Grace and Margaret visit The Consulate General of India

Located at 3 East 64th Street, the Consulate is a satisfyingly imposing building.  We went especially to meet the Consul General, Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay who welcomed us warmly.  He was pleased that "mainstream Americans"  were present to hear the lecture by Mr. Aziz Haniffa on "Role of Ethnic Media in promoting India-US ties, part of the 2014-15 Lecture Series "Media India".  The lecture was  about Mr. Haniffa's career with India Abroad which has fielded him in Washington D.C.  There are 4.5 million Indian Americans, a cohesive community with a strong interest in international affairs and Mr. Aziz has been in a position to report on national and international issues due to his expertise and the many contacts he has made in his 22 years with India Abroad.
     The Consulate is in a former Vanderbilt home and quite grand, as one would expect.  After the lecture a buffet dinner was served of good Indian food, but on paper plates and with no tables or chairs.  It is tricky eating off a floppy paper plate while standing, especially when you are very conscious that turmeric, used in many Indian dishes, will stain your new suit forever if you have a spill.
     We look forward to attending future lectures and perhaps meeting with Consul Mulay to discuss our concerns related to potential persecution of Christians and Muslims in India.  Thanks to friend Arvind Vora, for the invitation and introductions.

Enlightenment and Peace through Education

The Volunteers of Shanti Fund, Enlightenment and Peace through Education, since 1997 have directed their efforts towards educational enhancements on Long Island.  They now work for peace in cooperation with 25 school districts  encompassing more than 100 schools "to promote value systems of Peace leaders of the world through educational outreach."  Their topic for this year is Youth for Peace.

Most recently, on July 10, 2014 they hosted an award dinner to honor Kwasi Enem, the graduating Senior from Shirley and the William Floyd School District who has the unique distinction of acceptance into 8 Ivy League Universities as well as other prestigious schools.  Kwasi is the son of immigrants from the Republic of Ghana who set high standards for achievement.

It was an interesting crowd.  Members of the Ghanan community, mingled with the Indian community and the community of educators across the Island to celebrate Kwasi and his singular achievement.  Recent immigrants to America spoke movingly of their love of the USA and their gratitude for the opportunities that abound for a good education and career for those who work hard.

New Directions

Here's a title for you; Dr. Antonios Kireopoulos, Associate General Secretary, Faith & Order and Interfaith Relations of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA.  Tony met us (the Dialogue Committee of the Long Island Council of Churches) in Riverhead, Long Island rather than his office in Manhattan; a huge relief not to have to truck into the city on such a hot, muggy day.

Our conversation was free ranging for the most part, but we were able to spend significant time and thought on issues related to Indian Christians.  Many positive suggestions for further connections were forthcoming of folks to meet with to further our message of concern.  They included meeting with representatives of:  World Council of Churches,  Consul General of the India Delegation to the United Nations, and Prime Minister Modi himself when he comes to visit the UN and US this coming September.  Exciting stuff.  We'll see how it goes.

Just for Fun

"Million Dollar Arm" is the latest feel good film about India.  A true story about recruiting young men from India to play baseball in the US, thereby creating a billion new fans for baseball.  It is sad, funny, triumphant, and stars  John Hamm.  And much of it is filmed in India.  I loved it.

India Mission Network

Looks like four of us Long Islanders will work on resurrecting the India Mission Network.  We met yesterday with staff of the PCUSA Office at the United Nations and by conference call with General Assembly staff in Louisville to share our concerns about human and civil rights for Christian and Moslem people in India; particularly Dalits and particularly in North India.  The purpose of the meeting was to bring the current political situation to their attention so they would be in a position to reach out to UN partners to express our concerns in the event of  further violence directed at these two minorities.

The two hour discussion led to an agreement to reach out to potential India Network partners who share our concerns and are interested in playing a role in support of our Christian partners in the Church of North India.
Other avenues to explore are: interfaith dialogue, both here in the USA and in India
an Overture to the General Assembly which meets in Portland, OR  in 2016
Submission of a report from CNI to the Human Rights Council of the United Nations (which meets every 4 years)

Pastor Jimmy Hulsey and I are members of the Long Island Council of Churches and I am a member of the Interfaith Dialogue Committee.  We have a meeting scheduled with the National Council of Churches in early July which may give us some further direction for interfaith dialogue.  So we will start with that.

Bat Theology

Strange how things you never heard of until recently, come up again.  Bat Theology, though, has a title that commands attention.  I first heard it in my Hinduism class at Stony Brook as part of a wealth of information I couldn't quite keep up with.  And I remember it because Bat is the name my Grandaughter planned to and did call her baby brother.
Bat Theology is from one of Jashua Kavi's many poems that express the desolation of people who are outcast.  He lived from 1891 to 1956 and was a contemporary of many of the great names in India's fight for Independence such as Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedkar.  His poems bring to light how society in general and religion in particular have provided justification for enslaving so much of humanity.  All men and women should be free to live with dignity and the respect of their fellow man.  He tells the story of every person who is caste out in a way that everyone recognizes, with words that touch hearts and minds.

Speaking of India...

Just returned from a whirlwind Smartour of Greece accompanied by my daughter, Erica, husband, Gerard, and friends Pat and Brian.  We started with island hopping and then a land segment.  Towards the end I got to talking to several folks about India Journey with Grace.  Folks were very interested, and for once no one was totally dismissive of the idea of travel there.  I did meet a woman who had been on the Smartours India trip and who had positive feedback about the tour and India.

We had excellent guides, especially for the land segment which included many of the important archeological sites.  One thing I found off putting, however, was the frequent reference to the Greek civilization being so far ahead of all others "in the known world".  Clearly, there were other known worlds on other continents over two thousand years ago.

Meanwhile, back in India, the voting was completed and Modi won with an impressive majority.  He has begun by inviting his counterpart in Pakistan to attend his swearing in ceremony, which seems to me a politically courageous thing to do. He has been invited to visit the US by Obama, the ban on his travel here having been lifted.  It will be interesting to see how this new direction for India plays out. What will be the effect of a move towards a more consciously Hindu, as opposed to a secular state?

Hindi and Hinduism

Taking a course at SUNY Stony Brook on Hinduism.  Luckily, I am able to audit as an adult learner, but the reading list is the same, no matter what.  I don't take exams or do a paper, so it is all good except for the time committment; three mornings a week a 9:00 AM.  Yikes!

I was inspired to take it  by my Hindi teacher who has been giving me private lessons since October., and who is the instructor for the class. I met him by chance at a yoga class.  Little by little, learning Hindi is taking place.  My disinclination to study does get in the way, compounded by the time spent on the Hinduism class.  The answer to the question "Is it worth it?" has yet to be answered. I would  like to be able to participate in simple conversation and know what is going on around me.

Indian Christians Demand Equal Rights

I have not finished the narrative about our October 2013 trip, having saved the best for last.  And then Thanksgiving and Christmas came and yada, yada, yada.  It was a case of saving the best (I always think Darjeeling is the best) for last.  But now I have received information about a matter of great importance and concern that must be shared.

On December 11, 2013 a rally of Indian Christians to demand equal rights for Dalit Christians and Muslims was held at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.  The group consisted of representatives from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, the National Council of Dalit Christians, the National Council of Churches in India and the Church of North India.  The issue is one of long standing.  Dalit Christians and Muslims are not accorded their rights under the Scheduled Caste provisions of the Constitution which accords educational and employment reservation status to Hindu, Sikh, and Buddhist Dalits.

This peaceful delegation of hundreds of Christian leaders from across North India was led by Mr. Alwin Masih, General Secretary of the Church of North India.   The group was met with dirty water canons and a caning charge by Delhi Police and many members of the group were detained for hours.  This is the first time after November 27, 1997 that bishops and religious leaders were arrested for embracing and supporting the Dalit cause and the first time when they were lathi charged and water canonned.

The following day a delegation met with Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India to apprise him of the situation and to put forth the anguish and pain the community is going through due to the denial of basic democratic rights to Dalit Christians and Muslims.  The Prime Minister gave them a patient hearing and assured them the matter would be brought before the Cabinet Committee.

We stand in solidarity with our brothers, sisters and friends in the Church of North India and will report on further developments.