In a major victory for the Hindu community living in the United States and around the world, the Oregon Education Department has officially recognized the distinction between the sacred religious symbol Swastika and the Nazi ‘Hakenkreuz’. The Hindu American Foundation on Thursday (July 18) described it as a “monumental decision.” The HAF noted that it will be an important step in preserving the sanctity of our symbols for future generations.

The Hindu advocacy group said: “A historic victory for our community! Thanks to the tireless advocacy of our supporters in Oregon, the Oregon Department of Education has officially recognized the distinction between the Nazi swastika and our sacred swastika. This monumental decision marks a significant step forward in preserving the sanctity of our symbols for future generations. This victory would not have been possible without your unwavering support and dedication. Let us continue to educate and spread awareness about the true meaning of our sacred swastika.”

A historic victory for our community!
Thanks to the tireless efforts of our supporters in Oregon, the Oregon Department of Education has officially recognized the distinction between the Nazi Hakenkreuz and our sacred swastika. This monumental decision marks an important step… photo.twitter.com/bIOnQRhgSC

— Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) July 18, 2024

According to the official website Oregon.gov, the Department of Education has released an official statement titled, “Every Student Belongs — Learning the difference between symbols.”

In it, the Oregon Education Department describes the Swastika as “a Sanskrit word used to symbolize good fortune and elements of the natural world in many religions and cultures, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Jainism, and some Native American religions and cultures.”

It was pointed out that the image of the hooked cross is often mistakenly referred to as a Swastika, but is in fact the Nazi Hakenkreuz, which is notorious as a symbol of hatred.

The Ministry of Education added: “While the image of the hooked cross is commonly referred to as a ‘swastika’, the actual Nazi and neo-Nazi symbol is correctly labelled as a ‘hakenkreuz’, the German word for ‘hooked cross’. Connect the dots through education and clarification of terminology.”

Hindu Swastika and Nazi Swastika are not the same

There is a big difference between the two symbols: the sacred religious symbol – Swastika and the Nazi hate symbol – Hakenkreuz.

Interestingly, Swastika, translated from Sanskrit, consists of ‘su’ which means ‘good’ and ‘Asti’ which means ‘being’. In other words, well-being. It dates back about 6000 years to rock and cave paintings. Scholars generally agree that it originated in India.

It also symbolized happiness, prosperity and all that was auspicious for other ancient cultures, including the Vikings and the Greeks, as well as Hindus, Buddhists and Jains.

A religious symbol for Hindus, the Swastika was first mentioned in the Vedas. It symbolizes many things such as Surya (the sun) and Brahma, the creator. It is seen as a symbol of power and is also the emblem of Ganesha, the god of fortune. In both Hinduism and Jainism, the Swastika is used to mark the opening pages of account books, doors and thresholds.

In fact, the Swastika has been found to be used in ancient Greece as well and can be found in the remains of the ancient city of Troy, which existed 4,000 years ago. The ancient Druids and the Celts also used the symbol. It was used by Nordic tribes and even early Christians used the Swastika as one of their symbols, including the Teutonic Knights, a German medieval military order, which became a purely religious Catholic order.

In addition, the American Jewish Committee, one of the country’s oldest Jewish advocacy groups, has released a pamphlet clarifying the distinction between the Swastika used for thousands of years by Hindu, Jain and Buddhist cultures and the distorted Nazi version.

However, out of ignorance, cultural insensitivity and deliberate intent, many confuse the two symbols, further fueling the Hinduphobia that is widespread across the world. A notable case recently emerged from Australia, where Uber had banned a Hindu woman from their portal for 5 months because her name was Swastika. However, she later won after fighting against the decision.