KPCS UK is nominated for the National Diversity Awards 2015

We are pleased and humbled to share the news that Kashmiri Pandits Cultural Society (KPCS UK) has been nominated for the National Diversity Awards 2015. To win this prestigious Award we are required to request you for your votes. LAST DATE FOR VOTES: 21st June 2015

It's simple really... Click here and type in a small para about why you think KPCS deserves to win. That's it!

We at KPCS pride ourselves in being inclusive and democratic. We value our volunteers who plan, nurture and execute community projects that enhance the exposure to our dying culture. We lead by example, work with Kashmir diaspora and other groups to spread awareness of our heritage and roots. We have created awareness in the British Parliament as well as in the local public. If you support the work that we do please vote for us.... and tell the organisers how we made a difference to your connection with Kashmir.

On behalf of Team@KPCS I request you to extend your kind vote and support to us. We have grown from strength to strength because of the fantastic spirit of team work and volunteerism. Each idea we came up with has seen the light of the day and concretised Ito successful projects.

To know more about us please follow our Facebook page: KashmirRevisited and our website: www.kpcsuk.org

My personal gratitude and thanks to each one of you for having made the journey thus far, worthwhile! Please do make your vote count if you support and appreciate our work.

Thank you,

Lakshmi Kaul.

British NRI Leads to Secure Free places for Refugees while the country observes World Refugee Day

Free places granted by Hon'ble Minister of State Pravin Pote Patil for Refugees from J&K region at the PR Patil Group of Educational Institute, Amravati

A delegation led by Lakshmi Kaul, an activist and campaigner based in London met with Hon'ble Minister of State Sh. Pravin Pote Patil to discuss the plight of Hindu minorities in the J&K region including the refugees in West Pakistan. Mr. Pravin Ramchandra Pote-Patil is the Minister of State for Industries & Mining, Environment, Public Works (excluding Public Undertakings) and the President of P.R.Patil Group of Educational Institute. Lakshmi Kaul is the Founder of the leading organisation on Kashmiri Hindus, the Kashmiri Pandits Cultural Society, UK, and the Chair of Public Relations for Hindu Forum of Britain (an umbrella body with a membership of over 400 temples and organisations in the UK).  For the meeting with the Hon'ble Minister, she was joined by Siddhartha Acharya, a lawyer, activist and film maker who has made the film "Abandoned Cranes" on the plight of Kashmiri Pandits that was screened at the British Parliament, Prerak Sharma, lawyer & activist and Apoorva Khandeparkar, student and activist.

During the discussion when the delegates brought to the Hon'ble Minister's notice how there were a number of displaced communities of Hindus that could not afford higher education and were living in abysmal condition, Mr. Patil was quick to offer atleast 100 free seats every year to deserving students from the affected communities in the P. R Patil Group of Educational Institute in Amravati, Maharashtra. The minimum fees per year per student is around INR 80,000 which has been completely waived off for the atleast Hindu Refugee students. However, boarding and lodging will need to be arranged for the duration of the course.

There are over 50 million people world over who have had to flee their homes owing to human rights violations.

 "I am highly touched and impressed by Hon'ble Minister Sh. Patil's commitment to help out the students in need and keeping them on the career path. Being able to remain on the education and career the refugee families will have hope of a secure future while they seek asylum and justice. The interaction with the Hon'ble Minister and his understanding of the needs of the communities suffering is notable. I was particularly moved by his devotion and extra effort into ensuring that this discussion concretised into action. We also discussed the need for greater interaction and association between communities in India and the UK," says Lakshmi Kaul who was particularly impressed by how approachable the Hon'ble Minister of State was to the members of the public.

Hearing the announcement Ms. Trupti Patel, President of Hindu Forum of Britain sent her best wishes to the Hon'ble Minister and has extended an invitation to him to meet with key representatives of the Hindu community in the UK. "We are very grateful to Mr. Patil for his support to the students in need, especially the refugee Hindu communities in West Pakistan," said Ms. Trupti Patel.

The annoucement has been welcomed by the members of the local communities in J&K. The London based Dogra activist, Manu Khajuria commended the effort saying, " Brilliant work! The West Pak Refugee youth are in such dire straits..doing it for them makes it truly historical.. never done before. Congratulations!"

The team also met the Hon'ble Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways & Shipping, Sh Nitin Gadkari who congratulated the Hon'ble Mr. Patil for his generous support the refugees from J&K region and extended his blessings to this initiative.

Contact:

Ms. Lakshmi Kaul
Founder & Executive Member, Kashmiri Pandits Cultural Society, UK
Chair of Public Relations, Hindu Forum of Britain
Email: kpcsevents@gmail.com

Mr. Siddhartha Acharya
Lawyer, Activist & Film Maker
Email: siddharthacharya90@gmail.com

Upholding Religious Traditions in Foreign land

Hundreds of Kashmiri Hindus from in and around London attended the 2nd Annual Kheerbhawani puja and hawan at Rama Krishna Temple in Romford (East London) on Sunday, 14th June 2015. Organised by the Kashmiri Pandits Cultural Society, UK the effort was to recreate the actual Kheerbhawani puja held in Kashmir and continue the religious traditions of the Kashmiri Hindu community. A scattered community of around 400 families across UK, the Kashmiri Hindus, the Pandits are a community in exile now in the 25th year. Through the years in exile, some of the community members have gone on to make careers and build their lives for the better however, owing to having been uprooted from their homes the struggle over the years has not only remained limited to the geo-political demand but also of identity.

KPCS UK for the last 4 years has made a huge difference to the community cohesion as well as awareness of not only the Kashmiri Hindu cause but also their religious, social, cultural traditions. 

 "Our effort has not just been to organise a puja but it is an effort to learn the religious traditions and build awareness of our heritage and practices among those living in the UK who are not Kashmiri. The Kheerbhawani puja is a classic example of one such effort where non Kashmiri priests have picked up the tradition and religious practice that is so unique to the Kashmiri Hindus (Pandits)," says Lakshmi Kaul, Founder & Executive Member of KPCS UK.

The puja held in Romford was the second one in the UK, the first ever having been organised in Southall at the Vishwa Hindu Kendra last year by KPCS volunteers. The hawan and puja was conducted in the methodology followed at the main Kheer Bhawani temple with the mother Goddess seated inside a water body and offerings made to her at the hawan.

"We had a wonderful puja and havan of Mata Tulmul Khir Bhavani (Kshira Bhavani) of Kashmir. Felt totally blessed. Thanks to all the Kashmiri Hindu members at KPCS," says Madhava Turumella, a Hindu scholar and priest who conducted the hawan along with the Shri Rama Krishna temple, Romford Priest Sanjay Pandit.

"It is wonderful to see our community connecting to roots and initating young children in these events," says Sunil Raina from New Delhi, India. " 

Kheer Bhawani is a temple dedicated to the Goddess Kheer Bhawani (originally just Bhawani) constructed over a sacred spring in Kashmir.The worship of Kheer Bhawani is universal among the Hindus of Kashmir. The temple is situated at a distance of 14 miles east of Srinagar near the village of Tul Mul. The term kheer refers to rice pudding that is offered in the spring to propitiate the Goddess, which became part of the name of the temple. As is the custom with Hindu deities, she has many names: Maharagya Devi, Ragnya Devi, Rajni and Ragnya Bhagwati. Because of the forced exodus in 1989-90 from the valley, Kashmiri Hindus have struggled to continue the tradition of going to Kheer Bhawani temple in Kashmir. Traditionally, an annual festival is held at Kheer Bhawani temple on the Jesht-Ashtami (may-june) when Hindu visit the temple and offer prayers and perform hawan to please the mother Goddess. The historic temple was built by the then Dogra ruler of Jammu & Kashmir, Maharaja Pratap Singh. Later it was renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1912.

"I am a 17 year old Kashmiri Pandit. I was 16 months old when I came to this country and am now a British citizen. My parents talk very fondly about their birthplace Kashmir which sadly because of terrorism they are unable to visit. There are many families like ours in the U.K who share a common heritage and ethnic identity. KPCS has played an important role in bringing us all together and by holding events to preserve our rich and unique heritage. Their group of dedicated volunteers encourage not just my own community but other communities to work with each other and contribute to the rich tapestry of this country." Says Tejas Kotwal

For more photos please click here

For further details, contact: kpcsevents@gmail.com

Also published in Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar