As from June 2003 this website is operating under the name of the socio-cultural group of PRANAAM.

Brussels, capital of Belgium, is also the capital of Europe and a crossroad of experience of cohabitation of various religions and cultures from over the world. Devotees of important religious entities have places of worship and cultural institutions either in Brussels or on the Belgian territory, except those of the Diaspora that form the Hindu community. They may be coming from India, Mauritius, Fiji, Nepal, Trinidad & Tobago, Surinam or from other far flung regions of the world, but they all suffer from the absence of a temple, shivala, mandir, etc. or cultural facilities.

A group of people of various denominations of the Hindu faith has decided to act aimed at setting the record straight. A meeting held in Brussels on 1st June 2000 decided that it was time to fill the vacuum urgently and resolved to submit proposals to another meeting scheduled on 18 June 2000 to approve the establishment of a sabha for people and well-wishers of the Hindu faith.

The sabha will have fulfilled its primary task when it would have put up a functional Cultural Centre. We see the Centre as a hub not only for providing a platform for interaction and cross fertilisation of ideas in the essence of the Hindu philosophy but also for providing to members, their families and well-wishers such facilities like a place for worship, art, music, and, not the least, mutual support and solidarity.

We may be fortunate in the sense that others have opened the way in the US, Canada, UK, The Netherlands and to some extent in France. We will tread through the pathway that others before us have had the foresight to open. We will seek inspiration from their respective experiences and are looking forward to fruitful relations with these groups across the Belgian frontiers. Brussels, as the capital of Europe, cannot lag behind anymore and we hope that all around us would join efforts with us to make of this city an important window that can offer to both outside visitors and residents an important glimpse of the philosophy and culture of Hinduism.

NAMASKAR, the name attributed by the meeting of 18 June 2000 to the newly created sabha, represents the umbrella under the shade of which the diaspora of the Hindu faith should expect protection, understanding, support, encouragement and a moral uplift. The act of two hands joining together to offer prayers should represent collective effort for the overall moral uplift of humanity and perseverance for inner peace, so important for social peace, justice and freedom.

On the finalisation of the process of official registration in some weeks time, NAMASKAR becomes the first sabha in Belgium of people of the Hindu faith.