Activism and the Hindu Child

A parent's 10-step guide to channeling activism

Nov 10, 2023

Activism is here to stay. A cursory glance at trending articles and books is enough to make parents uneasy. There are TED ideas and talks on “Teach Younger Kids to be Activists Too,” articles about “Four Ways to be a Real Youth Activist,” “6 Tips for Effective Youth Activism,” and so on. Activism is now seen as cool, liberating, cutting-edge, and even a career choice. Teen magazines promote articles that say activism could make you happier. Parenting magazines tell you “How to raise an activist.”

Activism is in the news again, with many universities in India and abroad grappling with protests in the wake of the recent happenings in Israel. Activism hinges on tearing things down, burning traditions, and helping to create a brave new world. The carefully cultivated glamour surrounding it is inescapable for the young. It has become socially rewarding and seen as a status symbol. Almost every young student is destined to pass through a phase of activism. Rather than just discouraging it or maintaining a stoic silence pretending it doesn’t exist, Hindu parents must learn to channel the tremendous enthusiasm, energy, and boundless idealism of youth.

Since activism is inherently clamoring to change traditions and tear the old order down, ancient cultures, which are not dogmatic, are at a disadvantage. Hindus are hit especially hard because - despite being victims, we neither know nor are taught to protect our people and culture. Faiths that have a victimhood narrative built into them thrive in this climate of “fighting oppression,” and Hindus, due to an inability to tell their own story, have been cast as oppressors by outsiders. Without any alternate point of view, our kids hear this day and night and believe the worst about us.

The problem for Hindu parents is that all activism today is directed against Hindus; there is no pro-Hindu activism anywhere despite Hindus being victims of terror and genocides for centuries in different parts of the world. We must understand, talk about it, and help children navigate the shark-infested waters of activism that come in various forms, like gender-based, climate, judicial, brand, identity, and even shareholder activism.

How can Hindu parents ensure that our children do not get sucked into virulent anti-Hindu activism?

Here are ten practical steps you can take:

Create awareness. Awareness has to be the first step. Most Hindu kids know about the Israel-Palestine conflict thanks to the relentless spotlight in media, debate clubs, mock UN sessions, etc. Issues like world peace, multiculturalism, global warming, etc., are portrayed as glamorous to attract youth to the cause. Our children have no clue about the Partition of India, the Moplah genocide, or the Razakar problems. Set aside one day every week to discuss the history of Hindus. Have children research Hindu history and present it to the family weekly at family awareness time.
Engage in age-appropriate discussions at home. If you have young kids, don’t burden them with issues like rape and conversion of Hindu girls in Pakistan, but talk to them about the 17 invasions of Somnath temple. Tell positive, human-interest stories that will inspire and leave an impression on them. For example, every child will be fascinated by how a temple dancer and devotee, Vellai, saved the vigraham at Srirangam temple.
Encourage children to take action by giving them goals. Start small. Make sure they take up one small goal and taste success. Early successes create a can-do attitude for life. In contrast, too big and overwhelming goals can leave them disinterested and disillusioned. For example, a teenager can collect donations for Hindu refugees from Pakistan, but a 6-7-year-old is better off participating in a challenge with his friend to learn the entire Hanuman Chalisa.
Use logic. When children as young as 7-8 are taught how not to waste water or burst crackers for Hindu festivals, teach them to refute what they hear by presenting evidence. Here’s a brilliant example of how to use logic when Hindu festivals are shown as problematic. Also, watch for confusing headlines that blame Hindu festivals even while giving evidence to the contrary! A child who learns to stand up for his festivals will learn to be bold.
Let children choose a pro-Hindu cause dear to their hearts. If they take on a cause that appeals to them, they will have ownership and be much more dedicated. Set concrete, achievable, understandable tasks. Asking a 6-year-old to sign petitions to free temples is abstract, but taking the child to a gaushala and feeding a cow is more age-appropriate.
Learn to anticipate. Make forward-thinking part of your second nature. When you take children to a big temple with elephants, show them how well they are cared for as part of the temple family. Do this before the newspaper reaches kids with its PETA or BBC article on “saving” tortured temple elephants. Point out that the same organization that claims to speak for temple elephants is silent about the cruel practice of modern animal farming or the slaughter of animals for non-Hindu festivals. The best way to anticipate is to look at controversial issues around you and then work backward to get in the Hindu POV (point of view) when children are young.
Teach children the art of precise communication. Everyone must be good at communication, speaking, and writing in the modern world. Even a child inclined toward the STEM areas (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Medicine) needs to be good at communication and other soft skills. Teach kids to develop a healthy skepticism. It will help them to stay strong and not be fooled into making unwise choices in life. Parents should also train children in the art of convincing others. Get them to practice their skills at home.
Encourage children to suggest topics for discussion in classrooms. Participating in discussions will help children to become clear thinkers and present information nicely. For example, if a child lives in Karnataka, she can request her 5th-grade history teacher to do a classroom session on Hampi and Indian heritage. Parents can also help kids choose and present topics for giving small talks based on marvels of Indian engineering - for example, the iron pillar that does not rust.
Be pro-active. Today, Palestine-Israel is in the news. Read relevant articles and understand that the same activists can start an anti-Hindu agitation in the future. Take the time to understand and talk with your older teen about current issues in the news and how it affects Hindus. Talk about Kashmir at home so that children do not hear about it for the first time at college. Discussing things with them at home will also help them counter misinformation in college. Remember, knowledge is power. A young person who knows about his history and identity is confident.
Prepare children for the world outside. To understand what happens in universities, listen to our podcast on American colleges here. It is essential to remember that the world today is highly connected. Indian colleges are closely following the same pattern. No matter where your children go for higher education (in India or abroad), they will face the same pressure to dissociate from their Hindu identity. Prepare them before they succumb to the seductive cry of “Resist!” and “Social Justice!” on college campuses.

Youth are particularly vulnerable to activism because they are idealistic. It will take time for them to learn that the world is imperfect and there is great wisdom in the Hindu way of “live and let live.” Tearing down someone else’s traditions in the quest for selective social justice is not acceptable. Meanwhile, do not shy away from using your influence with your children. It is a parent’s job to guide them along gently. For more insights on the power of words, communication within families and how to talk to children, listen to our recent podcast.

As individuals, we cannot solve big problems, but our goal must be to ensure that we are the main influencers in our children’s lives. There is nothing wrong with it. Having schools, colleges, friends, newspapers, and the Internet shape our children’s opinions is not an intelligent thing to do. It is foolish and fatal for us in the long run. To influence our children and train them in the Hindu perspective is our right and our duty.

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