Author:
Publication: Hinduism Today
Date: September 1997
URL: http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/1997/9/1997-9-18.shtml
Swami Yoganandagiri seeks official
status for Italian-born Hindus in the land of the VaticanSubhead
We have to overcome a misunderstanding
asserted by Italian scholars that one has to be born in India to be a Hindu.
Our Sangha also hopes to spread the authentic Hindu culture among Italians
who take yoga as just a sweet gymnastic," stated Swami Yoganandagiri. His
December invitation to Hinduism Today outlined plans for a June international
conference in Milan on the controversial subject of conversion to Hinduism,
among other subjects. The problem is serious in Italy, for Hinduism is
not officially recognized by the government. An individual's conversion
and name change cannot be legalized. Tax-deductable status is not granted
to Hindu organizations. Hinduism Today accepted the invitation and sent
representatives Acharya Ceyonswami and Tyagi Skandanathaswami to the meeting.
Twelve years ago, Italian-born Swami
Yogananandagiri established the Gitananda Ashram in Savona, perched in
the hills a few miles from the sparkling blue Mediterranean Ligurian Sea
above Corsica. He became a yogi in his teens and was trained in India by
Swami Gitananda, among others. He learned Sanskrit, absorbed the South
Indian Agamic tradition, received sacraments making him a Hindu and was
initiated as a renunciate monk.
Skandanathaswami reported later,
"I couldn't believe my eyes when we reached Savonna. Swami Yogananandagiri
and a small band of dedicated Italian Hindus have established full traditional
Hinduism at his ashram. Stepping into his Sri Chakra temple was like being
in India. Other swamis teach yoga but often remain at distance from Hinduism.
But Yoganandagiri boldly declares his Hindu heritage, and that--in Italy!"
The conference is the first organized
by Swami's newly created Unione Induista Italiana, (Italian Hindu Union),
an attempt to unify under a Hindu banner those Italians already immersed
in Indian culture. The three days included workshops on Indian dance, yoga,
ayurveda and astrology presented by leading Hindus. But the pivotal debate
was taking place at meetings that pitted Italian professors of religion
against Hindu swamis and delegates on the issue of converting to Hinduism.
Chief adversary, Professor Mario Pianatelli, opined that conversion to
Hinduism is impossible for those not born in India. He was unanimously
countered by all the Hindu delegates, who cited Indian Supreme Court decisions
and statements by Swami Vivekananda and Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, former president
of India. That might have been the end of the issue, but the day after
the conference ended, a national Italian daily, L'Unità of Rome
published Piantelli's opinions in a major article. Swami Yoganandagiri
flew to Rome to issue a rebuttal [see below], and the debate entered the
national forum.
Swami had many allies. Dr. R. Gopalakrishnan,
Director, Radhakrishnan Institute for Advanced Study in Philosophy, University
of Madras said, "As an Indian and as a Hindu, I find there is no truth
in this statement that those who are born in India alone are eligible to
become Hindus." Dr. Atulchandra S. Thombare from Pune, India says, "A man
can change his nationality, and even his sex, why not religion?" Indian
Ambassador to Italy, Mr. Fabian, a Catholic, said: "Faith is a matter of
the heart and personal choice. If someone practises Hinduism and is accepted
by Hindus, then he is one."
Swami is allying himself with the
Buddhists, who are also pressing for official recognition in Italy. They
are, according to Swami, two years ahead of the Hindus in the decade-long
process of changing the complex Italian laws relating to conversion.
* Check the HT website for full
unedited statements
Impossible for Non-Indians
Mario Piantelli, Professor of Indian
Religions and Philosohies, University of Torino, Italy in an interview
with l'Unità:
All scholars agree that the category
'Hinduism' is something created by Orientalists. This obviously does not
exclude the existence of an Indian spiritual experience. But at a certain
point it was decided to use this label, which during Colonialism became
a flag for independence, and after that an attempt was made by the people
of India to recognize themselves in a common religion. In my opinion, this
common religion is nothing but a ghost. So many different experiences sprouted
on the Indian soil that it is difficult to place them in a unitary phenomenon.
Hinduism is a category born by adopting the term Hindu, a Persian expression
used by Muslims to qualify all those that in India who are not Muslims,
Jews or Christians; that is, "the others."
There are legal pronouncements that
Hindus are Indian citizens belonging to a religion born in India. This
means Buddhists, Sikhs or Parsis, even those who did not recognize themselves
as Hindus, are to be considered Hindus. After Independence, outcastes previously
not admitted into temples were also suddenly raised to the rank of Hindus.
Non-Indian Hindus around the world
generally belong to groups, experiences or schools which are irrelevant
compared to the Indian experience. They live far from India, trying to
get in touch with its reality. But they suffer from identification problems.
Indian are questioning whether or not such so- called Western converts
can be admitted to temples. While so- called Hindu radicalism finds its
strength in [Hindu] ethnic identity, the more traditionalist stratum of
Indian society identifies with universal laws which indicate behavior models
and the specific varna dharma, or caste rules, which apply only to Indians.
Outsiders are "barbarians." ...Hinduism is an impossible choice for those
not born in India.
Piantelli, Hindus Do Exist
Italian-born Swami Yoganandagiri,
Italy's founder of Gitananda Ashram, Italy:
Contrary to Professor Piantelli's
statements, the Italian Hindu Union comprises people who not only love
India, but have received a religious formation in India with all sacraments
and who identify themselves deeply and seriously with the Hindu faith.
The statement that "Hinduism" is a neologism referring only to those born
in India, is a wrong interpretation. The word Hindu has evolved. Today
in modern India Hindus are those following the principles of Sanatana Dharma.
Its main characteristic is its universality. There are no decrees or scriptures
which say only those born in India can be Hindu. What about the children
of the Hindus born in America, Africa, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius and
Europe? They call themselves Hindu just like we Italian Hindus. So, how
can it be an exclusive religion only for those born in India? On the contrary,
the Supreme Indian Court in 1966 codified the definition of Hinduism and
in 1995 confirmed that: "Hindus are those who accept the Vedas (sacred
text) as the highest religious and philosophical authority and are tolerant
and accept that truth can have many facets, who believe in cosmic cycles,
rebirth and pre-existence and recognize that manypaths lead to salvation."
Finally, referring to Piantelli's
statement "Does the phrase 'Italian Hindu' have any meaning?" Italian Hindus,
among which there are also Indian citizens living in Italy, already exist
and are recognized by Indian Hindus and Buddhists. Many governments have
legally recognized Hinduism. Maybe in Italy, the missionary Catholic heritage,
which makes the possibility of conversion difficult, still predominates.
Someone has stated that it is possible to leave Hinduism and become a Christian,
a Buddhist, etc. There is nothing in the universe which, if you can abondon,
you cannot adopt.