Karthy Chandra
Having immigrated from India at a young age, my life has always been a delicate balance of adapting to the cultural norms of the society I am tangibly in touch with and staying connected to the rich cultural roots of my heritage. The aroma of South Indian spices, Bharathanatyam & Ballet dance classes, and a fluid linguistic fusion of English and Malayalam make up the colorful mosaic of my childhood.
Through Chinmaya Mission, I found a community of like-minded people who shared the same inclination to strike a balance between their Indian heritage and this American life. It was a place that helped me connect with my family over our shared spiritual values, along with others in the local Indian community and at Chinmaya centers around the country. The classmates I grew up with left a lasting impact on my life and are still close friends. They understood what it was like to have to change out of your indian clothes to watch a movie after Balavihar or argue with your parents about whether you had time to learn geeta chanting. We could relate to each other in a way that we couldn’t with most other people.
As an alumni, I cherish the memories I’ve made at Chinmaya Mission and appreciate its values and teachings that incubated my spiritual growth. I always look forward to visiting our center back in Portland and delight in witnessing it’s growth and development. I am proud to be part of this community of cherished companions, dedicated volunteers, and spiritual seekers. Hari om!