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DHARMA : TO EXPLORE, TO EXPRESS, TO EXPERIENCE

{]Qa-BaahU ivaraomaoSyaa naa kxiScata SaRnaaotaI maama|

Qamaa-QartaScaa kxamaaScaa tata: ikxmaata-ma naa saovayatao||

- Bhagavaan Veda Vyasa

“Raising both the hands (although I call people to follow dharma) no one listens to me. All of you (please understand) by following dharma only, you can also achieve material wealth and fulfillment of desires, then why don’t you follow dharma (in your life)

Dharma translates as “the way things are.” This may seem overly vague, until you understand that the word “dharma” has been used to imply “the laws of nature” or “that which sustains the universe” Dharma denotes the principles, laws and acts for being, becoming and sustaining.  

The Global Dharma Conference in Edison, New jersey was a spectacular extravaganza, and an attempt by the Indian youth diaspora residing in the USA to understand and explore dharma in today’s context. Head from July 25th – 27th July 2003, the three day conference had speakers like the Indian President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Deepak Chopra, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, HDH Pramukh Swami, Dr. Kiran Bedi, Dr. B. K. Modi, and HH Swami Dayanada Saraswati. Close to two thousand youth, from all over the world, attended the conference.

The event was organized by The Hindu Students Council (HSC) – the largest student body of second generation Indians present in over seventy campuses across North America. Over a decade of activities, mainly organizing discussion forums, conferences, and community service projects has widely earned HSC a reputation for promoting spirituality on college campuses. Kanchan Banerjee, National coordinator of the HSC says, “such a gathering of youth for the Conference has created a momentum that would certainly have global impact”. The conference was supported by organizations like World Buddhist Association, National Sikh Sangat, Young Jains of America (YJA), People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), National Hindu Students Forum UK (NHSF), National Hindu Youth Federation of South Africa (NHYF), World Hindu Youth Council Nepal, International Society for Krishna Consiousness (ISKCON), University of Massachusettes Indic Studies, and Jaia-Bharati France.

The plenary session on Friday evening highlighted the relevance of dharma to various aspects of life.

Leading experts explored the themes of dharma and self, dharma and family, dharma and society, and dharma and the world through nine parallel sessions covering topics ranging from Brainwaves of a Yogi to Dharma for Sustainable Development and Good Governance. Participants found the parallel sessions especially fulfilling as they were able to interact with speakers.

An international concert was held where artists Shankar; Gingger, Zakir Hussain, and Shivammani played together for the first time. Their combination of double violin, tabla and percussion spell bounded the audience. A performance by STEM dance theatre explored dharma through nonverbal communication, followed by other cultural programs. The Final day of the conference was marked by an interfaith panel discussing the universal appeal of dharma and importance of international harmony. Following the panel, the President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Azad, addressed participants via live videoconference. Live video messages from Jagadguru Sankaracharya of Kanchi and Pramukh Swami of BAPS were also an important part of The conference. The conference came to a close on Sunday afternoon. Conference public  relations director Nikunj Trivedi, in his vote of thanks recognized the effort the youth volunteers had invested in the success of the conference. Rakhi Israni, the program director said, “The conference was a life time opportunity to see the efforts of the young generation making impact in the minds of young and old alike.” “The Dharma Conference was an ambitious step by the HSC to network with similar organizations worldwide regardless of their affiliation to any particular faith or ideology,” says Priyank Jaiswal, Conference spokesperson and Media Coordinator – Hindu Students Council. The youth recognize the importance of Dharma, which needs to be inculcated in daily practice for better being. This conference was a stepping-stone to unison towards Dharma and dharmic tradition.

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