Yoga Session at North Carolina State University

The Hindu Students Council chapter at North Carolina State University held a prayer and yoga session during the weekend.

"It's a concentrated dose of culture, friendship and a lot of learning together," said Kanchan Banerjee, founder of the first chapter of the Hindu Students Council, after the event Saturday.

It has been 17 years since the Council first organised the camp.

More than 30 students sat barefoot and cross-legged and chanted Sanskrit verses led by Sudeep Roy, who first came to the camp as an undergraduate studying Indian culture and languages to learn more about the tradition in which he was raised, the online edition of News Observer reported.

Banerjee said he and fellow founders were inspired to form a new student group because Indian cultural groups on college campuses tend to avoid the spiritual aspect of culture.

The organisation reaches out to Indians and non-Indians who have an interest in studying Hinduism.

"Ill-informed professors, well-meaning friends and even some Indians unfairly associate Hinduism with poverty, or cows running in the streets or castes instead of acknowledging Hindu's contributions to the world, such as yoga," said Nikunj Trivedi, 28, a Rutgers University MBA student who serves as president of the national organisation.

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A couple of weeks ago, graduating students of the University of Nevada were blessed with verses from the Bhagavad Gita during their second annual interfaith baccalaureate service.

Source-IANS
MED/M