Category: Friends

Living with Diversity Today

Living with Diversity Today

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Friends Event: Living with Diversity Today

Leicester Friends Event
Saturday, 6 February 2016 – 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre
Rothley Street, Leicester LE4 6LF

Rev Tom Wilson, Director of St Philips Centre, and Shaunaka Rishi Das of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies

A public conversation to explore the issues and promote an open discussion. Leicester is one of the most diverse cities in Britain. How could people with such different cultural, religious, and culinary habits ever be truly British? Can British people really support Indian cricket? Three generations later and we ask similar questions of Eastern Europeans, Russians, and Somalians. How deep is our multiculturalism? Where does diversity start? What are the barriers? To help us focus on these issues, drawing from experience, and from Hindu and Christian literature.

Organiser: 
Friends of the OCHS – Leicester
lf@ochs.org.uk
Humility in the Gita

Humility in the Gita

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Friends Event: Humility in the Gita

Birmingham Friends Event
Saturday, 23 January 2016 – 7:00pm to 9:00pm

​Meeting House of the Society of Friends
1 Hamlet Road Hall Green
Birmingham B28 9BG​

A talk by Shaunaka Rishi Das of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies

The Bhagavad-gita is a conversation that takes place on a battlefield, just prior to a conflict that ends in death and misery for most of the participants. Its a strange text therefore in which to find humility emerging as one of its important principles. In fact humility is the basis on which Arjuna, one of the most valiant of the warriors present, finally decides to participate. In a modern context where Hindus complain that they can be too humble, too compliant, and seen as weak – and urge more assertive and agressive action – we examine the Gita asking why humility, and what does humility mean in the context of the Gita.

Organiser: 
Friends of the OCHS – Birmingham
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Hindus

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Hindus

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FOCHS Event: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Hindus

Leicester Friends Event
Saturday, 16 January 2016 – 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre 

Rothley Street, Leicester LE4 6LF



A talk by Anuradha Dooney of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies

Once again the New Year heralds hope for improvement in all areas of our lives. We all know we are capable of great intention and noble goals, yet behaviour often falls short of the plan. This talk does not promise to ‘Change Your Life’ or ‘Make you Happy’, but it does offer insights from characters in Hindu sacred texts who seem to get it together in difficult circumstance. How might a particular characteristic of Prahlad, Pariksit, Narada, Queen Kunti, and Valmiki, amongst others, help us today? This personal selection of ‘habits’ is certainly no definitive list, but aims to provoke reflection, and further discussion for drawing up your own list.

Organiser: 
Friends of the OCHS – Leicester
lf@ochs.org.uk
Rama’s Diwali

Rama’s Diwali

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Friends Event: Rama's Diwali

Leicester Friends Event
Saturday, 7 November 2015 – 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre Rothley Street
Leicester LE4 6LF



A talk by Anuradha Dooney of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies

Diwali is one of Hinduism’s most inclusive festivals and is now celebrated worldwide. One of the most famous of the many Diwali stories is the story of Lord Rama. What does Rama’s Diwali tell us about community and duty, morality and social responsibility? In this talk we look at the story and then go deeper to consider what insights Diwali can bring to the contemporary world.

Organiser: 
Friends of the OCHS – Leicester
A Hindu Vision of Childhood and Parenting

A Hindu Vision of Childhood and Parenting

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Friends Event: A Hindu Vision of Childhood and Parenting

Leicester Friends Event
Saturday, 3 October 2015 – 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre
Rothley Street, Leicester LE4 6LF



A talk by Brainerd prince of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and Saloni Patel

With the global effort to protect the rights of children, have we lost a healthy understanding of the role of the family as the centre of a child’s social structure? How can Hindu approaches to children and particularly their relationship to parents offer a corrective to other modern notions – is there a Hindu contribution to the current debate on child rights?

Organiser: 
Friends of the OCHS – Leicester
Conversion in Hindu Culture

Conversion in Hindu Culture

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Conversion in Hindu Culture

Leicester Friends Event
Saturday, 1 August 2015 – 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre
Rothley Street, Leicester LE4 6LF



A talk by by Shaunaka Rishi Das of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies

The word conversion conjures up images of determined zealots, waving their book, and haranguing a fallen soul to turn to the one true God. The issue of conversion in India has resulted in death and the destruction of sacred places. Some Hindus stand firmly by the assertion that there is no conversion in Hindu tradition. Some say you become a Hindu only by birth, and others maintain that the impure should not even be allowed into temples. In this talk we explore Hindu ways of thinking about conversion, change, and transformation, and try to explain different approaches to these ideas, and how they may apply in a modern context.

Organiser: 
Friends of the OCHS – Leicester
lf@ochs.org.uk
 
Friends Event: The idea of Faith in Hindu thought

Friends Event: The idea of Faith in Hindu thought

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Friends Event: The idea of Faith in Hindu thought

Leicester Friends Event
Saturday, 4 April 2015 – 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre
Rothley Street Leicester LE4 6LF

A talk by Shaunaka Rishi Das of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies

Faith is an English word with baggage. In Sanskrit there are many words that cover the ground used by the word faith, and extend beyond that ground. But the Hindu ideas of faith don’t distinguish between faith and reason, as is common in contemporary discourse, and don’t often link faith and belief. To explore the concept of faith in Hindu traditions, some of which are theistic, some atheistic, and some non-theistic, we will refer, among other things, to a paradigm of the development of faith in the Bhagavat, Hindu cultures most influential text.

Organiser: 
Friends of the OCHS – Leicester
lf@ochs.org.uk
Tirath Yatra: Leicester Temple Pilgrimage

Tirath Yatra: Leicester Temple Pilgrimage

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Tirath Yatra: Leicester Temple Pilgrimage

Leicester Friends Event
Saturday, 28 March 2015 (All day)

The Temples we will be visiting are Jalaram Mandir, Jain Centre, Hare Krishna Temple (ISKCON), Shri Shirdi Sai Baba, Geeta Bhavan, Radha Krishna Mandir, Hindu Mandir, Sanatan Mandir, Swaminarayan Mandir (BAPS), Shreeji Haveli, Swaminarayan Mandir (ISSO), Shreeji Haveli, Ram Mandir, Shree Murugan Temple & Gayatri Parivar. Start at the Jalaram Mandir on Narbarough Road

What better way to celebrate Ram Navmi then by visiting the beautiful temples of Leicester and raising money for the OCHS.

Join us on our sponsored walk that will take you to all the Temples in Leicester, marvel at the deities and the structure of the Temples themselves, understand the diversity within Hinduism.

The Temples we will be visiting are Jalaram Mandir, Jain Centre, Hare Krishna Temple (ISKCON), Shri Shirdi Sai Baba, Geeta Bhavan, Radha Krishna Mandir, Hindu Mandir, Sanatan Mandir, Swaminarayan Mandir (BAPS), Shreeji Haveli, Swaminarayan Mandir (ISSO), Shreeji Haveli, Ram Mandir, Shree Murugan Temple & Gayatri Parivar. Start at the Jalaram Mandir on Narbrough Road.

8.00am registration, walk starts at 8.30am, Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

No age limit, we walk at steady pace so that it is enjoyable and manageable for all.

For more information & Registration details please email to leicesterfriends@ochs.org.uk or call 0116 268 0306 or 07845 286057 All the money raised goes to support the work of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. The OCHS is making a great contribution to Hindu education in the UK, offering scholarly courses in cities and online, publications based on excellent research, help and advice to students, scholars and various national bodies. It is perhaps Hinduism’s most important national educational resource for those hoping to gain a broader understanding of the faith.

Organiser: 
Friends of the OCHS – Leicester
lf@ochs.org.uk
 
Friends Event: The Gita in the Thought and Life of Gandhi

Friends Event: The Gita in the Thought and Life of Gandhi

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Friends Event: The Gita in the Thought and Life of Gandhi

Leicester Friends Event
Saturday, 7 March 2015 – 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre
Rothley Street Leicester LE4 6LF

A talk by Ramesh Pattni of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies

It is well known that the Gandhi took the Bhagavad Gita as his major religious resource and constantly reflected on its message for inspiration and energy. Indeed his autobiography suggests the influence of the text in its very title: The Story of my Experiments with Truth. To what extent did the Gita form the basis of his personal and political life? What were the precepts of the Gita which influenced his decisions and direction? How was his public life shaped by one of the central ideas in the Gita: Selfless action and what about his inner struggles in attempting to live a life of discipline? We will explore some of these questions in the talk.

Organiser: 
Friends of the OCHS – Leicester
lf@ochs.org.uk
Friends Event: The Gita in the Thought and Life of Gandhi

Friends Event: The Gita in the Thought and Life of Gandhi

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Friends Event: The Gita in the Thought and Life of Gandhi

Birmingham Friends Event
Saturday, 21 February 2015 – 7:00pm to 9:00pm

​Meeting House of the Society of Friends,
1 Hamlet Road Hall Green, Birmingham B28 9BG​

A talk by Ramesh Pattni of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies

It is well known that the Gandhi took the Bhagavad Gita as his major religious resource and constantly reflected on its message for inspiration and energy. Indeed his autobiography suggests the influence of the text in its very title: The Story of my Experiments with Truth. To what extent did the Gita form the basis of his personal and political life? What were the precepts of the Gita which influenced his decisions and direction? How was his public life shaped by one of the central ideas in the Gita: Selfless action and what about his inner struggles in attempting to live a life of discipline? We will explore some of these questions in the talk.

Organiser: 
Friends of the OCHS – Birmingham