01 What is Hindu Memorial Day (HMD)?
Hindu Memorial day (HMD) is an annual day for British Hindus to honour those who dedicated their lives to protect and preserve Hindu Dharma. HMD is an opportunity to offer gratitude for the personal sacrifices that many countless Hindus through the centuries made, many of whom remain unnamed. This is a day of coming together as a community in collective remembrance so that British Hindus can celebrate their shared history.
02 Why is Hindu Memorial Day important?
British Hindus are some of the most successful faith communities in the UK, noted for their outstanding achievements in academia, finance, healthcare, engineering and in business. These successes are not coincidental. The current generation of British Hindus thrive today due to the hard work and personal sacrifices of their parents, grandparents and the generations before them.
Moreover, Hindu spiritual values instilled by their elders is a major contributor to the positive social and cultural contributions Hindus make to British society. Values such as ahimsa (non-violence), karmayoga (selfless service) and sama-darshana (seeing divinity on beings) enable British Hindus to successfully integrate with other communities and remain law-abiding and peaceful citizens.
HMD provides an opportunity for British Hindus of today to reflect on their personal histories and appreciate the inspiring stories of the generations of yesterday, through whose efforts the universal values of the Hindu Dharma live on till this day.
03 Who is HMD commemorating?
HMD honours the lives of Hindus through the centuries who contributed to protecting and keeping alive Hindu Dharma, often in the face of many obstacles and personal challenges. This includes, our grandparents, who left their countries of birth and managed to keep alive Hindu values in the unfamiliar surroundings of Britain. Some of these new arrivals left conflicts and political turmoil in countries such as Uganda, Sri Lanka, and partitioned India. Despite their personal losses and trauma, they demonstrated remarkable fortitude and resilience in restarting afresh in Britain.
We also remember the sacrifices of the earliest Hindu migrants, who left British India for countries in East and Southern Africa, Caribbean and Fiji under the system of indenture where they endured many harsh and often inhumane working conditions. This day also reflects on generations of Hindus in India who for centuries protected Hindu Dharma during several periods of foreign colonial rule and worked tirelessly for the independence of the Hindu homeland. On HMD we also remember the lives of Hindu soldiers who have given their lives protecting Britain, including those during WW1 and WW2 and those who served in the contemporary British army.
Though Hindus can count many heroes and role models from their history, the overwhelming number of those who gave their lives for Dharma remain unnamed. So along with well known role models such as Shivaji Maharaja and Jhansi Ki Rani, Hindu Memorial Day seeks to honour the lives of those Hindu Heroes who until this date, have not been remembered.
04 What does HMD hope to achieve?
Through the year, Hindus celebrate many joyous and colourful festivals, however there is very little in the way of collective remembrance. Though several Hindu communities mark independence days of their respective countries of origin (i.e. India Independence Day) and milestones in their community history (i.e. Indian Arrival Day for Indo-Caribbeans), there is a need for a broader day of reflection. Therefore, one of the primary goals of HMD is to bring Hindus from all sectarian, linguistic and regional groups to celebrate their shared history.
HMD also serves as an educational tool, ensuring that Hindu history is passed to the next generation. By celebrating remarkable stories of generations of Hindu Heroes noted for their resilience, personal duty and service to humanity, we hope HMD acts to inspire the contemporary Hindus to continue to make a positive contribution to British society.
05 Why is HMD happening during Pitṛ Pakṣa and not another time of the year?
Hindu Memorial Day takes place on the last Saturday or Sunday of Pitṛ Pakṣa. Pitṛ Pakṣa is the traditional time period when Hindu families remember and honour their departed forefathers. During this time of reflection, many families refrain from hosting weddings, parties and other celebrations, hence this is a very fitting and natural time for the community to reflect on their shared history.
06 What is Pitṛ Pakṣa?
Also known as Srāddha, Pitṛ Pakṣa is a period of 15 days (just over a fortnight), when Hindus pay homage and offer gratitude to their ancestors (Pitṛus). Hinduism places an emphasis on acknowledging that the success and happiness we experience today is in part due to the contributions of members of our family who came before us. During each of these 15 days, Hindu families aim to remember the lives of their deceased relatives spanning the previous three generations, who are honoured with offerings of food, prayers and acts of charity in their memory.
07 When does Pitṛ Pakṣa fall?
Pitṛ Pakṣa is marked as per the Hindu Luni-solar calendar which falls around late September/early October every year. Pitṛ Pakṣa begins immediately after the full moon in the Hindu Lunisolar month of Bhādrapada - i.e. immediately after the festival of Ganesh Visarjan. Pitṛ Pakṣa ends on the following new Moon - which falls the day before the start of Navarātri. This solemn period therefore takes place just before the onset of the Autumn Hindu festive season; which in addition to Navaratri is marked by Dussherā, Karva Chauth, Diwali and Skanda Shashti.
08 Why is HMD scheduled on the last Saturday or Sunday of Pitṛ Pakṣa?
Throughout Pitṛ Pakṣa, Hindu families set aside each day to remember specific relatives. The final day of Pitṛ Pakṣa known as Sarvapitru Amāvāsya (or Mahālaya Amāvāsya) is reserved for honouring all those ancestors whose names and life stories cannot be remembered. Moreover this day is dedicated to honouring deceased members of the wider community, who did not have next of kin to perform their last rites. On Sarva Pitru Amāvāsya, Hindus families therefore take on the role of next kin for these souls.
One of the goals of Hindu Memorial Day is for the community to come together to honour generations of Hindus who laid down their lives in service. Many of these often unnamed people, lost their family members in conflicts and other tragedies and therefore could not receive a funeral or other last rites. Sarva Pitru Amāvāsya is therefore the most appropriate day for such collective remembrance. However due to nuances of the Hindu Luni-Solar calendar, Sarva Pitru Amāvāsya can fall on any day of the week - a challenge for British Hindus who have work and study commitments. So if Sarva Pitru Amāvāsya falls between Monday to Friday (as is the case in 2024) HMD will be held on the final Saturday just before this significant day (otherwise on the actual day if it falls on a Saturday or Sunday).
09 Why do we need a new ‘day of remembrance’ when we already have Pitṛ Pakṣa?
Though overlapping and related, the focus of Pitṛ Pakṣa rituals and HMD differ. Traditionally Pitṛ Pakṣa is observed by families who remember their deceased relatives. It is largely a time of performing rituals in the privacy of home to honour one’s ancestors.
The focus of HMD is for Hindu communities to come together as a collective in a joint act of commemoration, specifically in honour of those who played a part in protecting and preserving Hindu values. HMD therefore goes beyond blood relatives and encourages Hindus to acknowledge the contributions of people with whom they may not share a genetic connection or may even be part of another linguistic or regional group.
HMD does not take away from the traditional focus of Pitṛ Pakṣa and it should inspire Hindu families to understand the significance of this important time of the Hindu year.
10 Is HMD marked in other countries?
During HMD, British Hindus will be encouraged to trace their family histories and stories going back generations. These stories will inevitably traverse the globe and include episodes from the Indian Subcontinent, Africa, Caribbean etc. Whilst HMD acknowledges global connections, this day focuses on British Hindus celebrating their unique history and identity.
A similar initiative called Samuhik Tarpan has been organised by the Ayodhya Foundation in India for a number of years and is the inspiration for HMD. The format and timing of Samuhik Tarpan posed logistical challenges for the UK setting and hence HMD was devised as an alternative for British Hindus. In view of how timings of sacred days in the Hindu calendar vary across international timezones, Hindu Memorial Day-UK is organised by British Hindus for the UK. Hindu communities elsewhere in the diaspora are more than welcome to share the concept and organise HMD in their respective countries in view of local considerations.
11 How do I take part in HMD?
All British Hindu Temples, Samāj organisations and other community groups interested in taking part are encouraged to save the date of this year’s Hindu Memorial Day (Saturday 28th September) and to request an information pack via email. By late August 2024 all interested communities will be issued an information pack which explains how to host a local event.
12 Can I observe at home? Will there be any zoom events?
HMD is a day for the Hindu community coming together and celebrating their shared history and bonds. We encourage all interested British Hindus to collaborate with their nearest Temple, Hindu Community Centre, Samāj Hall or Satsang Group etc. to host a community based event. In view of the spirit of coming together, in-person events are encouraged over marking virtual programs. To foster greater togetherness, Hindu communities are urged where possible to host joint events if there are several temples or community groups in a close driving distance.
13 What do I need to prepare for this event?
The format of HMD will be very simple, consisting of a pre-prepared address, lighting a diya (lamp), prayers and singing of Bhajans. This simple program lasts approximately one hour and is held at any time convenient to your organisation. By the end of August, you will receive your information pack which will contain guides for how your organisation can promote this event as well as assets to use on your social media posts.
