Growing up in the far western region of Nepal, I was raised in a household where my parents did not engage in everyday religious practices; instead, we celebrated only major festivals. Despite this, religion was a notable part of my family and life. Yet, unlike my extended family and cousins – who prioritized religion and daily rituals as a persuasive part of their lives – my parents placed less emphasis on day-to-day religious observances. While my extended family prioritized strict Hindu norms and the caste system, these were among the least important values for my family.
As I grew up, I often questioned the caste divide that heavily impacted who I interacted with and how I felt. I was surrounded by conservative Hindu practices outside of my family, where my parents were criticized for not following Hindu rituals. My extended family were strict and disapproved of our family’s interactions with other castes, as they held the idea of being “untouchable” towards other castes. This always upset me. Seeing these situations as a child made me question everything around me because I believed we are all created equal by the God we all pray to.
However, religion has still brought me happiness at times; one of my favorite festival memories is from my village, where the Tharu ethnic group would celebrate Krishna Janmashtami. Unique to the western region of Nepal, they decorated clay seed storages with Ashtimki paintings depicting Lord Krishna’s life. Although the celebration was different for my family – it was mostly fasting and prayer – it was still a happy time.
As I recall my childhood experiences with religion, I also recall one of the most influential spiritual hymns that has still stuck with me to this day. At six or seven, the Gayatri Mantra I heard with my dad became a lasting source of support.
Passing by various places of worship on my way to school made me question why we have different ways of worship. During Christmas time, passing by the church with its decorations made me wonder what my Christian friends did there. I was curious about their celebrations but never attended. During my school years in Nepal, I was taught that religion is just different ways we reach out to God. As a kid, this made me think about why we do not have all the gods under the same roof. While I now understand why we don’t, I still hold the belief that different religions still have overarching similarities, and that the only significant difference is how their followers reach out to God. This idea lets me explore and makes me curious about every religion even today.
Another influential part of my upbringing was how my sisters and I attended a Christian school called Khadga Memorial English Boarding School (KMEBS), a community-based school, while growing up. However, no one in my village ever labeled my school as a Christian school. Yet, teachers from diverse backgrounds taught me and one of my memories from this school is around Christmas time; we received a whole history and flyers regarding Christmas and Jesus, and my friends and I were sent home with Bibles. I went home but was never questioned by my parents for what I was learning. Indeed, this is one of many examples from my early childhood that allowed me to develop an open perspective toward religion. My parents’ less traditional approach and support taught me that religion is a way to worship God differently but with a common purpose as follows: to improve the community we live in, uplift each other, and eliminate discrimination. This belief has been a guiding principle in my life.
Reflecting overall, I felt most connected to God two years before moving to the U.S. because I had never prayed as much as I did for the Electronic Diversity Visa, also known as the Green Card lottery. This moment was important because it helped me build trust and belief in God. I would go at least once a week to pray that my family would get selected for the lottery. After a year of waiting, it happened; in 2017, my family and I immigrated to the United States. Looking back, I always wonder how I would have reacted or viewed God if it had not gone this way because this moment significantly strengthened my connection to God.
My life in the United States began when I turned thirteen and moved to Milwaukee, WI with my family. It was as if everything changed; the familiar surroundings of my village where I grew up and biked across town suddenly changed to the bustling streets of an American city. This change was pivotal, translating to places of faith (like the Hindu Temple of Wisconsin) being more than just places of faith. They became places where my family and I found others who shared our cultural background and found a sense of community during our first few years in the U.S. Although this transition did sometimes make me feel like I was not “Hindu enough” it was beyond rituals and festivals. It was about belonging and connection. I am still exploring and understanding different faiths through my opportunity in the Interfaith Fellows program and interacting with everyone around me. I’m excited for the chance that this gives me to continue highlighting the common values I find across different faiths by uplifting others and working together for the betterment of the community.