By performing the play of the pilgrim, does the Indian-American elementary school student inadvertently become the oppressor? Or confirms the oppression? Or conforms to the oppressor?

Consider, for example, Selena Gomez's use of the bindi, which seemed to a few to be a significant Hindu symbol.

I weep for the families and friends for those immediately affected and for those whose lives and memories have forever changed. But I worry, especially after incite-ful rumors that automatically point the finger at (an) international terrorist(s), who, is/are in the imaginations of those easily deluded, brown-skinned.

Neil Davey, a junior at Montgomery Blair High School, eloquently describes his struggles as he contemplated seva, his motives to serve and the resulting fruits of his action.

We ask what Swami Vivekananda asked: Are you unselfish? If you are, you will be perfect without reading a single religious book, without going into a single church or temple.

A path to inclusion has been created. Now it is up to the community to take it forward; to continue addressing priority issues facing our nation and make more visible our evolving needs and strengths as we the New Americans weave our professional skills, traditions and culture in the pluralistic tapestry of America.

Temple attendance is an awful criterion to apply to Hindus, since their tradition does not emphasize congregational activity and many Hindus prefer to do their spiritual practices on home altars and meditation cushions.

That festive "Holiday" season is again upon us. It's a challenging time for members of the Hindu Diaspora, who often reflect upon the degree to which they and their children have acculturated or assimilated.

When Tulsi Gabbard takes her oath on the Gita, its political wisdom will not only be instructive for her as a Hindu but also for all members of Congress.

The Gita is not a playbook that offers easy, formulaic answers to relieve us the burden of decision-making. Rather, it is a moral and spiritual compass that offers us an amazing perspective with which to wrestle with the difficult questions. I suspect that Tulsi feels the same way.

Fifty-five years before Swami Vivekananda spoke at the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago (1893), Hinduism was being practiced in the Caribbean. It is a story of religious survival in the midst of abject poverty and colonial hostility.

The first Hindu elected to Congress, Tulsi Gabbard, will be taking her oath on the Bhagavad Gita. This is interesting because she wasn't born Hindu and because there is no one HIndu text or doctrine.

What happened this week was not just a diverse group of people finding their hope for their country renewed, but faith in whatever good the divine embodies as well. One might say a lot of prayers were answered this election.

(RNS) Hindu Americans have run America's major companies and universities, won Nobel prizes and Olympic gold medals, directed blockbuster movies, and ...

What if we all infused politics with the dharma values that matter to us, and help bring the practices of inclusivity, pluralism, valuing the divinity within all beings, compassionate action, non-violence, collaboration and unity to our country's highly partisan politics?

Through HASC's mission, I have found a way to make my Hinduness part of my American life, and to see that my religious heritage inspires innovative solutions for issues and challenges of the society I live in. I feel less isolated.

Editor's note: Every week, HuffPost Religion shines a spotlight on religious people doing good work in their communities. If you would like to recomme...

Being a father has been a blessing in my life, yes, but it has also been a catalyst for my spiritual development in a way that I've never experienced before.

Food that has been cooked in this consciousness and which has become sanctified by the simple offering process purifies the mind of anger, greed, pride and envy and helps us to connect our existence with the Divine.

It wasn't until I worked on a film about the Bhagavad Gita that I realized it's everywhere. It has influenced so many things I already knew about.

We are grateful to have worked to heal interfaith gaps in Alabama, in Kentucky and other states, through our values of ahmisa (nonviolence) and pluralistic acceptance embodied in the ancient Vedic scriptures.

Kentucky's Gubernatorial candidate's deplorable anti-Hindu remarks reflect an education and understanding gap. We need to build bridges of understanding.

We have demonstrated how we Hindu Americans can strengthen America globally. Our seva voice has proved that we are ready to tackle difficult tasks facing our country, every step of the way.

With the rise of Indian gurus coming to the United States in the 1960s, Shankar emerged as the musical counterpart to their spiritual teachings.

This November, if the Senate does not take action on the bill to reform the USCIRF, yet another chapter of our country's myopic approach to faith-based foreign policy might just come to an end.