Hindu Religion in Australia — Its Roots and Growth
It is generally believed that the essence of the Hindu religion is known to us all Hindus. As the language changes from region to region in India so do the religious practices. Everyone is proud of their unique practices and that pride nourishes the roots of this vast tree called Hindu religion. How should we put the roots of the Hindu religion in Australia and keep our connections with its diverse traditions?
The intellectual system of the West is well supported by schools, universities, publishing industry, and media. Hindu religion has some unique ideas like idol worship, the power of mantras, yoga, teacher-disciple tradition, etc., which may not fit easily with the Western intellectual structure. Do we need such parallel structures to communicate the intellectual framework of the Hindu religion in Australia?
This conference will focus on the ideas, challenges, insights, and opportunities for Hindus in Australia. The conference will be a good opportunity to develop and share religious ideas with the Hindu community of Australia. Experts will present their work but the conference is primarily to encourage everyone to present the development of their ideas as practitioners of the Hindu religion.
Some suggested topics for conference presentations include Hindu rituals, studies of scriptures in schools and universities, yoga minus its Hindu roots, discrimination against Hindus in Australia and Hindu phobia, international network and its attack on the phantom Hindu “right”, the Australian media attack on Hindus, Hindu religion and its interaction with Aboriginal practices, importance of Sanskrit for Hindus in Australia, the relevance of strong Hindu missions in India for Australia, Hindu religion and physical sciences, display of Hindu religious symbols in public, the central role of women, and countering the negative caste narratives.
Abstract Submission
We expect to have three to four one-hour plenary sessions and about forty to fifty fifteen-minute presentations. Abstracts for the conference can be uploaded at Oxford Abstracts. Information about how to write an abstract and develop ideas for presentation is available at the abstract registration site https://app.oxfordabstracts.
Conference Registration
Please register for the conference. Early registration will help us in the organization.
Registration Fee $51 non-members, $25 members and concessions.
Contacts
Himanshu Pota
conference@hinducouncil.com.au
