Georgia Officially Declares The Month Of October As The "Hindu Heritage Month". Here's All You Need To Know

The US state of Georgia officially designates the month of October as "Hindu Heritage Month". The intent behind the move is to recognize, acknowledge, and celebrate the contributions of the Hindu-American community within the state. According to PTI, Brian Kemp, Georgia's Governor issued a proclamation that declared the month of October as the one to celebrate the "Hindu heritage". The proclamations issued by the Governor stated that the focus of the celebration would be on the vast spiritual traditions and enormous culture of the Hindu heritage deeply embedded in India.

Contributions of the Hindu Heritage Culture

The proclamation came forward on August 23. It stated that "The vibrant Hindu American community has contributed tremendously to the vitality of the State of Georgia by enriching the lives of its citizens."

Some time ago, the Assembly of the state passed a resolution that condemned Hinduphobia. The resolution made Georgia the very first American state to move with legislative measures against anti-Hindu bigotry.

While on one side the resolution condemns Hinduphobia, on the other side it acknowledges the contributions of the Hindu community such as Ayurveda, food, meditation, music, arts, and Yoga. It appreciates the fact that these elements have aided in enhancing and enriching the American society's culture and have contributed to adding value to the lives of its people.

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How did the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), the Hindu advocacy group react?

The decision by Georgia was welcomed wholeheartedly by the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA). The Hindu advocacy group showered its gratitude to Governor Kemp for recognizing the contributions of the Hindu community to so many spheres.

The group showcased its gratitude on X, formerly Twitter.

#BREAKING: Georgia proclaims October as Hindu Heritage Month. Our thanks to Governor @BrianKempGA for this recognition. This was made possible by the untiring dedication of our friends at the Hindus of Georgia PAC. Hinduism has contributed greatly to the cultural milieu of… pic.twitter.com/Rh18yYqGII

— CoHNA (Coalition of Hindus of North America) (@CoHNAOfficial) August 30, 2023

"This was made possible by the untiring dedication of our friends at the Hindus of Georgia PAC. Hinduism has contributed greatly to the cultural milieu of America," expressed the group in its Tweet.

According to PTI, however, the group showcased its concerns over the anti-caste discrimination bill put forward by the California State Assembly recently.

The group stressed the contradiction between the recognition by Georgia and the passing of #SB403 which seeks to battle caste discrimination and foster the protections for the communities that are marginalized across the state. CoHNA expressed it on X by saying "It is gratifying to see Georgia recognize the contribution of Hindu-Americans and Hinduism at the same time that California is targeting us with #SB403."

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The Hindu Heritage Month

According to the Hindu American Foundation, the Hindu Heritage Month is celebrated globally to acknowledge Hinduism as a tradition and appreciate its contributions to human society. Globally speaking, Hinduism is the third largest religion and has around one billion devotees. In the United States, the population of Hindus is about 3 million.

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