THE preservation and protection of Hinduism and the “respect for our (Hindu) festivals” in Guyana cannot be effected through a solitary call from a group of mostly fragmented organizations, some little known and mostly dormant, claiming to represent Hindus.
None of the organisation which purportedly subscribe to the call of convenience for “respect for our festivals” is representing me, a Hindu. I do not subscribe to organisations which are useless, ineffective and by extension, cannot ensure the propagation and protection of my religion. I consider irreverent, persons of such dormant organizations who claim to be leaders.
Only the Guyana Sevashram Sangha and the Hare Krishna Iskon Movement, named in the recent release to the media as organisations which have joined in a call for our festivals to be respected, do I respect. I am of the firm opinion that the others are just religious pretenders and some may have outlived their religious usefulness.
I am no spokesman for any Hindu grouping or individual and have absolutely no inclination to so do. I must confess that I am far from being a leader of my religion but, nevertheless, as a Hindu, I am very concerned about the piteous behaviour of those whom I believe are far more knowledgeable than me and who should be leading us and protecting our dharma rather than being silently ensconced in worlds of their own while our great religion is desecrated.
The Hindu `leadership’ in Guyana is a debacle and genuine individuals outside of so-called Hindu organisations, with a fervour to promote and preserve our religion, are sidelined and undermined by many of those who have imposed themselves on the Hindu community as religious leaders and caretakers. Allegations of the commission of some of the most repugnant crimes have in the past been leveled against some of our leaders.
Additionally, when last were free and fair elections held in these organisations to decide on the composition of their individual leadership? Or is there no democracy but rather dictatorship in these organisations? How nauseatingly funny that as a nation our very own and indomitable Cheddi Jagan and the PPP won the fight for a return to democracy in our country yet at the level of religion, we seem not to favour religious equality and transparency?
Many not worthy of being Hindu priests (pandits) have been ordained by the heads of Hindu organizations in this country. I am told that some of these individuals do not even know the Hindu alphabet but are now priests because particular Hindu `leaders’ wanted it this way. These new priests are very busy representing various Hindu organizations on different civic bodies. Surely, they are not representing me and many, many other Hindus, on any of those organizations.
Ordaining nincompoops as pandits is a most retrograde step and may even be regarded as nihilistic by some of us.
I am old enough to remember that pandits in the old days were knowledgeable about their religion and were respected in the community and country because they lived a life which subscribed to the teachings of Hinduism. These respected pandits were usually consulted by Hindus prior to any undertaking or in the event of personal adversities and the advice they provided were normally invaluable. Sadly, the type of advice proffered these days by these supposedly Hindu holy men are often very limited, lack wisdom and far from what is expected and this must have to do with the limited knowledge of many pandits.
It is said that Hindu dharma is the path of righteousness and living one’s life according to the codes of conduct as described by the Vedas and Upanishads. It means “that which holds” the people of this world and the whole creation. It refers to the religious ethics as propounded by Hindu gurus in ancient Indian scriptures. Tulsidas, author of Ramcharitmanas, defines the root of dharma as compassion.
Am I to believe that any in the current crop of so-called leaders are possess of the qualities to subscribe to even the basic tenets of Hindu dharma? My eyes are bright but I cannot detect such leaders within those organizations just yet. I see quite a few with the qualities to be excellent Hindu leaders but they are outside of the fold, marginalized and undercut., and against whom the `leaders’ are consistently waging a dirty campaign.
However, an individual who provided excellent and genuine leadership and did all he can to educate Hindus and propagate Hinduism, without being attached to any of the local Hindu organisations, was Shri Prakash Gossai.
He was a good man against whom vile and blasphemous things were said when he came upon the scene and encapsulated, enchanted and swept Hindus off their feet as
he propagated, promoted and protected Hinduism in his own sweet, inimitable style. In his short life, he did more for Hindus in Guyana and the diaspora, and beyond, than the collective contribution of those who have been here long before him (and probably will be here long after him) and who call themselves leaders.
Much despicable things, obviously fabricated, were said about Shri Prakashji by some of our very Hindu `leaders’ who have failed themselves, families and Hinduism in many ways. In the end, their promotion of abhorrence against this virtuous gentleman failed and they then pretended to be his friends as he spent his last days in this earthly life.
Two other individuals whom I must commend are Pandit Vishnudatt Panday and Pandit Rabindranauth Persaud (Ravi). Both these gentlemen are morally-sound, decent and always working selflessly to promote our religion. These two individuals fit quite neatly in the wide spectrum of daily morality based on the notion of karma and societal norms and expectations.
On the other hand, those now unabashedly calling for respect for Hindu festivals are individuals who are promoting “self” and “ego” before religion. I am told that this call is timed to dissuade persons from attending a planned phagwah mela at the National Stadium so as to preserve the glamour and shine on another mela which, for many years, has been held at another location.
These same organizations, shamelessly, did not see it fit to join me last October in condemning a party which was planned (and executed) on Hindus holiest night, Diwali. Surely, alcohol would have been consumed at that party and “melodies glorifying alcohol” played. There must have been back-balling, fine wining and other sexually- suggestive dances on a night Hindus venerated God.
Do these ‘leaders’ now expect us to support their calculated, collective and convenient call for “respect of our festivals” when they were deafeningly silent last October?”
This call is certainly not aimed at the promotion of Hinduism, the world oldest and third largest religion, but rather the promotion of “self” and “ego”. But, there is karma.
I sure hope, these `leaders’ know that karma is the Hindu concept which explains causality through a system where beneficial effects are derived from past beneficial actions and harmful effects from past harmful actions, creating a system of actions and reactions throughout a person’s reincarnated lives.
The harmful effects of the propagation and promotion of “self” and the flaunting of the “ego” rather than protecting and promoting the virtues of Hinduism will certainly be taken into account at the appropriate time when karma is evaluated in the various individuals.
Many of our Hindu leaders have been emboldened by all the wrong reasons and for all the wrong reasons and while I do not intend to be a part of any mela which does not promote and protect my religion, I do think that respect for Hinduism by the Hindu `leadership’ in Guyana is shrinking.
If some of those we revere as leaders cannot change their lifestyles and become fountains of morality and dece
ncy, can we expect others to respect our religion?
Many ordinary Hindus have gone astray because of a lack of leadership. Many have been converted by other religions and many more have been left without a sense of religious direction and are susceptible to conversion at a time when mankind keeps calling on God to survive in an increasing harsh and dangerous world.
No effort has been made by those `leaders’ to stem the wave of religious conversion of Hindus to other religions. The conversion is continuing and there is no tangible evidence that the Hindu community is either concerned or is doing that which is necessary to stop the conversion.
Many Hindus have lost hope in a leadership bereft of concern for a community which faces its sternest test of survival at a time when other denominations seek to up the ante in converting the gullible and vulnerable.
All this is happening because there is no central organization representing, advising, and directing Hindus and protecting, promoting and propagating Hinduism.
What we have is a set of organizations concerned only with the “self” and “ego”.
What we need is a central organization which can truly reach out and represent each and every Hindu in Guyana.
We need young, dynamic, vibrant, learned, morally-sound, decent people like Pandits Ravi and  Panday, guided by great Hindus such as Mr. Yesu Persaud, retired Justice Prem Persaud and the Swamis from the Guyana Sevashram Sangha to head such an organization before our great religion is reduced to a sect in Guyana.
In the meantime, I prefer to be a decent, morally-upright, God-fearing Hindu who drinks a little alcohol rather than being one who abstains but is indecent and morally-bankrupt.
Afterall, if bhang, a heady drink made from hemp and cannabis, was good enough for divine Lord Shiva, is use by sadhus to boost meditation and achieve a transcendental state, then I believe a little alcohol is good enough for mortal me. Cheers!!