Webinar chronicles Hindu movement in America

The webinar traced the journey of the VHPA and its role in shaping the hindutva movement abroad

The Ram Mandir in Ayodhya / X - @VHPANews

Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) and the Hindu University of America recently organised the last webinar of their five-part series documenting the 500-year-old struggle to rebuild the temple.

Titled ‘The 500-Year Hindu Struggle to Rebuild Ayodhya Ram Mandir: American Hindu Contributions’, the webinar reflected on the diaspora’s pivotal role in the Ram movement. The guests included the former president of VHPA Jyotish Parekh, former general secretary of VHPA Gaurang Vaishnav and vice president of Seva Social Sevices Girish Gandhi among others.

With only 10 days remaining in the temple's inauguration, the series' final installment was a deep dive into the historical journey that the organization undertook in the populating Hindu Dharma and the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in the United States.

The introductory segment shed light on the book ‘Tipping Point: A Short Political History of India’ by Anuradha Kalhan, connecting VHPA's initiatives in the 1970s to the Madison Square Garden rally in 1984.

In addition, they also highlighted the early efforts of VHPA Founder Dr. Mahesh Mehta in promoting Hindu values and culture in the United States during the late 60s and early 70s. Key events such as the celebration of Swami Vivekananda's 100th anniversary and the Babri Masjid issue in the 90s further fueled the awakening of Hindus in America.

The pivotal period between 1984 and 1992 took center stage, exploring VHPA's role in actively propagating information about the Ram movement. The speakers highlighted the challenges they faced, including initial opposition and the importance of reclaiming the birthplace of Lord Ram.

The webinar then delved into the global impact of the successful 1993 VHPA conference with participants from 64 countries. It acknowledged the testing times faced by the organization including budget deficits and opposition within the Hindu community. Despite all these challenges, the program was a resounding success.

According to the panelists the 1993 conference proved to be a turning point, with around 13,000 people gathering in Washington DC. They concluded the discussion with impending excitement for the Ram Mandir inauguration on January 22.