LOVE IS LOVE or IS IT? Why We Fear the God of Love & Hindu Muslim Marriages

"Love—true, soul-deep love—is not just a human emotion, but a divine force."
"The Western phrase 'the birds and the bees,' used to describe love and sexuality, traces its origins back to Hinduism."

"Our ancestors—Hindu and Muslim alike—knew what we’ve forgotten: that longing and love are not sins. They are sacred paths to the Divine."

Sex, sensuality, desire, have all been erased or labeled as forbidden in modern times.

Why are Hindu-Muslim romances still taboo in the U.S., when our histories—and hearts—are so deeply intertwined?
Why is it acceptable for South Asians in America to marry white partners with no shared cultural roots—but controversial when two brown people from different faiths (Hinduism & Islam) fall in love?

"To love fully is to abandon control. To love is to surrender your heart to the Divine—who is love."

activism, appreciation, art, artwork, change in thinking, change, classical traditions, compassion, create the change, cross cultures, culture, cultures, desi american, design, diversity and inclusion, diversity, distinctive, educate, education, exhibition, faith, friendship, global, global cultures, hindu, hindu temple, hinduism, history, impact, inclusion, indian american, inspiration, islam, language, languages, love, my story, oneness, prayer, religion, religions, south asia, spiritual activism, spirituality, temple, tamil american, tamil, travel, travel diaries, unique, world religions, unityindiversity, unity, sexuality, sensuality, museum of sex, museum, advocacysangeetha kowsikJune 1, 2025hindu, kama, kamadeva, museum, museum of sex, the metropolitan museum of art, sex, sexuality, sensuality, romance, rati, priti, hinduism, hindu chaplain, love, one love, true love, england, oxford, london, muslim, muslims, hindu muslim marriage, hindumuslimlovestory, hindu muslim love story, marriage, santhana dharma, santhanadharma, sacred union, sacredunions, shiva, parvati, nandi, kamasutra, vedas, ancient texts, spiritual, spirituality, sex positions, divine, faith, interfaith, longing, teachings, teaching, education, south asia, southasia, india, oneness, one world, spring, symbolism, romantic love, ghazal, qawwali, diwali, deepavali, holi, hindus, hindu american, hinduamerican, islam, nikkah, partition, 1947, pakistan, humanity, feelings, feeling

Interconnectedness, Hate, Love, & Ahimsa (Non Violence)

As a lifelong practicing Hindu who adheres to the principle of Ahimsa, which means “nonviolence” meaning not to harm any living creature with your words, thoughts, or physically.

it boggles my mind that the 3 great Abrahamic faiths of the world Christianity, Judaism, and Islam lived in relative peace and unity, and gave the world beautiful art, architecture, and an interconnected culture before someone drank CUCKOO juice, and decided to fill their minds/hearts/brains/souls with hatred and expelled Jews and Muslims, which led to the bloody Spanish inquisition of 1492!

These are my reflections of the interconnectedness, unity, inspiration, and beauty, I saw through religion, faith, culture, and art.

activism, activist, appreciation, art, artwork, change, change in thinking, classical traditions, create the change, cross cultures, culture, cultures, design, diversity, distinctive, faith, friendship, global, global cultures, graphic design, hindu, hinduism, history, impact, inclusion, holiday, inspiration, interfaith, islam, language, languages, museum, my story, music, oneness, painting, religion, religions, prayer, south asia, spiritual activism, spirituality, travel, unique, unity, unityindiversity, travel diaries, reflections, world religions, islamic art, racism, Islamophobia, anti semitism, love, compassion, new york, nycsangeetha kowsikAugust 31, 2022art history, art, design, designs, designer, history, museum, the metropolitan museum of art, truth, hate, love, compassion, islam, islamicarchitecture, architecture, reli, faith, interfaith, islamic, judaism, jew, jewish, christian, christianity, fatima, prophet, spain, spiritual, spirituality, inspiration, portugal, heart, one love, true love, mystory, my truth, jesus, interconnectedness, international, unity, unityindiversity, community, communities, travel, travelling, instatravel, travel blogger, travels, granada, cordoba, castle, seville, allhambra, pilgramage, typography, stereotypes, gratitude, activist, activism, racism, change, bethechange, connected, colonization, culture, crosscultural, cultural diversity, cultures, ancient traditions, tradition, traditions, world, oneness, one world, oneneww, global, global culture, global cultures, antisemitism, phobia, hatred, peace, understanding, educate, education, educateyourself, blog, blogger, non violence, ahimsa, gandhi, india, dharma, sanatana dharma, sanskrit, southasia, southasian, southasianartist, southasianart, south aisa, south asia, south indian, south india, together, unique, ancient cultures, beauty, shrine, prayer, worship, pattern, repeat pattern, islamicart, islamic art, islamic pattern, andorra, iberian, Iberian Penninsula, spanish, sephardicComment

"Abrahamizing" Hinduism (NOT about Conversion)

As the Hindu Chaplain of NYU/Columbia Universities, I find myself explaining my faith in "Abrahamic terms"

Why so many Gods? What's with the half-naked priests? Why don't you have 1 book, the same ways of thinking or the same holidays?

I can’t dip you in water, smack you upside the head with a Veda or Gita and make you a Hindu! (and other thoughts…)

It’s very hard to generalize/compartmentalize/define Hinduism because practices vary dramatically by culture, family, demographics, communities, practices, etc.

It’s what I’ve always found fascinating and interesting about Hinduism, there’s always something new and unique to discover.

Krishna Janmashtami and The Prophet's (PBUH) sandal

Islam and Hinduism teach the unity of God / service to mankind — a message both Prophet (PBUH) and Lord Krishna taught.

cross cultures, design, diversity, classical traditions, childhood, california, religion, oneness, islam, unity, hinduism, global cultures, global, faith, friendshipsangeetha kowsikAugust 12, 2020krishna, krishnajanmashtami, mystory, hinduism, islam, hindu, muslim, oneness, tamil, southindian, educate, prophet, tradition, designer, arabic, arabic calligraphy, interfaith, faith, tamil culture, love, design, share, desi, desi artist, india, identity, feet, artist, culture, kolam, krishnalove, hadith

Eid Mubarak! Eid Ambarki Ighudan!

Ramadan concludes with morning Eid Prayers outside in Washington Square Park which is so special and absolute magic. Though I’m the Hindu Chaplain for NYU, my brothers have always included me in Eid prayers, I have celebrated with the Islamic Center any times.

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Maha Shivaratri : Lord Shiva & Arabic

God Sees all, even if you can't see him, he sees you!

diversity, classical traditions, cross cultures, faith, global, global cultures, hinduism, history, holiday, inspiration, islam, music, oneness, religion, travel, unity, childhoodsangeetha kowsikMay 4, 2020shiva, shakti, ohm, om, hindu, hinduism, faith, india, indian, southasia, southasianart, southasianartist, south asia, intense, sanatana dharma, love, temple, bhakti, devotion, design, designs, designer, art, artwork, artist, earth, heart, fortheculture, interconnectedness, connected, connect, crosscultural, culture, ancient cultures, global culture, global, spiritual, spirituality, god, ishwar, parameshwara, king, abhishekam, hindu temple, dancer, cosmic dancer, yoga, veda, scripture, flower, flowers, true love, bhajan, bhajans, music, lord, beauty, beautiful, healer, doctor, teacher, guru, master, compassion, knowledge, learn, educate, cycle, break stereotypes, oneness, fight, happine, holiday, holy month, phase, moon, chandra, puja, pooja, poojas, mighty, mankind, savior, one, one world, concept, conceptualart, conceptual, corvid, covid virus, virus, corona, corona virus, neelakanta, neel, blue, favorite, ishta devam, deva, devam, ruler, ruling, ruler of my heart, my everything, everything, jai, hara, hara har, mahadev, shankar, shankara, shiva rathri, rathri, night, shivas night, shiva night, bhang, sufi, sufi islam, islam, islamicart, history, islamic art, unique, my story, story, bhagavan, hadith, prophet, ihsan, ishan

Ramadan Mubarak! : in 5 Languages

Here is my Ramadan Artwork/Design! Written in 5 Different languages : Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit (language of my faith Hinduism), Tamil (language I speak with my family) & Tamazight (language of the Amazigh people of North Africa)

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Ali Akbar Khan + Goddess Saraswati + Shiva Vishnu Temple = Bay Area, California

All Indian Classical Music and Dance traditions are rooted in worship and are ways to connect to the divine. The father of Hindustani music was a Muslim, the 13th C Sufi poet/musician/scholar Amir Khusrow. The father of Carnatic music was a Hindu, the 16th C saint/poet Purandara Dasa.

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