The Hindoo Society Harare (HSH) in Zimbabwe is organizing “Vad Savitri Poonam” on June eight, which its announcement describes as a day when “women hold a fast and pray for their husband’s safety”.
It further elaborates the celebration as an occasion when “wives tie threads around a banyan tree and pray for the well-being of their husband. Women worship a banyan tree…Women give water to the tree, sprinkle red powder (kumkum) on it, and wrap cotton threads around tree’s trunks. Then they go seven times around the tree.” It will reportedly be held in the HSH complex in Ridgeview area of Harare.
HSH, a registered welfare organization whose history goes back to 1916, celebrated the 25th anniversary of majestic Shree Omkar Mandir in Ridgeview area of Harare on April 15-16.
This temple, completed in 1992, is the centerpiece for various spiritual activities for the Hindu community. Motto of HSH, which runs this temple, is: To promote and preserve the Hindu religious and cultural heritage and to strive for inter-religious harmony, understanding, and universal brotherhood.
HSH also runs Cameron Street Omkar Mandir (inauguration stone of which was laid in 1929), Westridge High School (“character building” is one of whose missions), Westridge Primary School, Gujarati School (foundation stone laid in1928), Mahila Mandal, Shishu Mandal and Yuvak Mandal. It conducts various bhajan events, twice-weekly yoga classes, Hindi lessons, cultural/social activities; organizes daily aarti at both the temples, Havan on Sundays; and offers funeral assistance for bereaved families; etc.
Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, commended efforts of HSH and Zimbabwe Hindu community towards realizing, maintain and running two Hindu temples and conducting various activities around these.
Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that HSH would help in this direction. Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of Self and work towards achieving moksh (liberation), which was the goal of Hinduism.
Gunvant Bhai Shah is HSH’s President. Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.1 billion adherents.
