Tattva (Magazine for Hindu Youth) March 2009 Edition

[Aparna Garg]

 

Tattva-An International Online Magazine for Youth, March 2009 Namaste, Best wishes to everyone on the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri. Sewa, or selfless service, is an integral part of Hindu Dharma. Swami Vivekananda said, "They who see Shiva in the poor, in the weak, and in the diseased, really worship Shiva. They who want to serve Shiva must serve His children — must serve all creatures in this world first." This month's theme is "sewa" and we invite everyone to reflect on how we can all incorporate sewa in our daily lives. Sewa International provides a unique opportunity for youth to volunteer their time and talent for the less fortunate, through the Yuva for Sewa fellowship program. Please be sure to read the Yuva for Sewa article in this edition. We encourage all Tattva readers to consider giving some time as a Yuva for Sewa volunteer this summer. Please also pass the information about Yuva for Sewa to anyone who may be interested. As always, if you would like to contribute an article or have any suggestions for Tattva, you can contact the Tattva team at tattva...@hinduyuva.org. Click here to read the March 2009 edition of Tattva. In This Issue: Yuva for Sewa: Exciting Volunteering Opportunities in India and America SEWA “To Serve Humanity is to Serve God,” by Sai Santosh Kolluru My Experience Volunteering in India, by Dwijavanthi Kumar Interview with Shobhit Mathur, a Yuva for Sewa Fellow Sewa in Hinduism, by Abhipsa Kar Bhutanese Refugee Empowerment Yuva for Sewa: Exciting Volunteering Opportunities in India and America For the past three years, Yuva for Sewa (YFS), a service internship of Sewa International USA, has attracted youth from various backgrounds to spend their summer vacations helping people in need. YFS encourages young adults to volunteer their time and effort, while using their area of expertise and interest to help the disadvantaged. Projects throughout the US and India are designed for personality development, building leadership and team work, empowering visionaries and providing first-hand experience in helping the community.... Read the full article SEWA “To Serve Humanity is to Serve God,” by Sai Santosh Kolluru The Bhagavad Gita has been the root of all of my actions in life, especially when it has come to Seva or Karma Yoga. Born in India and brought up in the United States, I have been both around poverty and wealth. However, it was not until my current freshman year in college that I have been personally motivated to do something that made a difference in the community and in someone’s life. After ending a long day of school, work, and running, I finally came to my dorm room to finish a verse of the Gita, but the thought of the man I met a few days earlier who took his time to explain his homelessness still lingered in my head. At the time.... Read the full article My Experience Volunteering in India, by Dwijavanthi Kumar After graduating from college last May, I decided to take a year off because I wanted to pursue medicine and needed time to apply to schools for the next year. I also strongly believe in social responsibility and taking action to improve society. Therefore, I applied for a fellowship with the Youth for Seva NGO in Bangalore, India hoping for an experience to broaden my perspective, to apply all the knowledge I’ve learned in school, and of course to affect positive changes in people’s lives. I chose Bangalore because I’m already familiar with the language and culture and therefore I could affect more direct change with spending minimal time adjusting to the atmosphere.... Read the full article Interview with Shobhit Mathur, a Yuva for Sewa Fellow Shobhit Mathur spent time volunteering through the Yuva for Sewa fellowship program. He traveled to Suriname and taught computer science to people there. In this video interview, he shares his experiences during his time as a volunteer..... Read the full article Sewa in Hinduism, by Abhipsa Kar Sewa, by definition, is any physical act one performs for the benefit of others in need. In Sanskrit, it is described in the shloka Paropakaraya Punyaya, Papaya Parapeedanam, i.e. any action resulting in the good of others is noble and should be followed. Sewa is essentially selfless service toward humans, animals, nature, and even the self. For every service done for others is a service done for the self and, in effect, a service done for God, as illustrated in the shloka, “Iswarah Sarva Bhutanam Itruddesha Arjuna Tishtati,” which means that the same God who is present in me is also present in other human beings.... Read the full article Bhutanese Refugee Empowerment The population in Bhutan mainly consists of two communities: the Drukpas and the Lhotshampas. Bhutanese rulers forced the Lhotshampas, minority ethnic Nepalis from Southern Bhutan, to adhere to unusual regulations in order to create a homogenous culture across the nation. The unfair treatment included compelling them to wear traditional clothing, stripping them of their citizenship, and forcing them into exile. Nepali language classes and Hindu schools were also terminated with the intention that this would put an end to their customs and beliefs. In 1985, conflict between these two communities resulted in a mass exodus of Lhotshampas to Nepal. These Bhutanese refugees in Nepal were considered “illegal immigrants” despite their Nepali origins.... Read the full article About Tattva www.hinduyuva.org/tattva-blog Tattva is an international online monthly magazine, published by Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh’s Hindu YUVA. Tattva, which means “essence” in Sanskrit, draws inspiration from the roots of Hindu Dharma. It aims to present inspiring aspects of ancient Hindu culture and history along with related current day issues. It is an avenue to gain a better understanding and appreciate the most ancient culture thriving on this planet. It also offers us an opportunity to share our ideas and inspire others...Learn more about Tattva To join our mailing list, please send an e-mail once to subscrib...@hinduyuva.org. Contact the editor at tattva...@hinduyuva.org.