Swami Ghanananda Swaraswati

[sandesh]

an informative post:

 

        Swami Ghanananda Swaraswati

 

taken from the guardian

 

Trisha Gupta, writing in Tehelka Magazine, tells this story of the Swami of Accra, Ghana. While some have the opinion that Hinduism is only for Indians, the Afro-Ghanaians have their own Swami and Ashram: It was while working on a photo-essay about cross-cultural interactions, especially inter-racial marriages, that I learnt of the African Hindu Monastery. Though predominantly Christian with Islam being prominent in the north, most Ghanaians still maintain their connections to older traditions of ancestor worship and belief in the spirit world. Hinduism, though, is a recent entrant, associated with the Sindhi business families who dominate the immigrant Indian population. The presence of an African Hindu community, therefore, came as a surprise.

 

 

 

The African Hindu Monastery (AHM) is a simple white structure in Odorkor, a suburb of the Ghanaian capital city of Accra. Started in 1975, it is headed by Swami Ghanananda Saraswati. The gentle-voiced Saraswati was born into the traditional African faith. Although he converted to Christianity when both his parents became Christian priests, he continued his search for truth. Attracted by Hindu beliefs and the practice of yoga, he travelled to India. While staying at Swami Sivananda's ashram in Rishikesh, Saraswati decided to embrace Hinduism. At 35, he returned to Ghana and acquired his first disciples, holding lectures to educate Ghanaians about this ancient and foreign religion. Initially, his teachings attracted the academic—university lecturers and lawyers. Soon, some Indian families started to come. Later, a meeting with one Swami Krishnananda (who was visiting from India) inspired him to set up a monastery where he could tell people about all that he had learnt in India.

 

 

 

Today, Ghana's population of 23 million includes 12,500 Hindus, of which 10,000, like their Swami Ghanananda Saraswati, are indigenous Africans. While an older Sindhi temple still exists in Accra, the AHM is now Ghana's largest centre of Hindu worship. The AHM's iconography and practices provide clues to its hybrid origins. It's nonexclusionist attitude is apparent from the picture of Jesus alongside the Hindu gods on the main mantelpiece, as well as images of spiritual leaders from other religions. There are even images of secular leaders from India. The monas-tery's members also believe that the Supreme God is known by other names. While it identifies itself with Vedic philosophy, with Vishnu as the primary deity, there is an adjoining temple for Shiva. In fact, the day starts with a Shiva Abhishek, followed by an aarti, conducted by the swami or one of his disciples. This is followed by a havan (fire sacrifice) and the reciting of the Hanuman Chalisa.

 

 

 

In contrast to the specially commissioned havans in most Indian temples, all those present can pour a spoonful of oil into the sacred fire. Bhajans in Hindi—sung exquisitely in a Ghanaian accent—follow. Later, a Vedic text might be discussed, either in English or in a Ghanaian dialect. The AHM is not just accommodating of multiple religious traditions but is also open to people of all races, classes and communities. Indian worshippers are not only members of the dominant Sindhi community, but also recent immigrants: managers and contract labour alike. But most worshippers are Africans. When I asked a disciple about the group's opinion of the caste system, he pointed out that there is no society in the world that does not break its people up into the privileged and the unprivileged, be it through profession, ancestry or race. Ghanaian Hindus like him, however, are clear that people have an equal right to education, the means to a good life and, most importantly, religion. But there are disciples who have given their children Hindu names like Rama or Krishna after a naming ceremony.

 

 

 

Swami Saraswati explains, "Hinduism is a new thing (in West Africa), and I do not want to make somebody a monk who later on abandons monkhood. It would bring a bad name to me and to Hinduism." Believers who want to become disciples enroll in a six-week residential course, after which they are initiated. The transition to Hinduism is a gradual one. For instance, an African Hindu would continue to have a Christian or Muslim first name and a traditional African last name. But there are disciples who have given their children Hindu first names like Rama or Krishna after a Hindu naming ceremony. Hindu rituals at marriage and cremation (rather than burial) at death are also beginning to be adopted. The monastery likes disciples to pray and perform pujas at home. In fact, the performance of rituals is seen as essential to being Hin-du. But then, ritual is often the embodied route to faith!

 

 

 

• Satnarayan Maharaj is the secretary general of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha