Global Spread of Hinduism During 20th Century

      Many a times, past is known to hold indications for future. Until as late as 1700 CE, Hinduism had remained strong in areas far and wide from India. It was a major force in Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam in the East and up to Iran on the West. So, global relevance and dimensions are nothing new to Hinduism. It was only later when it came under total siege of foreign powers that it started contracting from many areas of its influence.

Global Spread of Hinduism

      Since beginning of 20th century, one can identify traces of Hinduism starting its positive influence on the spiritual psyche of many people in Europe and especially in America. It is easy to see that so called industrial and financial development pushes humanity towards materialism and that is seen creating erosion of traditional values of these developed societies. Materialism leads people to rely on external inducements and the doses required for stimulation keep increasing to experience same kind of excitement. This leads to emptiness on inner planes forcing people to see through that the external stimulation are not the real answers. It is at that stage that they feel natural inclination to move towards alternate solutions, therapies and such other options. It is somewhat similar to the historical trend where people have been inventing new Gods when the earlier Gods stop meeting newer expectation of newer followers challenged by newer space of their existence. To my mind, this is how elements of Hinduism, albeit in bits and pieces, started attracting attention of Western World around middle of 20th Century.

      Yoga can be identified as the first such element connecting with America followed by meditation. Vedantic Philosophy kept touching American bases through many teachers that started arriving in America in increasing numbers since 1965 themselves. During last 50 odd years, Yoga and Meditation have spread to all cities and towns of America at such a fast pace and a good portion of American population is connected with it in one or the other way. The penetration of these systems is best explained by Dr. David Frawley's speech (delivered in Hyderabad in 2010) excerpts about his town in South Western Desert area and I quote "with population of about 100,000 they have 65 Yoga teachers, 20 odd Meditation Centers and the number of devotees arriving to listen Ma Anandmayi at her annual congregation crosses the count of 5000". Any one travelling to towns of America can say with confidence that these numbers are no exaggeration as similar trends are visible in most parts in entire America.

      In fact, spreading of Yoga and its popularity in America has outpaced the same in India by several notches. To borrow the terms from Car Industry; today America has vintage versions, Indian-American versions, Pan American versions, cross-over versions, hybridized versions, specialized versions, and localized versions. The variety of Yoga available in America includes Pure Yoga, Raja Yoga, Hath Yoga, Bikram's Hot Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Iyenger Yoga, Anusara Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Jivamukti Yoga, Prenatal Yoga, Ananda Yoga, Integral Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Power Yoga, and Shivananda Yoga. And, as the names suggest, some of these are no more addressing to physical health issues as was the case couple of decades earlier.

      Increasingly; one comes across spiritual aspect of ancient Yoga getting increasingly assimilated in the Yoga practices in America. Most of these centres all across are manned largely by local instructors or trainers and some of whom are thoroughly well versed with all ancient aspects of Yoga practices and its Philosophy. As per one estimate, the number of people in America practising Yoga in one or the other form exceeded 20 million in 2010. (Dr. Christopher Chapple’s article dated 29 June 2010).

      The basic reason of Yoga gaining popularity is its being soulful alternative to the otherwise mechanical life style of people in general. It is proven fact that capitalistic life had devoid them from the tranquil balance among body, mind and life. Yoga helps them connect with themselves and offers consolation hideout or retreat. As more people in other countries go down that very lane of materialistic development, they will also get automatically attracted to Yoga.

      Initially; Yoga came to America without any direct reference to its embedded roots in Hinduism and many practitioners didn't even know its connection with India or Hinduism. But increasing presence of Indian diaspora, trends of globalisation, India's own place at international scene, arrival of many teachers from India, training of many instructors at Indian institutions, have all contributed to a situation where Yoga's proud connectivity with ancient Hinduism promotes both India and Hinduism. Baba Ramdev is one of the contemporary popular instructors. Yoga certainly is a worldwide phenomenon already and stands out as the single most visible globally accepted feature of Hinduism as on date. So what if global Yoga has obscured its roots to Hinduism directly. Slowly and steadily; practitioners are bound to see through its origin source and shall get attracted to other equally important parts of Sanatan Dharma.

      Sizable migration of Indian origin families, post relaxation of migration in 1965, from as far as Fiji, South Asia, South Africa, Trinidad, Kenya, UK, Uganda has taken their population in America to over 20 lacs which is close to one per cent of total population. They are well spread and have arranged construction of over 200 temples already and some of these temples will easily find place among some of the largest Hindu temples any where in the world. These temple complexes contribute a lot for spreading Hindu practices of worship besides working as centres for all types of cultural activities including classical music and dance, festival celebration, marriage and other rites and such other aspects of devotional and symbolic Hinduism. Hindus are one of the best educated and financially well off religious minority of America behind only the Jews. Average earnings of Hindus in America are pegged at two times of average earnings of Christians. Further, education standards of American Hindus continue to outpace others even in new generations. These all are factors towards positive environment for faster growth of Hinduism in America.

      Besides the religion followers, important aspect is that an increasingly larger population of America is getting inclined towards some of the major tenets of Hinduism. For example, about one fourth of all Americans do believe in concept of reincarnation. The concept of Karma is yet another great example which is very easily accepted by Americans. One comes across many times where people may not relate these concepts directly to Hinduism. But if one has to put two critical facts together, one can clearly visualise the future of Hinduism in America. Firstly; about 25 per cent of Americans do not follow the religion of their birth. Secondly; they are getting connected with the concepts of Yoga for health and spirituality, meditation as an internal peace and salvation, karma to get inspired to do good to others and reincarnation as an universal truth. Thirdly Hinduism is the religion getting the largest number of voluntary converts from other religions in America. And lastly, one hardly finds a Hindu leaving his religion and adopting some other religion, exceptions apart.

      Couple of decades back some aspects relating to Hinduism were also attracting some adventurous natured Americans. This was the time when many in West knew Hindu religion as a plethora of faiths riddled with polytheistic, magical, fertile, erotic and violent aspects more than its positive sides. These included aspects like Goddess Kali. She was invoked and adopted by countless modern Pagans in America, sometimes with little to no knowledge of the religion or culture she sprung from. Than we had Tantra infatuating some people in early 20th century who wanted to develop their own cults for sexual freedoms aimed at ecstasy based on Tantrik practices and doctrines from India. Kama Sutra is yet another tool used by few to popularize its sexual positions as if that is what Kama Sutra was all about. These aspects were surely used by people in non-religious exploitations but they did harm to Hinduism. Those were the days when the Hippies were experimenting with their unusual ways and wanted to experience satisfaction by going down every possible lane, good or bad. But with increasing spreading of true Hindu concepts through teachers and preachers and after the Act of 1965 opening door for large scale immigration of Hindus to the land of opportunities, these concepts showing Hinduism in a negative or exotic manner, got pushed back from the major part of American systems. Today; there is very appreciative environment for Hinduism and Hindus, which augur well for further expansion of Hinduism in America.

      So it is clear that key Hindu concept of Yoga has already acquired pan global status and that increasingly Americans are becoming Hindus at least ideologically as the basic concepts of karma, dharma, reincarnation, originating exclusively from Hinduism, are percolating indelibly into the American psyche. Much of their present day thinking revolves around finding a perfect balance among life, body and mind. This yearning for a balance is bound to draw them to Hinduism as the way forward as Hinduism alone is the reply for such a balance, that is, if it exists. While Christian proselytism is known to prey on the poor and the ignorant all around the world to covert for allurements and inducements, Hinduism is seeing conversion purely on voluntary basis and most new converts are well educated, urban, affluent and spiritually inclined Westerners.

      The academic circle in America also is engaged in pious work of spreading good aspects of Hinduism and is credited for generating lots of good publicity and interest among newer generations from far across. These scholars are generally trained in Sanskrit and other modern Indian languages and have extensive field experience in India. Scholars of Hinduism may be experts in the worship of Krishna or Shiva or Goddess or Yoga or in Vedanta or any other school of Indian Philosophies or even in ritual practices. All these Professors roughly teach Hinduism including other aspects of History, Geography, Philosophies and religious practices. By any standard of comparison, this kind of promotion of Hinduism in America is far better organised and practised than any where within India.

      Pluralistic society with no established religion, Australia is another example seeing fastest growth of Hinduism in comparison to all other religions. As per their census of 2011, Hindus recorded a growth of 97 per cent in five years since 2006 with total population of Hindus in 2011 standing at 280,000. While, Australia is also experiencing migration of Indian origin people, there are new converts who are taking to Hinduism by choice. As per last census figures, as many as 17 per cent Hindus are born in Australia itself.

      The spread of Hinduism in Ghana, a western African country is yet another example of great success in spite of no one pushing for Hinduism expansion. With about 70 per cent of population being Christian, Muslim is the second dominant faith there followed by Indigenous Africans. But as per census of 2010, Ghana had over 20,000 Hindus including about 2000 Indian migrants. The growth of Hinduism there is by locals adopting to it by choice. Indigenous people there find many of Hindu traditions reflecting their own basic traditions. Recent presence of many Hindu movements like Divine Life Society; ISKCON, Brahma Kumaris and Isha Foundation has also helped people getting exposure of Hinduism. As per Kwesi Anamoah, National president of the African Hindu Temple of Ghana;

"Today there are 2000 to 3000 families worshiping in our temples which is a big increase from 24 people who participated in the first ever training camp in 1976 to become disciples. We have not achieved it by winning the souls as other religion do, but we have attracted people into practice of Hinduism simply by the lives we lead. Our lives shine in the community to attract people"

      One person who studied Vedanta at Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh and became an African Swamy and started Hindu Monastery of Africa (HMA), now has seven centres running in Ghana and one each at neighbouring countries of Togo and Ivory Coast. Such small candles are going to slowly light more and more candles to help the darkness disappear and replace universal love and peace.