FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Hindu Yuva?

One-sixth of humanity follows, in one or more ways, what is broadly termed the Hindu way of life (encompasses religion, culture and heritage). Hindu YUVA is about giving an immersive and experiential exposure of Hindu way of life to the campus community while having a lot of fun in a friendly and positive atmosphere. We encourage maintaining Hindu cultural identity in harmony with the larger community.

 

What does YUVA stand for?

YUVA means youth in Sanskrit, the language in which majority of Hindu scriptures are written. YUVA stands for Youth for Unity, Virtues and Action. It conveys our vision and mission in a succinct manner.

 

What are some of the activities of Hindu Yuva?

Hindu YUVA conducts a structured weekly program of athletic and academic activity to develop strong character and leadership skills in its members, emphasizing values such as self discipline, self confidence and the spirit of selfless service for humanity. These weekly activities include yoga, team games, discussions and workshops related to Hindu Dharma. Other activities organized by Hindu YUVA include celebrating Hindu festivals, lectures and seminars on Hindu Dharma, temple trips, sewa (service) activities.

 

Are there any specific initiatives of Hindu Yuva?

There are several special initiatives of Hindu YUVA. They are listed as follows.

• Speaker On Campus: A lecture series organized on campuses across the United States to disseminate the knowledge about topics of interest. Eminent Scholars and Speakers are invited from United States, Canada and India to give lectures in this series.
• Festival Celebrations: Showcasing the rich Indian culture through celebration of festivals like Diwali, Ganesh Utsav, Navratri, and Holi.
• Yoga: With the motto of ‘Yoga for Health and Health for Humanity’, we practice yoga through events like Surya Namaskar Yajna , International Day of Yoga, and Yoga Before Finals.
• Suswagatam: We collaborate with Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA and other Indian community organizations in Columbus to help incoming Indian students with airport pick-up and temporary accommodation, in order to make their transition to US easier.
• Yuva for Sewa: Unique and exciting volunteering opportunity to work on various Sewa Projects in the United States, Caribbean Countries, and India. http://sewausa.org/yuva-for-sewa

 

Is there any membership fees?

There is no membership fee. We want to make this a family and want everyone to be a part of this family, hence no membership fee.

 

I’m not very religious. Can I still participate in Hindu YUVA activities?

Yes. Our activities include yoga, games, discussions (not necessarily based on religion), celebrating festivals, events to spread awareness about our culture and religion, service to the local and international community. You are free to participate in one or more of these activities depending on your interest.

 

I’m not a Hindu, can I still come?

Anyone and everyone who is willing to participate in and enjoy our activities is welcome to join us.

 

What kind of time commitment is required to be part of Hindu YUVA?

It entirely depends on your level of involvement in the organization. Participating in the Hindu YUVA events would not take much of your time. However, if you are interested in being part of organizing various events of Hindu YUVA, you are welcome to devote more time.

 

I think we should do (fill in the blank activity) in Hindu YUVA. Can we do it?

We can do any activity in Hindu YUVA as long as it is in harmony with our overall vision and mission. For specific question related with any activities, please contact a Hindu YUVA coordinator.

 

How is Hindu YUVA different from other Hindu and/or Indian student organizations on campus?

Unlike many Hindu or Indian students’ organizations, our purpose isn’t merely to spread awareness. We meet once a week to create a regular and sustained cultural experience. We focus on gaining knowledge about Hinduism not just by listening to presentations or reading books, but instead immersing ourselves in the firsthand experience; by doing yoga, playing games, doing Indian martial arts, and having intellectually stimulating (and very lively!) discussions.

Our activities put a lot of emphasis on team building, leadership qualities and development of a strong character. The idea is not to merely organize “events” but to be the agents of change by developing our essential personality traits such as physical and intellectual abilities, inter personal skills, leading by example, identifying with and caring for one and all like in a family.

 

Is Hindu YUVA affiliated with any other organization?

Hindu YUVA is a student program of HSS (Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh), a community based organization. Visit www.hssus.org for more information about HSS.

How can I contact Hindu YUVA?

You can email us at hinduyuvaosu@gmail.com