THE Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha yesterday hosted what seemed to be another calendar event in Guyana, a prelude to the many festivities that dynamic institution organizes annually in celebration of the Phagwah festival in Guyana. The Phagwah Mela and Bazaar and first-of-its-kind in Guyana, Folk Dance Festival, held yesterday evening on the lawns of the Guyana International Conference Centre at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, exploded with a rainbow of colours, as women, men, and children outdid themselves with fashionable Indian apparel and accessories to match.
In the words of primary organizer and choreographer of all Sabha events, General Secretary to the Sabha, the dynamic, energetic, and greatly talented Dr. Vindhya Vasini Persaud, it was a feast for the eyes, ears, and palate.
Highly motivated, like her parents, to serve humanity, guided by the leitmotif of the Hindu culture: “Action thy duty; reward not thy concern”, Vindhya is by profession a medical doctor – a surgeon who, after gruelling hours practising her profession, still finds time to multi-task in myriads of activities, which also includes being a Parliamentarian.
In this and many other ways, including knowledge of panditii work and a deep well of appreciation for music and the arts — and although she says she is happy being a woman, a very beautiful and charming one at that — she truly is her father’s daughter, emulating him in many of his life’s endeavours and achievements.
On January 9 of this year, the Sabha celebrated its 38th anniversary with a special satsangh at the Shree Krishna Mandir in Campbellville; and at that event, President Donald Ramotar recalled the state of affairs in Guyana in 1974, the year in which the Sabha was founded by Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud, the President of the Sabha, whom President Ramotar described as not only a prominent and learned religious leader and scholar in Hinduism, which in itself is a rarity in the western hemisphere, but also a national leader, a political maestro and a close confidant.
President Ramotar said, “This organization is a defender and a promoter of Hinduism… Pandit Reepu had the vision that led this organization to realize that, for Hinduism to survive, freedom and democracy had to survive as well.”
According to President Ramotar, the Sabha and its members have, over the years, made significant contributions, without which social, economic and political development would not have been possible.
As an elderly statesman, Pandit Persaud continues to guide, in an advisory capacity, the administrative construct in the country.
During those times, not only the religions of our ancestors were at stake, but, indeed, the entire civil society was under threat, and it took great courage and fortitude to walk on pathways divergent from the norm then prevailing; but Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud was one of the many Guyanese who displayed indomitable courage and great fortitude to chart civil, religious and political pathways on which this current generation can tread to reach goals in dignity, and with freedom to make choices on individual goals.
Down the centuries, as the ghungroos, tambourines, dhantals, cymbals, dholaks and tablas continue their throbbing rhythms, the basuriyas, harmoniums and serenaded audiences and the lustrously melodic vocals of singers of every genre of music splinter the sky, while swirling bodies and flashing feet pulsate on stages, the beat of every rhythmic cadence would ring out the names of Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud and his very dutiful daughter, Dr. Vindhya Vasini Persaud.