Certificate in Hindu Civilizational Studies

Certificate program in Hindu Civilizational Studies

Certificate program in Hindu Civilizational Studies (C.H.C.S) is an in-depth exploration of the Hindu Civilization from a Hindu perspective. It provides the student with a grounded understanding of Hindu Dharma as one of the oldest, continuous, and still thriving cultures of the world. It unfolds the paradigm of Dharma, i.e., sustainability or natural order, through an exploration of its culture and knowledge traditions. This program enables the student to discover, reconnect and become profoundly established in the paradigm of Sanatana Dharma through a systematic study of the Hindu Civilization.

It comprises of 2 parts:

1. Exploring Hinduism 

A set of courses to gain an understanding of Sanatana Dharma and Hindu thought – the bedrock of the Hindu Civilization, by exploring the history, facets, and practices of this culture, which is based on the principles of Dharma at its core. What is Sanatana Dharma? What is Hinduism? When did Hinduism start? Who is a Hindu? What makes Hindus different? Does Hindu thought have relevance in today’s world? Answers to such questions can be found in this “Exploring Hinduism” set of courses.

2. Hindu Contributions To The World 

A set of courses to learn how the Hindu civilization and its knowledge systems had influenced world progress with contributions in the realm of both Matter and Mind. This series of courses looks beyond the myths set in motion by a few hundred years of colonial encounter and examines the evidence for the sciences, technologies, inventions, industry, prosperity, wealth and thought leadership that had made India a sought-after civilization across times. It is now accepted knowledge that India was at the top in world trade for around 2000 years with 1/3rd of world trade coming from India. But there is very little mention of how India accomplished this position.

What did it create? What did it trade in? This set of courses goes into the details of the individual components that made up this 33% of world trade and its impact on the world and in India. This subject matter stays unacknowledged and is rarely available for discussion. It also addresses the crucial question, “How could this civilization give all this and more – both to the East and the West?”.

It is a cyclic program of 8 quarters / courses, where participants can join during any quarter and get their Certification once they complete the 8 courses in any order and at their own pace, depending on their ability to join any quarter. This program is open to all – those with or without Indian or Hindu roots, wherever they may be in the world. It will help see the world from a Hindu, Bharatiya, Indic perspective and experience how different it is, from what we think we know.

Program Learning Outcomes: At the end of this program, students will be able to:

  1. Explain the Hindu Paradigm of Dharma
  2. Describe salient aspects of the Hindu Civilization
  3. Critique various misrepresentations of Hinduism
  4. Synthesize an expansive account of world history
  5. Establish an expanded sense of purpose and relevance

Required / Elective: Required

Prerequisites: Admission into a Certificate in Hindu Civilizational Studies

Faculty / InstructorDr. D. K. HariDr. D. K. Hema Hari,

Quarter Offered: Spring 2024

Hindu Contributions to the world in the realm of matter – Game Changer

Hindu Contributions to the world in the realm of matter

Course Content:

In contemporary times, following the European Colonization of India, it has become ‘received knowledge’ that the Hindus were and continue to be ritualistic, superstitious, poverty-ridden, timid, bare and barely noticeable as a ‘static’ people, whose history is nothing more than the history of successive waves of invaders and colonizers who made India their home for a time.

This course looks beyond this myth set in motion by a 200-year colonial encounter, and examines the evidence for the sciences, technologies, inventions, industry, prosperity, and wealth that made India such a desirable civilization across time. It addresses the question, why did everyone, seemingly the world over, seek out the Hindu civilization, and for what?

This course can be taken as a continuing course in the series titled “Exploring Hinduism”, or as a stand-alone course. Both the parts can be taken sequentially in any order or as a stand-alone course. It can be enjoyed by teenagers in the age group 12-18, on their own or together with their parents and grandparents too.

“Exploring Hinduism” is a series of courses that facilitate a structured exploration of various facets of one of the world’s most ancient families of traditions and civilization.  This course moves past the modern myth that the Hindus were ‘other-worldly’ and were immersed in nothing more than the Vedas, Yoga, Spirituality, Meditation, Penance, and in seeking Liberation from birth and death.

It uncovers a holistic view of the source of the sustained prosperity and wealth of the Hindus across vast stretches of time. It investigates the question – “Are Hindu ideas obsolete? Or do they have contemporary relevance?”

Over 2 parts of 10 sessions each where each part spans a quarter, this course will cover a variety of areas of innovation, inventions, development and trade, and sustained contributions that characterized the Hindu civilization for millennia. These areas will include Metals, Textiles, Dyes, Spices, Diamonds, Navigation, Fireworks, Perfumes, and how these innovations impacted the world. During this course, students will acquire newfound confidence from the dawning of a recognition that the Hindu Civilization has been quite different from what our received knowledge has led us to believe and renew their trust in the Hindu worldview and way of life, that has been so sustainable and successful for so long.

Course Learning Objectives:

In this course, students will

  1. Discover the prosperity of the Hindu Civilization that lasted for millennia, till about a few hundred years ago.
  2. Uncover the advanced state of technology and industry practiced by the Hindus.
  3. Discover the Hindu ethos and perspective of practicing industry and trade in a sustainable manner.
  4. Examine the forces that can upset and destroy such millennia-long cultivated prosperity in a short time
  5. Gain insight into the secret of prosperity and balance that the Hindus possessed which enabled their civilizational advancement and affluence
  6. Develop the confidence to think laterally with regard to the challenges and problems facing humanity and propose paradigm-shifting approaches towards the future

Class Structure:  The course is designed as 2 parts –

Part A – The BIG 5

To gain an understanding of the 5 major contributions that were made by the Hindus to the world. How they impacted the world and the Hindu Civilization? What happened to them and what can we learn from them for today’s context?

Part B – The Game Changer

To gain an understanding of what was the advantage that the Hindus had cultivated, due to which they had been able to rule the tastes, possessions and obsessions of the world. How was this advantage snatched away and how does an understanding of the same bear relevance today?  

Each part will span 1 Quarter, with 1 online session per week. Each session will comprise of 90 minutes with live online lectures and interactions with the faculty and will include Quizzes and Assignments.

Each part is independent of the other and can be taken in any sequence.

Course Being Offered: Part B – The Game Changer

Faculty: Dr. D.K. Hari & Dr. Hema Hari

Required/Elective: Elective

Prerequisites: Admission to Program of Study

Area of Study: Hindu Studies Foundation

Program of Study: Certificate in Hindu Civilizational Studies (CHCS) – HUA

Quarter Offered: Winter 2022

1)USA Batch-

Start Date: January 15, 2022

End Date: March 19, 2022

Day: Every Saturday

USA Time: 11:00 AM EST – 12:30 PM EST / 9:30 pm IST – 11:00 pm IST

2)Australia and New Zealand Batch (ANZ)-

Start Date: January 16, 2022

End Date: March 20, 2022

Day: Every Sunday

AUSTRALIA Time:  6:00 PM AEST – 7:30 PM AEST/ 1:30 pm IST – 3:00 pm IST/7:00 PM AEDT – 8:30 PM AEDT/ 9:00 AM CET – 10:30 AM CET