Kavita Bhavsar
My name is Kavita Bhavsar, and I am currently a fourth year premedical college student at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. I was born and raised in the United States although my parents are from Limdi in the Saurastra region of Gujarat. Despite my upbringing in America, I have retained many of the values and traditions from my Indian heritage.
I truly cherish my ethnic background because it gives me a sense of identity. I define myself through many principles associated with Indian culture and religion, and these beliefs guide me in my daily life: it is the light that directs me through a perplexing world. Indian customs are manifest in my life through several different ways, and perhaps religion is one of the most important ways in which my heritage has shaped my outlook in life.
Jainism has had an impact in my life mostly because it is an ideal and sensible way of living. I am and always have been a vegetarian, which not only minimizes suffering of other organisms, but it is also a lifestyle with many health benefits. Moreover, praying and meditation are two exercises that calm the mind and ease stress. Studying medicine is a difficult goal, and the tranquillity I derive from these religious practices helps me think clearly and work efficiently towards achieving my dreams. A positive attitude develops from being at peace with yourself, and this in turn aids you in becoming successful in the many arenas of life including family relations, studies, work, friendship, and spiritualness. These concepts were also clarified for me when the samanjis led a convention in my hometown of Des Moines, Iowa for the past five years.
There are many students that study at my university, so we have formed several student groups including the Jain Student Group in which we have weekly discussions and activities such as going to the Jain temple in Michigan. We attempt to share our Jain background with other students of different cultures, and in doing so, we feel very proud of our culture. Moreover, Jainism unites Indian students to form strong friendships. We recently celebrated our religious background at the Youth Jain Convention in San Francisco, California, where over 1,000 Indian students joined together to learn more about their religion.
Not only are there Jain Student Organizations on my American campus, but there are also many Indian students groups. There are groups for Indian classical dance, Indian classical music, bhangra teams, hindu student councils, cricket teams, and much more. I myself choreographed and danced in Indian folk dances for our Diwali Culture Show, competed in nation-wide bhangra competitions, and attended the puja's we hold at our college. During my first day of college, I wanted to sign up for the Indian Students Association. However, the members of this organization rudely told me that I was to join the Indian-American Students Association. There is a rivalry between Indian students born in America and Indian students born in India. I think that this is very unfortunate, because we all have the same culture and should celebrate it together.
Sometimes it seems like Indians that were born in America prize their culture more than Indians who actually live in India. The Indians that are from India at my college campus try very hard to be Western and "modernized." They act in ways which they think Americans do, forgetting who they are and where they came from. Indians from India should embrace their heritage. It is very difficult for Indians in America to adjust to living in two cultures, but we value our Indian ethnicity because of its beauty and uniqueness. Indians all over the world should be proud of India and its traditions, and this pride should also unite us in our bond of history, culture, and morals.