous interactions with my extended family in India. The family elders, in particular my grandmothers, have left an indelible mark on what Hinduism means to me.
Their mealtime and bedtime tales of Rama’s exploits under Sage Vishwamitra and of the Pandavas in exile helped make the religion more accessible to me as a child. Even now, after many years, I think of those tales and cannot help but fondly remember her moonlight-bathed smile and the morals these stories taught me.
Indeed, my grandparents themselves were exemplary role models of Hindu virtues in how they treated others with respect and always had a helping hand for those in need. Their implementation of the writings in the sacred texts has played a vital role in my upbringing as a Hindu with strong family values and morals.
This concept of powerful Hindu role models has been further demonstrated through the actions of my parents’ high school teachers in India who, to this day, maintain the gurushishya relationship with their students.
As both nurturing and cultivating forces, these individuals are much like the ancient sage Vashista through shaping the lives of their wards to not only achieve great things in life but also to give back to the community so that others may succeed as well. This benevolent behavior extols the spirit of Hinduism while sustaining the religion for future generations.
Even here in California, Hindu seniors proactively, and without any expectations of reciprocity, spend their time and effort to help their peers’ lead fuller and richer lives. Despite being of an advanced age, they have seemingly increased the pace at which they pursue great endeavors even though it would have been much easier for them to have just stayed at home with their families. These people are indeed great role models.
Such narratives illustrate the significant role played by senior citizens in upholding the true meaning of Hinduism and ensuring that it maintains a key role in the minds of younger generations. Using their exuberance as our guide, my peers and I are eager to follow their lead to make sure that the flame of Hinduism remains as bright as ever and that when the time comes, we too will pass the torch to future generations after having lived our lives with the same sense of service and pride that have immortalized generations of Hindus.
Aishwarya Aravind is a rising junior at a Fremont High School. She is the recipient of Youth Awardfrom Indian-American Women Empowered (FIA Wing) She volunteers for ICC Senior programs organized by Indian Community Center
(http://www.indiacc.org/) Milpitas and other nearby senior centers (Seniors@IndiaCC.org)
Aishwarya Aravind
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