Hijacking Hindu Heritage

The celebration of Hindu Heritage Month in Canada has become an important milestone, thanks to the efforts of Deepak Oberoi, who introduced the bill to officially recognize the month of October as the designated time for this observance. The choice of October was not random—it was selected because it aligns with a multitude of significant Hindu festivals, which hold deep religious and cultural importance for the Hindu community. October encompasses numerous key festivals such as Navratri, Durga Ashtami, Vijayadashami (Dussehra), Saraswati Puja, and many others. These festivals are the very fabric of Hindu religious life, marking a time of spiritual devotion, family gatherings, and community celebration. By declaring October as Hindu Heritage Month, the month became inextricably linked to the celebration of Hindu culture and traditions.

In addition to these major festivals, October also includes a series of other important observances, such as Chaturdashi Shraddha, Ashwina Krishna Amavasya, Surya Grahan (Valayakara Darsha Amavasya), Krishna Chaturdashi, Ashwina Amavasya, Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti, and Vinayaka Chaturthi. Festivals like Skanda Sashti, Saraswati Avahan, Durga Ashtami, Maha Navami, Vijayadashami (Dussehra), and Saraswati Puja play a central role in bringing the community together in reverence and joy. From Ayudha Puja to Bengal Vijayadashami, Papankusha Ekadashi, and Kali Chaudas, these celebrations are deeply rooted in the Hindu faith, representing the essence of devotion, culture, and identity. All of these festivals, spread throughout October, are spiritually significant, shaping the religious calendar of Hindus worldwide. (Hindu Heritage Month Australia – Oct (? https://hinducouncil.com.au/governemnt-mp-recognises-hindu-heritage-month/ ) Hindu Heritage Month in USA is in October ( https://governor.nc.gov/governor-proclaims-hindu-heritage-month-2024 )

It is precisely these sacred celebrations that make October the natural choice for Hindu Heritage Month, as they reflect the profound religious, spiritual, and cultural practices that are at the heart of Hinduism. Therefore, when Chandra Arya, a Member of Parliament, proposed moving Hindu Heritage Month from October to November in 2022, the move was met with widespread concern and anger within the Hindu community. Arya's decision to push this change has been widely seen as a political maneuver, one that has no grounding in the cultural or spiritual significance of the month of October.

October is more than just a month; it is a sacred time for Hindus, intimately tied to religious observances like Durga Ashtami, Saraswati Visarjan, and Vijayadashami, which symbolize the triumph of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and light over darkness. Moving Hindu Heritage Month away from this sacred period seems to be an attempt to erase the deep cultural and spiritual connections Hindus have to these festivals. Arya’s proposed shift to November has no such resonance with the Hindu religious calendar. November does not hold any major religious significance for Hindus, making the decision appear entirely disconnected from the actual spirit of Hinduism.

This move to November has also raised suspicions that Arya’s intentions go beyond a genuine desire to celebrate Hindu heritage. Many believe that Arya is using Hindu Heritage Month as a platform to rebrand himself as the “leader” of the Hindu community in North America. The timing of the shift, combined with his political aspirations, strongly suggests that this move is less about honoring Hindu culture and more about positioning himself to take control of the narrative surrounding Hinduism in Canada. By hijacking Hindu Heritage Month, Arya appears to be seeking a platform that aligns with his own political ambitions, irrespective of the deeply held religious values that October represents for Hindus.

Arya’s actions have not gone unnoticed by the larger Hindu community. His decision has stirred frustration, confusion, and disappointment, particularly among those who have celebrated October as the true Hindu Heritage Month. The overwhelming majority of Hindus view this change as a politically motivated tactic to undermine the significance of the festivals and cultural observances tied to October. Arya’s move to shift the celebration has caused a deep rift in the community, and many feel that this action disrespects their religious sentiments by erasing the sacred connection they share with the month of October.

Furthermore, the support Arya has garnered for this move comes from a select few, likely with personal or political interests that benefit from this shift. This small group has applauded Arya’s decision, but the larger Hindu community, which has strong cultural and religious ties to October, feels deeply betrayed. Arya’s attempt to manipulate the celebration of Hindu heritage for his own political purposes has hurt the very people he claims to represent. Hindu Heritage Month was meant to honor the community’s rich traditions and cultural history, but Arya’s actions have twisted this celebration into a self-serving political strategy. His efforts to shift the observance to November must be rejected in order to preserve the integrity of the original intent behind the establishment of Hindu Heritage Month.

In conclusion, Chandra Arya’s attempt to shift Hindu Heritage Month from October to November is not only an affront to the deep cultural and spiritual significance of the month but also an exploitation of Hindu traditions for his personal and political gain. This proposed change undermines the essence of what Hindu Heritage Month was meant to represent—the celebration and preservation of Hindu culture, festivals, and religious observances that have been followed for centuries. October is a month rich with sacred festivals such as Navratri, Vijayadashami, Saraswati Puja, Durga Ashtami, and others, which form the backbone of Hindu religious life, fostering unity, spiritual growth, and cultural pride within the community.

Arya’s decision to push for a shift to November, a month that holds no religious or cultural significance within the Hindu calendar, is a politically motivated move. It is clear that this proposal is not about honouring the true spirit of Hinduism but about positioning Arya as the face of the Hindu community in North America. His actions reflect an attempt to reframe the observance of Hindu Heritage Month as a personal platform for political gain, instead of allowing it to remain a collective, culturally rich celebration of the Hindu faith. This is an egregious attempt to hijack a sacred tradition and repurpose it for individual advantage, showing a complete disregard for the sentiments of the wider Hindu community.

The shift to November represents not just a change in timing but a symbolic rejection of the profound connection that October has with Hindus worldwide. By tampering with this timing, Arya risks erasing the deeper spiritual meaning that October holds for Hindus—a month filled with religious observances tied to key deities, saints, and cultural rituals. Moving the celebration away from October weakens the cultural framework within which Hindu Heritage Month was conceived. It removes it from the heart of the Hindu religious experience and attempts to replace it with a politically neutral time frame that seemingly serves personal interests.

The Hindu community in Canada and beyond must see through this political maneuver and stand united against this attempt for personal re branding and control Hindu cultural observances. Arya’s move not only disrupts the community’s deep-rooted traditions but also risks fracturing the unity that Hindu Heritage Month was designed to promote. It is imperative that Hindus continue to honor and celebrate October as the rightful month for this observance. October is more than just a month in the calendar—it is a reflection of Hindu cultural identity, a time to unite, celebrate, and reflect on the values that have been passed down for generations.