Hindus would like the existing Hindu shrine in the Prayer Room at Bryn Mawr College (BMC) campus in Pennsylvania to stay.In a statement, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed said that BMC needed to recognize the intersection of spirituality and education, which was important in Hinduism. He suggested that either the Hindu shrine should continue in the Prayer Room or BMC should provide designated and exclusive prayer-meditation hall to Hindu students for rituals, quiet reflection, festivals and spiritual exercise, which would help in their personal growth.
Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that it would be a step in the positive direction in view of reported presence of a considerable number of Hindu students at BMC, as it was important to meet their spiritual needs. Some other universities/colleges in USA now offered Hindu prayer rooms.
Moreover, Hindu students would need some religious objects to worship. Not having a prayer space in the campus would cause hardship to them as there was reportedly no Hindu temple in the campus vicinity, Rajan Zed indicated.
BMC should provide adequate security so that Hindu objects were not stolen again as it reportedly happened over the summer, Zed added.
When asked in an email to elaborate on the statement, Zed sent a link to an article from the Bi-College News with the headline of “A Prayer Space Controversy: Student Leaders Discuss Interfaith on Campus.” In the article, it was mentioned that some students raised concern over Hindu items inside a room that was designated as a non-denominational prayer space.
When asked about whether the college is removing any Hindu items, school officials said “no.”
“Bryn Mawr’s Hindu students maintain a temple in the college’s interfaith prayer room. They are welcome to worship on campus and have been doing so since last year,” Bryn Mawr Spokesman Matt Gray wrote in an email.
Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA.
BMC in a Philadelphia suburb, opened 1885, has about 1,300 undergraduate women and over 400 graduate women and men from 45 US states and 62 countries. It offers 36 majors and 41 minors for undergraduates. Its mission includes: “Bryn Mawr seeks to sustain a community diverse in nature…”. Kimberly E. Cassidy is the president.
Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that it would be a step in the positive direction in view of reported presence of a considerable number of Hindu students at BMC, as it was important to meet their spiritual needs. Some other universities/colleges in USA now offered Hindu prayer rooms.
Moreover, Hindu students would need some religious objects to worship. Not having a prayer space in the campus would cause hardship to them as there was reportedly no Hindu temple in the campus vicinity, Rajan Zed indicated.
BMC should provide adequate security so that Hindu objects were not stolen again as it reportedly happened over the summer, Zed added.
When asked in an email to elaborate on the statement, Zed sent a link to an article from the Bi-College News with the headline of “A Prayer Space Controversy: Student Leaders Discuss Interfaith on Campus.” In the article, it was mentioned that some students raised concern over Hindu items inside a room that was designated as a non-denominational prayer space.
When asked about whether the college is removing any Hindu items, school officials said “no.”
“Bryn Mawr’s Hindu students maintain a temple in the college’s interfaith prayer room. They are welcome to worship on campus and have been doing so since last year,” Bryn Mawr Spokesman Matt Gray wrote in an email.
Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA.
BMC in a Philadelphia suburb, opened 1885, has about 1,300 undergraduate women and over 400 graduate women and men from 45 US states and 62 countries. It offers 36 majors and 41 minors for undergraduates. Its mission includes: “Bryn Mawr seeks to sustain a community diverse in nature…”. Kimberly E. Cassidy is the president.