The Kashi Vidwat Parishad, a prominent body of Vedic scholars based in Varanasi, has finalised a comprehensive Hindu Code of Conduct that lays out a simplified and structured path for individuals seeking to return to the Hindu faith. The code, which has been in development for over 15 years, is being described as a landmark initiative to both preserve Sanatan traditions and respond to contemporary challenges facing the Hindu community.
At the heart of the code is a detailed procedure for ghar wapsi, or reconversion, intended for those who left Hinduism due to social pressure, religious influence, or coercion. According to Professor Ramnarayan Dwivedi, national general secretary of the Parishad, the new code makes the return to the fold more accessible, humane, and rooted in ritual authenticity.
Individuals seeking reconversion will now undergo a pooja under the supervision of a qualified acharya or spiritual guide. If the person remembers their ancestral gotra, it will be restored and retained. In cases where the gotra has been forgotten, the acharya will assign an appropriate one based on Vedic norms. The reconverted individual will also have the liberty to choose a second name of their preference, aligning with their new spiritual journey.
“This is not merely a religious formality it is a restoration of identity,” said Prof Dwivedi. “We are giving people the dignity to return to their roots with honour and without shame.”
The Parishad is preparing to launch a large-scale awareness campaign urging Hindu society to embrace those rejoining the faith. The emphasis, according to its leaders, is on compassion and inclusion, rather than scrutiny or judgment.
The Kashi Vidwat Parishad comprises over 1,000 scholars, with an executive council of 21 experts in Vedas, Sanskrit grammar, philosophy, Upanishads, and Vedic mathematics. The code will be formally unveiled in October 2025 during the Sanskriti Sansad in Kashi. To ensure its reach, five lakh copies of a two-page summary of the code will be distributed to Hindu households in the first phase.
Swami Jitendrananda Saraswati, General Secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti, called the code “a spiritual roadmap for Hindus worldwide.” He added, “Every Hindu is asking ‘what does it mean to be Hindu today?’ This code gives us that answer.”
In preparing the document, over 40 consultative meetings were held across India, with references drawn from scriptures like the Manu Smriti, Parashar Smriti, Deval Smriti, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and various Puranas. The final draft was presented before leading religious figures including Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, and Ramanandacharya at the Mahakumbh for approval.
Though the document also addresses broader social practices, such as gender equality and temple discipline, its reconversion framework is likely to generate the most debate and perhaps the most resonance in a country grappling with questions of religious identity, heritage, and belonging.
