Scores of persons were treated last evening to an Indian cultural show at the Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud Dharmic Sanskrit Kendra, Prashad Nagar, as the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha (GHDS) ushers in the colourful festival of Holi.
According to GHDS President, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, the Phagwah Mela and Bazaar was the first in a series of events planned by the sabha to celebrate Phagwah, which the GHDS will be celebrating on Monday, March 13.
“This is the kickoff for a number of other activities we have planned,” Dr. Persaud said.
She also said that the sabha will be having chowtal sammelans across the country starting tomorrow, a youth Holi festival and the Grand Holi Utsav at the Everest Cricket Ground on March 13.
“These are all traditions that have been with the Dharmic Sabha for over 40 years,” she said, noting: “We have sustained these traditions, expanded them and [we] have definitely included a lot of young people.”
The event featured Guyanese Indian singers Rekha Singh, Sookrane Bookdhoo and Mona Gowkarran, alongside the top performers, Vidya Ram, Karamchand Sugrim, Shivanand Singh, Elizabeth Wong, Ritesh Tularam, Altaf Hamid and Tejyas Singh,of the recently concluded E-networks Emerging Voices competition.
The crowd was also treated to an old Indian style of singing known as the Biraha, by Trinidadian guest performers who were all backed by the Dax New Generation Band.
The Dharmic Nritya Sangh also executed well choreographed dances by Dr. Vindhya Persaud and had the crowd dancing in their seats to a number of popular Indian songs.
There was also a special dramatic presentation written and directed by Travez Piaralall, who is a graduate of the Anupum Kher Institute of acting in Mumbai, India.
Sweet meats and vegetarian foods were also on sale, in addition to the games and other attractions, making the event a perfect family event.
Meanwhile, in attempt to rectify the constant confusion over the dates for Hindu religious festivals, Dr. Persaud said she met with other Hindu organisations and proposed that an independent astrologer from India (the homeland of Hinduism) be employed to calculate these dates for future holidays.
“We at the GHDS believe that having such a person would eliminate all confusion surrounding these dates,” Dr. Persaud said as she urged all Hindus and Guyanese to put aside their differences and have a fun-filled Phagwah.