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In a January 7th, 2007 New York Times article entitled, "Offerings to Mother Ganga, Worries About Mother Nature," Dorothea Poggi, founder of the Ferry Point Park West Coalition, commented on the practice of Hindu rituals at a small beach in Ferry Point Park in Bronx, NY: "I think the ritual is beautiful. I just wish they would stuff it in the garbage pail." For more than a decade, Hindus have been accused by many for desecrating the serenity of beaches and rivers. Because some Hindus leave floatables that are not rapidly biodegradable on the shores of the waterways, harsh generalizations are made about Hinduism and its relationship with natural ecosystems. However, we must avoid labeling any group of people based on detrimental practices done by a fraction of the mass. Just as important is encouraging that misguided fraction to alter its mindset and change its traditionally ingrained habits.
Many Hindu families have adapted their worship to include proper disposal ("consecration") of all ceremonial items after they pay homage to the Goddess of the water, "Mother Ganga." For instance, after performing the sacred ritual, many families take home the offered saris (clothing), wash and donate them to charity or give them to relatives or friends. In Queens and the Bronx, many Hindus realize the effects of placing camphor and aluminum into waterways. Thus, while many are reluctant to adhere to restrictions that discourage the placement of all ritual items into rivers/beaches, an increasing number of Hindus have stopped dumping explicitly toxic or deleterious items. This is certainly a step in the right direction.
The Mission Has Started
Many Hindus are working arduously to eradicate negative views of Hinduism based on ecologically destructive habits linked to rituals. While some are writing papers and directing films on the topic, others are physically picking up floatables and items left on the banks of beaches. On September 26th, 2009, the Federation of Hindu Mandirs Inc. USA, based in Queens, NY, organized a group of about 50 volunteers from the Richmond Hill community to help clean up the beaches. More than half of these volunteers included youths from the Shri Trimurti Bhavan, a mandir (temple) in Queens known for empowering young children and promoting cultural identity. The volunteers started their commendable mission at the break of dawn and by the time they left, they had collected more than 100 bags of garbage, most of which had nothing to do with Hindu pujas.
The Federation of Hindu Mandirs is working with members of the National Park Reserve and the hundreds of thousands of Hindus in New York to find an environmentally friendly and spiritually acceptable solution. The Federation, whose P.R.O is Dr. Dhanpaul Narine, prominent community activist, has had incredible influence on the Indo-Caribbean Hindus. I am confident that this organization's worthwhile efforts will go a far way.
The following are photos taken at the beach cleanup sponsored by the Federation of Hindu Mandirs:
Youths from the Shri Trimurti Bhavan to clean up the Jamaica Bay in Queens, NY
Mr. Naidoo Veerapen, Mr. Ralph Mannetta and Dr. Dhanpaul Narine at the Jamaica Bay Clean-up Event.
Mr. Veerapen is the General Secretary of the Hindu Federation of Mandirs Inc. USA. Dr. Narine is the PRO of the Hindu Federation of Mandirs Inc. USA and President of the Shri Trimurti Bhavan. Mr. Ralph Manneta is a NYC Coordinator of beach cleanups.
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