Veerashaivism in America Discussion Review: Trishul Nagenalli Central VSNA Youth Chapter Inaguration July 2nd, 2017 This year‘s Veerashaivism in America Discussion event was the first of its kind and a wonderful success. The discussion was directed towards understanding what the Veerashaiva identity meant for our community here and how we should practice Sharana philosophy in the United States. The audience was split into youth and adult groups to explore how VSNA‘s elders and youth may answer those questions differently. The youth discussion was led by Trishul Nagenalli from the Maryland chapter and the adult discussion was led by Varun Mandi from the Southern California chapter. In their discussion, the youth felt that being a Veerashaiva meant uncompromisingly doing the right thing for society. They felt the way we must practice Veerashaivism is through living Basavanna‘s motto ―Kayakave Kailasa‖- taking every opportunity available to help people. To them, the message of Basavanna was to do the right thing regardless of the situation. They did, however, have concerns about how Veerashaivism was practiced in the US today. Many felt the Veerashaivism does not manifest itself today in the US as a force dedicated to abolish caste-like restrictions, but more like a caste itself. They felt the pressure to follow conventional norms flew against the rebellious spirit of the Sharana movement which sought to challenge the conventions of its time. They felt the emphasis on ritual and tradition as a way of practicing Veerashaivism sometimes seemed to be more important than more practical principles like ―Kayakave Kailasa,‖ which confused them. They thought that the deemphasis of ritual was an important message of the Sharanas. In sum, the youth had a lively discussion that helped them explore and learn about what it meant to be Veerashaiva. The adult discussion was also very lively. Despite having many more members than the youth circle, the adults still had active audience participation from many different members. Often the adults felt that the identity of being Veerashaiva in the United States meant identifying with the community and traditions they had been accustomed to growing up as Veerashaivas in India. They felt very proud of their children when they adhered to and embodied the values of Veerashaivism and gave a round of applause for Varun when he spoke of the deep respect he holds for his parents. The Veerashaivism in America discussion was an intriguing new event in the convention lineup that we feel should be hosted every year. It was a truly enjoyable and constructive dialogue for both the youth and adults present. We received very positive feedback on the format and content of the event. A common thread in much of the feedback we heard was an appreciation for the ability to openly discuss debatable questions. The audience enjoyed answering open-ended questions that required them to think on the spot as well as listening to new opinions that could change theirs. We believe that this discussion is a tradition that should become a staple of the VSNA National convention.
VSNA Convention 2017 Souvenir
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Vachana Deepti