“Temple going is for the purification of the soul,” said Mahatma Gandhi. For a long time, temples have been a key resource to find peace and happiness for the devotees. Temples also have been so much a part of Hindu dharmic values that Hindus took some form of the concept of temple when they began moving to different parts of the world in the early nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Over the years, the concept of temples abroad has gone through sea changes. It is not merely a place for ‘darshan’ of Bhagwan but has become the main hub of all sorts of Hindu gatherings. A plethora of activities are conducted by the temple authorities. Today, mandir(s) in America or anywhere outside Bharat, not only organize different poojas, samskara ceremonies, and other rituals but also conduct an array of community programs from wedding ceremonies, festival celebrations, music and dance classes, Indic language classes, yoga & meditation sessions, classes for teaching Hindu dharma in general, to Vedic and Geeta classes, per se.

There have been conscious efforts to keep the concept of mandir alive for a higher purpose by the immigrant Hindu population. Firstly, they want to preserve and promote Hindu traditions and cultural heritage and pass it onto the next generation. Secondly, they wish to teach our youth Hindu philosophy and dharma and to inculcate in them a pride for our heritage.

This cannot be done solely on the terms laid by the previous generation as they had the conviction and exposure to Hindu traditions on a much larger and deeper level. It is a challenge to sustain the interest of the first generation Indian American to have unflinching faith and followership for Hindu traditions. Mandir, in future, might not stay important for super busy, gadgets and social media driven young minds. Some parents even have the concern that, in the time to come, their kids eventually might even stop visiting mandir. This calls for a security of the relevance of Hindu mandir in a foreign land. 

We need to comprehend the dynamics of the young generation and see what they think about mandir. Do they see it as a wholesome, functional institution? Or do they only visit temples as a family tradition until their parents are with them? We need to see what changes they would like to see in Hindu temples in the future, so that it becomes meaningful enough for them to stay connected with the setup. 

We must acknowledge that their challenges today are different. Their desire and willingness to identify and stay connected with Hindu society living abroad would not remain as vehement as it was for their parents when parents emigrated from Bharat a few years back. In future, if we want mandir to play a key role in American society, we need to bring the youth on the same page and align them with our expectations.

So far, we have seen temples transitioning from Bharat to the USA as a more functional body at the community level.  As it transitioned as a potent concept from Bharat, it became a comparatively more dynamic medium most organically changing with the need of time overseas. It did succeed as a means to preserve and propagate the rich cultural heritage of our Sanskriti for the global audience.

However, now it's time to take it on yet another level! Till date, Pujari jis in our mandir(s) have been seeing themselves as masters of reciting scriptural slokas and mantras. The rote dharmic knowledge passed over from generations has been preserved by these learned people through temples till now, but it's time to take a different turn. Can they now begin to apply their scriptural knowledge to more meaningful applications in day-to-day life in a way that is a value add for youngsters? 

Gradually, they must ‘up their game’ to pull in their young minds. Mandir authorities in the USA, or for that matter anywhere outside of Bharat, have to begin thinking about more practical solutions to the next generation’s psychological and existential problems with an overall Hindu-centric approach if they want to be relevant in the future. 

We need to help the young generations in maximizing their true potential with this firm belief that they have strong moral support from someone from their faith. How about putting conscious effort to find ways to become more useful for the next generation by giving them need-based moral support?

At times parents feel they are providing the best means to their kids, and they are being exposed to the best resources. But this may not be enough. Young minds have their own quests and unanswered questions especially the questions of more existential nature, about belongingness, and about balancing the lifestyles of two different cultures they are exposed to and so forth.

Sometimes, all that younger minds need is an ear to share their concerns and questions. All they need is someone who could help them to tap into their faith for their healing. For this, you don’t need degrees in counseling, or the professional rigor of a life coach, just an adult figure, less judgmental and more approachable than any set of parents or their friends.

Some form of dharmic value-based counselling service or life coaching might be a game changer. One doable way is Geeta based Hindu worldview being prescribed by temples. This might help the youngsters have their own Hindu faith and beliefs evolve, rather than being imposed on them by their parents. It will not only be therapeutic and grounding but also more lasting and stronger.  

There are several Hindu organizations working for the community with their own focus of interest in the USA. Staying in the know with each other’s purpose and seeking support from each other might be a value addition for all these organizations, not just Hindu mandir.

For all intents and purposes, Mandir needs to play a bigger role to connect all Hindu organizations and evolve as a richer, more trustworthy resource for the Hindu youth in the future. The future generation would not only seek academic and spiritual guidance from their local mandir but also would look up to the temple to provide some counseling and guidance on a more personal level. 

Image source: Hindu American Foundation