Shawn Binda
@ShawnBinda • 11,743 subscribers
Exploring Hinduism through video essays, education & advocacy | Canadian Hindu of Indo-Caribbean Heritage 🇨🇦
Videos
My ancestors carried their Hindu traditions from India to the Caribbean, preserving Diwali across generations. They didn't do that because they identified as "South Asian." They did it because they were Hindu. Celebrate Diwali all you want. But don't lecture Hindus about how we're allowed to describe our own festivals. Diwali is a Hindu festival. #Diwali #Hinduism #HinduIdentity #HinduLifestyle #HinduDiaspora
Shawn Binda99,085 görüntüleme • 3 gün önce
Two words carried a whole civilization across the ocean. "Sita Ram" — not Namaste — is how Caribbean Hindus have greeted each other for generations. Watching Hanuman Ansh reminded me how indentured labourers rebuilt Hindu life thousands of kilometres from Bharat with nothing but Ramayana, bhajan, puja, and those two words. Sita Ram. Sita Raam.
Shawn Binda98,355 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
Hindus for Human Rights Hindus for Human Rights opposed H.Res. 1131, the 2024 resolution condemning Hinduphobia and attacks on Hindu temples, calling concerns about Hinduphobia a politically motivated narrative. Now, after a white supremacist allegedly tried to massacre Hindus at a religious service in Illinois (his gun jammed), they're saying we shouldn't wait for temples to become massacre sites before taking anti-Hindu hatred seriously.
Shawn Binda28,233 görüntüleme • 19 gün önce
Ramakrishna called Kali "Mother." One scholar said the real story was hidden erotic desire. 🤔 Say what?
Shawn Binda23,633 görüntüleme • 26 gün önce
On this occasion of Sri Ram Navami, sharing this iconic rendition of "Mangala Bhavana Mangala Hari" by Boodram Holass of Trinidad and Tobago. He had an iconic voice that resonated across generations and was a pioneer who helped shape the music industry in the Caribbean. His voice is as authentic as they come, from the days when autotune didn't exist. From his early religious chutney songs to his mastery of Indian classical music and his energetic performances, Boodram touched countless lives. His legacy lives on through his extensive discography of over 250 songs and the Budram Holass Cultural Centre. His contributions will never be forgotten. 🙏🏽 #BoodramHolass Legend #IndoTrinidadianCulture #TrinidadAndTobago #MusicLegend #Hindu JAI SRI RAAM! Video Credit: SSR Productions
Shawn Binda278,915 görüntüleme • 1 yıl önce
Khalistanis have attacked the Hindu Sabha in Brampton. Here is what you need to do: 1) Call, write and contact your local MP. 2) Pressure your Mandir Administrators to start advocating for Hindus 3) Educate yourself on why Khalistanis are TERRORISTS. Don't be fooled by the Right to protest rhetoric Canada has allowed. There is a reason India has classified all them as Terrorists. 4) POLITICIANS SHOULD BE BANNED from attending Hindu events unless they condemn Khalistani activities. This is an attack on HINDUS. This is not an "Indian" problem. Khalistanis don't want Hindus to be around.
Shawn Binda294,656 görüntüleme • 2 yıl önce
Can someone tell me what is being said here? This is making its rounds on TikTok #khalistan
Shawn Binda220,896 görüntüleme • 2 yıl önce
Hinduism teaches us to minimize harm — not ignore IT. When our people, our temples, and soldiers are under attack, silence is not strength. It’s negligence. Arjuna didn’t fight out of hate. He fought because dharma demanded IT. And today, when India defends itself, we must remember: Inaction in the face of evil is also ADHARMA.
Shawn Binda167,151 görüntüleme • 1 yıl önce
Two songs. Two different musical styles. One shared root. 🙏 Suneel Lodhia's raw, unpolished bhakti and Rakesh Yankarran singing his late father Isaac Yankarran's Sudama-Krishna classic sound nothing alike, yet both trace back to the same villages in India. When I hear these songs, I hear a Hindu civilization that survived in the hearts, memories, and songs of our ancestors. Someone remembered. Someone sang. Someone prayed. Someone passed it down. That's why tradition endures. And that's why you can call yourself Hindu today.
Shawn Binda16,720 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
Two NDP MPs are calling on Canada to bar RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat from entering the country, while activist groups are pushing for the RSS itself to be banned. The problem is that the conversation around the RSS often goes far beyond criticism of one organization. Labels like “RSS,” “Hindutva” and “extremist” increasingly get used against ordinary Hindus who speak confidently about their identity, advocate for their community, or challenge misinformation about Hinduism. I’ve worked with Hindu Yuva in the broader HSS ecosystem. What I saw was leadership, seva, community and young Hindus learning to be proud of their heritage. Criticize ideas. Challenge statements. Present evidence. But being proudly Hindu is not extremism. #RSS #MohanBhagwat #Hindu #Hindutva #CanadianHindus
Shawn Binda30,175 görüntüleme • 2 ay önce
Hindus in North America need to recognize the broader pattern that is unfolding: ridicule the community, delegitimize its organizations, dismiss its history, and then decide which Hindus are “acceptable”. You don't have to support the RSS or Modi to see why this should concern you. #Hindu #Hinduism #Hindutva #RSS #HinduDiaspora #SanatanaDharma
Shawn Binda14,693 görüntüleme • 2 ay önce
The controversy surrounding RSS Mohan Bhagwat's visit to North America raises a much bigger question: Who gets to define acceptable Hinduism? Hindus don't need politicians or activist organizations to determine which expressions of our own identity are acceptable. We can have those debates ourselves.
Shawn Binda12,050 görüntüleme • 2 ay önce
From elite universities to our own homes, we’ve created a generation fluent in justice—but mute about their roots. Megha Vemuri represents all the failures of our Hindu Community in the West. She also shows us the stranglehold these academic institutions have in setting the narrative.
Shawn Binda31,586 görüntüleme • 1 yıl önce
Hindu to the core! In the coming years there is going to be a major demographic shift as the previous generation of Hindu leaders in Canada head into their sunshine years. It's important that we start articulating our vision for what it means to be Hindu. The ties that bind us are larger than being a new immigrant to Canada. Jai Sri Raam!
Shawn Binda15,694 görüntüleme • 1 yıl önce
Starting off the New Year 2025 with a workshop for Hindu Yuva in Stouffville, Ontario. My topic was Hindu Identity in the Digital Domain. It's always a blast working with students and young adults and by the end of it they were all creating their own reels and video shorts. I think I need to add some high school students to my team - they provided great insight into how teenagers consume social media. I have been quiet on social media the last 2 months due to travel and a job change and I'm happy that my first reel back is a workshop with Hindu YUVA It's small things done daily that help to pass on the values and traditions of our ancestors. Here is to a great year ahead! #hindulifestyle
Shawn Binda15,548 görüntüleme • 1 yıl önce