Western Hindus Taking Steps to Unify

October 3, 1998

Source: The Houston Chronicle

On October 3, 1998, The Houston Chronicle reported that Western Hindus, "feeling a need for renewal in Hinduism," are founding a council of senior religious leaders to codify moral standards and religious practices in the West. These leaders will then meet in Austin, Texas in August 1999 with several hundred Hindu clergy and community leaders to deal with many problems that Hindus face in Western society. The goal of this endeavor is to hold annual meetings beginning in 1999 and eventually formulate a code of conduct, or "samskar." Priya Dasi, a Hindu nun, stated that "this will help members of the Hindu community outside of India to remain strong and good Hindus." Some of the problems to be addressed will be long rituals and arranged marriages. According to this article, there are an estimated 1.2 million Hindus in the U.S., with a community of 35,000 in Houston.