Deepavali / Diwali - Commercialization, Consumerism, & COMMUNITY

As a Tamil Hindu, I never celebrated Diwali. As an Indian American I now do. It’s heartwarming to see Diwali bringing together people of diverse faiths and cultures, celebrating light, hope, and community.

classical traditions, cross cultures, culture, cultures, desi american, educate, faith, global cultures, hindu, hinduism, history, hometown, indian american, interfaith, love, new york, my story, nyc, oneness, religion, religions, reflections, spirituality, tamil, tamil american, tamil nadu, temple, unique, unity, unityindiversity, world religions, diversity and inclusion, diversitysangeetha kowsikDecember 1, 2024hindu, hinduism, festival, santha, sikh, sikhism, muslim, islam, comm, community, festivals, holiday, high, holidays, deepavali, diwali, nyc, new york city, new york, south asia, south, southindian, south indian, tamil, tamil culture, tamil american, american, desi american, usa, pakistan, music, culture, cultural diversity, cultu, cro, global culture, global cultures, beauty, fashion, querr, queer, transgender, lgptqi+, diversityandinclusion, diversity, educate, educationComment

Anti Racism from a Hindu Perspective - As demonstrated by a "Golu"

In Hinduism, racism finds no place, as the rich descriptions of deities' diverse skin tones and facial features illustrate emphasizes “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (Sanskrit language)”

“The world is one family!”.

From the fair-skinned Goddess Saraswati to dark-complexioned Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva's dreaded locks, Goddess Meenakshi’s “fish eyes”, Lord Muruga’s curly black hair, Goddess Lakshmi’s golden complexion etc. We even have major deities like Lord Hanuman and Lord Ganesha, who do not possess human-like features, emphasizing our reverence and affection for all creation, recognizing that everything is an extension of the divine. Hinduism embraces the beauty of diversity.

world religions, unityindiversity, unity, unique, temple, tamil nadu, tamil american, tamil, spirituality, spiritual activism, south asia, religions, religion, reflections, racism, prayer, new york, nyc, my story, oneness, love, interfaith, inspiration, inclusion, impact, hinduism, hindu temple, hindu, global cultures, global, friendship, faith, education, educate, diversity, cultures, cross cultures, create the change, compassion, classical traditions, change in thinking, change, appreciation, activismsangeetha kowsikSeptember 29, 2024hindu, hinduism, festival, navaratri, golu, goddess, anti racism, racism, diversity, inclusion, inclusiveness, diversityandinclusion, hindu chaplain, faith, interfaith, spirituality, spiritual, santhana dharma, santhanadharma, southasia, india, educate, education, educateyourself, teach, doll display, navarthri, navarathri, unityindiversity, colorism, durga, girl gods

"Abrahamizing" Hinduism (NOT about Conversion)

As the Hindu Chaplain of NYU/Columbia Universities, I find myself explaining my faith in "Abrahamic terms"

Why so many Gods? What's with the half-naked priests? Why don't you have 1 book, the same ways of thinking or the same holidays?

I can’t dip you in water, smack you upside the head with a Veda or Gita and make you a Hindu! (and other thoughts…)

It’s very hard to generalize/compartmentalize/define Hinduism because practices vary dramatically by culture, family, demographics, communities, practices, etc.

It’s what I’ve always found fascinating and interesting about Hinduism, there’s always something new and unique to discover.

Brooklyn Museum Popup - My Customers are so DIVERSE! Grateful!

The world says “to define my customer base” Well I find that really difficult for me! My customers that day included Japanese Grandmas, Latino Boys, Young African American Gay Men, Hipsters, Hindu folks, Muslim folks, Arab families, Turkish families, and many more! My work appeals to a wide range of races, nationalities, ages, demographics, etc. I believe that art and design are the way to bring together diverse communities.

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BLACK MUSLIM EXPERIENCE, UMMAH, EID & ME - Juneteenth

I was the ONLY non-Black, non-Muslim, non-Hijab, non-Nikab wearing person/lady there! Did I feel any different? NO! I was welcomed with so much love and respect into this Ummah! (Community)

#blacklivesmatter. One World. Be the Change.

All FAITHS (symbols of every major faith). ONE WORLD. WE Together stand against racism!

diversity, design, cross cultures, classical traditions, california, friendship, global, global cultures, hinduism, history, inspiration, oneness, religion, travel, unity, islam, faithsangeetha kowsikJune 2, 2020hindu, hinduism, hindu temple, deity, faith, interconnectedness, interfaith, intense, god, allah, islamicart, islam, sikhism, sikh, zoroastrianism, fire, symbol, meaning, concept, connect, love, understanding, unique, divesity, dialogue, peace, blacklivesmatter, black, darkness, whitesupremacy, racism, fight, justice, change, bethechange, shinto, shintoism, jainism, jain, africa, african, murthi, divine, diversity, shani, yama, krishna, lord, goddess, kali, kalima, one world, world, problem, georgeflyod, southasia, southasian, southasianartist, south asia, southasianart, desiart, desi, design, designs, devotion, deva, designer, mahadev, product design, compassion, passion, anger, angry, protest, protestart, protest art, white, knowledge, know, solidarity, community, family, humanity, engage, engagement, sexism, dark

Eid Mubarak! Eid Ambarki Ighudan!

Ramadan concludes with morning Eid Prayers outside in Washington Square Park which is so special and absolute magic. Though I’m the Hindu Chaplain for NYU, my brothers have always included me in Eid prayers, I have celebrated with the Islamic Center any times.

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Ramadan Mubarak! : in 5 Languages

Here is my Ramadan Artwork/Design! Written in 5 Different languages : Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit (language of my faith Hinduism), Tamil (language I speak with my family) & Tamazight (language of the Amazigh people of North Africa)

design, diversity, cross cultures, friendship, faith, global, global cultures, inspiration, holiday, history, islam, oneness, religion, travel, music, unitysangeetha kowsikApril 27, 2020#ramadan #ramadanmubarak #diversity #persian #tamazight #sanskrit #islam #hinduism #poem #oneness #unity #understanding #tamil #mosque #hindu#southasianartist #muslim #global #ilustration #mystory #love #meaningful #interfaith #artistsoninstagram #multicultural #storyteller #arabiccalligraphy #temple #artist #contemporaryart, #zakirhussain #culturematters #islam #hinduism #tabla #oneness #tee #unity #understanding #interconnected #subhanallah #tablas #inclusion #muslimfashion #awareness #crossculture #meaningful #muslimwear #music #shoponline #fortheculture #multicultural #storyteller #unisex #arabictee #arabiccalligraphy #artist #apparel #fashion #contemporaryart, art, designs, desert, design, divine, diversity, concept, culture, calligrapher, calligraphy, casablanca, crosscultural, creative, world, global, global culture, one world, earth, interconnectedness, one, oneness, connected, language, languages, color, ramadan, ramadan mubarak, holy, holy month, month, mosque, temple, hinduism, hindu, morocco, unityindiversity, india, indian, persian, tamil

A Moroccan Love Story : Amazigh Culture & Tamazight Language

I discovered/fell in love with the Amazigh people, culture, language (Tamazight). Please don’t call them Berbers!

travel, design, inspirationsangeetha kowsikJanuary 14, 2020morocco, moroccan, maroc, berber, amazigh, tamazight, travel, tamazirt, design, scarf, geometric, designs, textile, textiles, islam, islamic, islamic art, simplymorocco, moroccotrip, casablanca, desert, sahara, culture, toursim, tourist, adventure, rabat, agadir, fez, travelling, moroccanmarrakesh, love, instatravel, artist, art, concept, marrakechdesign, travelmorocco, visitmorocco, amazighs, history, fortheculture, diversity, unityindiversity, tamil, indian, desiart, southasianartist, southasianart, southasia, india, tamaghra, aitatta, creative, conceptual, conceptualart, mosque, islm, islamicart, islamicarchitecture