Sat Ma­haraj has com­plete­ly missed the In­dia High Com­mis­sion­er's point. Lo­cal Hin­duism fo­cuss­es too much on the im­por­tance of pun­dits and rit­u­als at the ex­pense of do­ing good to oth­ers. The do­ing of good is the key to Swa­mi Vivikana­da's mes­sage. He re­gards every­one as broth­ers and sis­ters. For him "Where can we go to find God if we can­not see Him in our own heart and in every liv­ing be­ing." That would in­clude dou­glas like my­self, Afro-Tri­nis and the Un­touch­ables of In­dia.

Lo­cal Hin­duism re­fus­es to ac­cept dou­glas, and con­tin­ues to see In­dia's Un­touch­ables as de­serv­ing their dis­crim­i­na­tion. That is the old-fash­ioned view of Hin­duism. Does Sat Ma­haraj think he re­al­ly un­der­stands Hin­duism? Swa­mi Vivikana­da is re­gard­ed as a saint in In­dia. Has any lo­cal Hin­du been re­gard­ed as such? "Con­demn none. If you can, stretch out a help­ing hand. If you can­not, fold your hands, bless your broth­ers, and let them go their own way," says Swa­mi Vivikana­da.

B Khan,

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