By C.Haag (FSWC Educator)

Hinduism, or Sanatana Dharma, originated from the Indian subcontinent thousands of years ago, although it was widely practiced throughout Asia. Today, it’s practiced around the world with adherents representing a myriad of backgrounds.

In December 2016, Ontario passed the Hindu Heritage Month Act. The month selected, November, is especially important to the 830,000 Hindus in Canada as “Deepawali” or “Diwali,” their largest celebration typically falls in November or October each year.

According to Brittanica, Hinduism is among the  world’s oldest living religions still practiced today. One of the pillars of Hinduism is its acceptance and celebration of the diverse aspects of adherents. This acceptance of different perspectives is shown through a popular prayer which translates to “Let noble thoughts come to us from all directions,” or that truth can be found from multiple sources.

Ontario, and by extension, Canada, are home to many Hindu people. In Toronto, one can find over 50 Hindu temples, with many more spread across the country. Hindu immigrants first arrived in Canada near the beginning of the 20th century, starting in 1903. Since then, Hindu Canadians have made many contributions across all fields. Sarla Bedi, a Hindu priestess, established a Hindu reform movement in Toronto to help immigrants settle in Canada. Uppaluri Siva Ramachandra Murty and Maruti Ram Pedaprolu Murty both contributed significantly to mathematics. These are just a few examples from the many prominent Hindu figures in Canadian history.

This line from the preamble of the Hindu Heritage Month Act puts it best: “Hindu Heritage Month is an opportunity to remember, celebrate and educate future generations about Hindu Canadians and the important role that they have played and continue to play in communities across Ontario.”