Opinion: Hindu-Americans in San Diego Embody Pluralism and Patriotism

The small but growing Hindu-American community in San Diego county comprises diverse ethnicities, cultures, languages, and denominations. Practitioners include diaspora communities from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Caribbean, as well as American-born seekers from all ethnicities. 

Hinduism’s long history and rich footprint in San Diego county includes temples and spiritual centers, such as the Encinitas Self-Realization Fellowship temple from the World War II era, the Hare Krishna movement in the 1970s, Swami Vivekananda’s Vedanta Society in the early 1980s, and houses of worship by Indian immigrant communities from the 1990s onwards.

For nearly two decades, local volunteers of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh have worked selflessly to preserve and promote Dharmic values, citizenship, responsibility, and volunteerism in our communities through cultural, educational, civic engagement, service, public awareness, and yogathon programs. 

Hindu-Americans in San Diego practice their faith through vibrant festivals, inspiring discourses, beautiful worship services, enlivening music programs, and spiritual enrichment for children. In addition, a thriving network of Yoga, meditation, Ayurveda and Kirtan centers provide physical, mental, and spiritual benefits to the wider community while rooted in Hindu scriptures, philosophy and practice. Hindu-Americans inspired by their faith have selflessly served San Diego and communities nationwide across religions, ethnicities and backgrounds through local volunteering, Diwali food drives, Covid-19 relief, and refugee support services. 

Unlike persecuted Hindu minorities in many countries, Muslim, Christian and Sikh minority communities have thrived in Hindu-majority India with fast-growing population shares that are projected to further increase in the decades ahead, which is a reflection of the deep commitment to religious pluralism, interfaith harmony, secular outlook and non-proselytizing nature of Hindus as espoused by Vedic scriptures and teachings, and protected by present and past governments 

But, sadly, the California vs. Hate program found that Hinduphobic incidents were the second most common religion-related hate crime (after antisemitic ones) in the past year. Hindu-Americans have been the targets of significant and annually rising stereotypes and disinformation, bullying in schools and college campuses, as well as discrimination, anti-Hindu hate speech, and hate crimes targeting temples and individuals.

There has also been a constant barrage of toxic state, local and university-level resolutions and legislation (such as the SB 403 caste bill — thankfully vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom), frivolous litigation, and caste-focused DEI training programs that actively seek to promote anti-Hindu hate, divisive attitudes, demonize and deny equal protection and due process to Hindu American employers, employees, students, teachers, institutions, businesses and houses of worship. 

Earlier this year, Hindus in San Diego, across the nation, and around the world commemorated the reconstruction and rightful restoration of the historic Ram Temple in the holy city of Ayodhya after its destruction by medieval rulers. Temple remains beneath the disputed structure were excavated and later publicized by Dr. K. K. Muhammed, a Muslim and former director of the Archaeological Survey of India.

Some in California have claimed that the temple consecration celebrations were an insult to the local Muslim population, but this has no basis in fact considering that it was the independent and secular Supreme Court of India which adjudicated the property dispute in favor of the temple restoration while awarding a much larger parcel of land for a grand mosque close to the original site. While the violence that arose in the aftermath was inexcusable and was rightfully and unequivocally condemned, over one-third to nearly half the victims and casualties were Hindus. 

You may hear accusations of Islamophobia against the Hindu community in California and locally, but those are groundless. In addition to being among the most educated groups nationwide, Hindu-Americans are well-integrated, fully-contributing members of this great nation and of this fine city, and we treat our colleagues and community members (of any faith or none) with utmost respect in our day to day life. 

The local Hindu organizations and houses of worship epitomize the spirit of gratitude, religious freedom, pluralism and harmony that underpins the Hindu faith and the feelings of the vast majority of the vibrant diverse San Diego Hindu-American community. 

Bharath Ramaswamy and Kedar Bhole are volunteers and leaders active in the San Diego Hindu-American community.