Yoga & Surya Namaskar
We begin with the body — light warm-ups, yoga and Surya Namaskar (sun salutations) to limber the body and steady the breath. No experience is needed.
Metro Manila · our home base
Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh in Manila
Metro Manila is where HSS Philippines began — and it is the one place where you can join a free, weekly Hindu shakha today. Two regular gatherings, for the whole family, open to everyone and free of any fee.
HSS Manila is a warm, wholesome weekly Hindu shakha for families in Metro Manila — a living circle where children, youth and elders gather to practise yoga, play together, sing, share stories and stay rooted in the values of Hindu Dharma.
At the heart of everything is the shakha (branch) — an unhurried gathering, once a week, built on three simple values: Sanskar (good character), Seva (selfless service) and Sanghatan (unity). It is not a class you enrol in or an audience you sit in; it is more like an extended family meeting once a week — joyful, dignified and open to all.
HSS is a voluntary, non-profit, cultural and educational community. It is strictly non-political, run entirely by volunteers, and has no membership fee. Everyone who shares our values is welcome — whatever your language, background or age.
2
Free weekly shakhas in Metro Manila
All ages
Children to elders, one family
No fee
Volunteer-run, open to all
Non-political
A cultural & educational community
Our two gatherings in Manila
Two free, weekly shakhas — come along to either
Everyone is welcome, and there is no fee. Just arrive a little early, and one of our volunteers will make you feel at home.
Every Sunday · 9:00–10:30 AM
Main Shakha — Hindu Temple, Paco
Our all-ages family gathering, hosted at the Hindu Temple in Paco, Manila. Children, youth and elders take part together — yoga and Surya Namaskar, joyful games (khel), songs (geet), stories, Balagokulam for the little ones, and a closing prayer for the well-being of all.
The Paco Hindu temple kindly hosts us as our venue; it is a place of worship in its own right, not an HSS branch.
Every Saturday · 5:30–7:00 PM
Chhatrapati Shivaji Shakha
A gathering especially for children and young people, held at the Crimarcel Basketball Court. Named for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, it brings together games (khel), stories of courage and character, songs and good company — an easy, active hour and a half for the young ones.
Parents are welcome to come along and stay; children of all ages are looked after with care.
Not sure which one suits your family? Message our pracharak (volunteer organiser) on WhatsApp at +63 915 857 5603 and we'll help you choose.
What happens at a shakha
A gentle rhythm of body, mind and heart
Wherever HSS gathers in the world, a shakha follows the same familiar flow — and Manila is no different.
Khel · Games
Traditional team games (khel) like kabaddi and kho-kho, plus relays and sports. Play builds teamwork, fair play and friendship — a nine-year-old and a grandparent may share the same side.
Geet · Songs
Songs (geet) sung together in one voice — a quiet lesson in unity that sends everyone home humming, and a joyful thread through every gathering.
Balagokulam for children
Our children's program brings heritage and values alive through games, yoga, stories, bhajans and crafts — a bright, playful world where learning never feels like a chore.
Stories & reflection
Short talks and stories of inspiring figures — sages, reformers and everyday people of courage and compassion — where values are named, reflected upon and quietly taken to heart.
Prarthana · Prayer
We close standing together for a universal prayer — offered not for ourselves alone, but for strength, character and knowledge in the service of all, and for peace across the whole world.
Who it's for
Everyone is welcome in Manila
The shakha is for the whole family — the youngest little ones alongside a parent, children and teenagers, young adults, and grandparents. No one ages out of it, and activities are gently tailored to each stage of life while everyone shares the same circle.
You do not need to be from any particular region, speak any particular language, or have any prior experience. There is no membership fee and no test of belief at the door — only a warm welcome and an invitation to grow in good character and to serve.
Strictly non-political
HSS is a cultural and educational community, not a political one. We do not take part in political activism or support any political ideology. Our focus in Manila is entirely on values, yoga, family and service — in the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the belief that the whole world is one family.
A little context
The Hindu community in Metro Manila
Metro Manila is home to a long-established Indian and Hindu community, predominantly of Sindhi and Punjabi heritage, many of whose families have lived, worked and worshipped in the city for generations. It is a warm, close-knit community that has quietly kept its language, faith and festivals alive far from its ancestral home.
HSS Manila is glad to gather within this wider community and to add something of its own — a free, weekly shakha for families, built around character, yoga and service. To be clear and honest: the temples, associations and other Hindu or Indian organisations in Metro Manila are independent bodies with their own histories and leadership. Where one of them, such as the Hindu Temple in Paco, kindly hosts our gathering, it does so purely as a venue and host — it is not an HSS branch or affiliate, and we would never suggest otherwise. We are simply grateful neighbours.
How to join
Just come along
There is nothing to sign up for and nothing to pay. Choose the gathering that suits your family, arrive a few minutes early, and you'll be welcomed in.
For directions, or to let us know you're coming, message our pracharak (volunteer organiser) on WhatsApp — we're always happy to help a new family find their way in.
वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — “the whole world is one family.”
Everyone is welcome
Bring your family to a shakha in Manila
Whether you'd like to join the Sunday family shakha in Paco or the Saturday youth shakha, there is a place for you. No fee, no obligation — just a warm circle, a gentle rhythm, and good company.