Diwali Special | “My Mom Thought I’d Joined a Punk Rock Band.” | The Story of an Irish Catholic Hindu: Where Faith Meets Philosophy | Shaunaka Rishi Das

In Irish Catholic’s journey to Hinduism. Can faith be inherited or must it be discovered?Born and raised in a small Irish town, Shaunaka Rishi Das (born Timothy Kiernan) grew up with no connection to India or Hinduism. Yet his life’s path led him to Hindu philosophy, discipline, and devotion, a journey so unexpected that his mother once thought he’d joined a punk rock band when he returned home with a shaved head. In this Diwali special of India: A Story in the Making, we step away from rituals and celebrations to ask deeper questions that many of us quietly carry: If God exists, why is there so much suffering? Can faith exist without religion? Is Hinduism a belief system — or a way of inquiry? And why is Hindu thought often missing from global conversations on meaning, wellbeing, and sustainability? This calm, reflective conversation with Shaunaka Rishi Das, the first Hindu Chaplain at Oxford University and Founding Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, challenged my understanding of the faith I was born into, and left me with questions that lingered long after the cameras stopped rolling. Some food for thought this Diwali — along with the mithai. Episode 40: Mum Thought I’d Joined A Punk Rock Band. Happy Diwali to all ! FULL VIDEO ON: 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@loveenatandonproductions FULL AUDIO ON: 🎙️ Podcast – Smart Link https://bingepods.com/podcast/podcast-rn7moe FOR DIRECT CONVERSATION WITH LOVEENA: 💬 Join Our Discord Community: https://discord.gg/p2UYt9uV5d Please do like SUBSCRIBE AND CONNECT ON DISCORD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices