HAF's Letter to the Editor Published in New York Times: Hindu Rituals in Queens
New York, NY (April 22, 2011) - The Hindu American Foundation submitted the following letter to the editor of the New York Times. The letter was published in the Sunday, May 1, edition of the paper. Click here to access the letter on nytimes.com.
To the Editor:
According to a 2007 report by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, the health of Jamaica Bay has been threatened for decades. Excessive dredging, millions of gallons of waste and untreated storm water, sewer overflow, wind-blown trash, soot and chemicals from transportation, and large-scale development are the real causes of pollution — not just the occasional ritual offerings of devout Hindus.
John Zuzworsky, a former park ranger who was quoted in the article, is correct that “a lot of the Hindu traditions are based in respecting the earth.” Thus, Hindu New Yorkers share both a civic and a dharmic duty to keep the water and wildlife of the bay safe and clean.
Rituals are central to Hindu practice but are often reinterpreted to comport with environmental realities. The beauty of Hinduism lies in its adaptability to time and place without compromising its eternal truths.
SUHAG A. SHUKLA
Hindu American Foundation, April 22, 2011