SUBMITTED BY: Sreejita Patra
COURSE: Journalism 417: Magazine Publishing
MEDIUM: Website, Blog, Print, Audio/Podcast
DESCRIPTION:
The God in Others is an in-depth multimedia report on the Hindu community in Wisconsin, including a podcast, photography, video, timeline, and interactive presentation. The main story outlines the origins of “Hinduism” and the premise behind Hindu philosophies, the development of a small yet vibrant Hindu community in Wisconsin, and the community efforts undertaken by Wisconsin Hindus to serve others and preserve their heritage in the face of struggles. The timeline project traces the Hindu temple-building period in Wisconsin between 1999 and 2025, and the multimedia slideshow highlights various community service initiatives spearheaded by Hindus across the state.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT:
I wrote The God in Others to fill some of the gaps in reporting and general information about South Asians in Wisconsin, which is particularly dire when it comes to members of the Dharmic religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and more. Being a Bengali Hindu myself, I have frustrations with the way Hindus and Hinduism are reported on in the West, and I thought my background and skills would serve me best to report on this specific group. I took efforts to paint as holistic and nuanced a picture of Hindu Wisconsinites as my resources allowed, interviewing Hindus across broad ethnic groups, faith traditions, ages, genders, abilities, and arguably, most importantly, castes. I also particularly sought to highlight the diversity of experiences Hindus have had in this state and country, including stories of racism and discrimination, alongside an overall theme of community immersion and acceptance. Through the publishing of this story and, hopefully, the showcasing of it with Digital Salon, I seek to further understanding of this ethnoreligious group where it is currently lacking, and hopefully inspire further comprehensive reporting on South Asians in the state.
*Note: This is the current edition of Curb. Previous editions of Curb may no longer be available.