RC Vasavada

I was born in a small town in the state of Rajasthan in Northwestern India and came to the United States when I was 21. I am a practicing Hindu but not at all strict or ritualistic.  I don’t go to temple and I practice in my own way. I pray for a minute or two each day. Hindus believe in honesty, refraining from injuring living beings, patience, forbearance, self-restraint, virtue and compassion, among others.

While there are many deities, we believe that they are just aspects or manifestations of a single ultimate god. When I pray, I have chosen to pray to the deity Shankar (Shiva). It helps me to visualize my creator. Hindus are very flexible and acknowledge other religions. I often go to church with Tina on Christmas and we celebrate Christmas together as a family.

One of the most important Hindu holidays, Diwali, just passed. This year it was celebrated on November 14 – the third day of Diwali, the 5-day Festival of Lights. It is in essence our new year celebration, signifying the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil and hope over despair. As a child, I remember celebrating this holiday with my parents and family.  We were a family of six brothers and three sisters. I’m the oldest son. Our house would be illuminated with little oil lamps in front and inside.  My mother would have made all sorts of sweets. After special prayers in the morning to various deities including Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, we would have a festive breakfast with lots of sweets. Later we would visit and exchange greetings with friends. At night we’d enjoy some fireworks. Those few days were a very special and a joyous occasion for the whole family.