Hindus Want Prayer-Room At Boston University

Hindus have asked for a permanent prayer room at Boston University (BU) in Massachusetts (USA).

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that BU should respond to the requirements of its Hindu students to provide designated prayer-meditation hall for rituals, quiet reflection, festivals and spiritual exercise, which would help in their personal growth.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that it would be a “step in the right direction” in view of presence of a substantial number of Hindu students at BU. It was important to meet the spiritual needs of these students, who reportedly numbered over 350, and who had been asking for a designated prayer space for many years now. Zed noted that currently images of deities had to be reportedly stored in a basement closet after the services, which was kind of a sacrilege. Some other universities/colleges in USA now offered Hindu prayer rooms.

Rajan Zed urged all USA and Canadian universities, both public and private, to respond to the needs of their considerable Hindu student bodies and offer prayer facility. BU needed to recognize the intersection of spirituality and education, which was important in Hinduism, Zed added.

BU, spread over 133 acres and whose history goes back to 1839, has 33,480 students from 139 countries. It offers over 250 programs and has 24 libraries. Robert A. Knox is Chairman Board of Trustees, while Robert A. Brown is President.