CHANTINGS of the Maha Mantra by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), taan, thumri, bhajan, romantic filmi music of yesteryear, raags produced by Gunwah and sung by Pt. Nandalall, a medley of songs composed by Pandit Reep himself and sung by the original singers all resounded melodiously in the evening sky, with dexterous accompaniment by various artistes on traditional instruments – the dholak, dhantal, jaal, harmonium and tabla, a glissade of enchantment that held enthralled a gathering of hundreds who bade a final farewell in the ambience of a spellbinding festival of music that was the primary entertainment of Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud throughout his lifetime.

MC Ronica, youngest sister of Mrs. Indranie Persaud, informed the crowd that the Dharmic Sabha comprised many sub-components, called praants, throughout the length and breadth of Guyana; and members of the various praants throughout the country, as well as godchildren who had been nurtured by a guru whose teachings they lived and who hailed from various parts of the world had come to pay their final respects to the iconic religious leader who straddled the national religious and political landscape for decades.
Interspersing the glorious evening of sublime music the tributes poured in, the most significant being the words of Ashton Chase – one of the founding fathers of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).
Chase recalled former days of constituencies, campaigning with Pandit Reep on the East Bank of Demerara and described the politician priest as sincere, upright and dedicated to people-related causes, who gave invaluable service to the PPP.
According to Chase, their mutual families shared a close relationship and when his eldest daughter was born he asked Pandit Reep to consult the Patra and  name the baby. The name Serita was chosen for Chase’s first-born daughter.
Throughout their lives, they shared a close relationship, exchanging views and sharing experiences; and Chase reflected that both as a priest and a politician, Pt. Reep has served his country well – an example for younger persons to emulate.
Ronica said that since her sister married Pandit Reep in 1970, her sleep had been disturbed in the evenings when mouge sessions by budding musicians filled the air with melody; but maybe sometimes with discordance also, as they strove to get their notes right.  The musical tributes last Wednesday evening were carefully chosen to represent a variety of Pt. Reep’s favourites; but the medley of songs of several genres seemed to be everyone’s favourites also, because hardly anyone wanted to leave the satsang as they enjoyed the various renditions by various exponents of the art. Dr. Beni Balkarran had returned from Trinidad to sing for his mentor the songs Pt. Reep had compiled and he had sung in the first LP of bhajans ever produced in Guyana.
Other singers included musical icon Mohan Nandu, whose golden voice seems ageless, Suchitra, Rekha, Mona, Sukhrani, Basdeo Sanchara, who said that Pandit Reep was always telling him what to sing, and that he could hear Pandit telling him to sing Nache Man Mora and Chalay Gori Peeche, which he rendered flawlessly, Pandit’s nephew, Prakash Misir also sang a tribute to his mamoo (maternal uncle), as did his sisters-in-law, Devika and Duma Doodnauth. The family on both sides are like a constellation of talented stars.
Throughout the evening, a slideshow of significant moments in Pandit’s life captivated attention, as this more than anything else revealed a man complex in character and of wide and varied experience – an extraordinarily handsome man by any standards who aged very gracefully, seeming to mellow like exquisite old wine.
Interspersed between bouts of musical interludes and tributes Ronica regaled the gathering with anecdotal gems of her experiences with her late brother-in-law.
According to her, his memory was phenomenal and he knew the Guyana Constitution inside out, as he would occasionally request her to open the Constitution to a particular page, the contents of which he had total recall.
She attested to his fearlessness during election day violence in 1973, as thugs armed with guns, bayonets and other implements terrorized and attacked PPP supporters, when he would wade unarmed into the fray and run the gauntlet to reach and encourage the voters not to be afraid and to exercise their franchise, while she cowered in terror in the vehicle at the rampaging thugs who were intent on preventing PPP supporters from voting, and who were throwing ballot boxes of the PPP strongholds into the river.
Paying tribute, feisty (can’t call her old, because she is still vibrant and very active) PPP stalwart, Philomena (fireball) Sahoye-Shury, who joined the PPP in 1958, the same year Pandit Reep did, reminisced on the days she spent sharing various experiences with Pandit Reep, whom she described as a brother and colleague who was ‘rough, tough, dynamic, skilled …(had) temerity and courage to fight…”
She recalled an encounter during a conflict at Houston Mandir and said that Pt. Reep, in an articulate and suave manner,brought all the groups together and ended the conflict.
Sahoye-Shury spoke of the days when Pandit Reep was being railroaded out of the Pandit’s Council, because in the 70’s and 80’s most of the pandits stood on Burnham’s side, ‘…but he surmounted the obstacles and remained in charge of the Pandits Council.’ According to Sahoye-Shury, Pt. Reep was excellent at conflict-resolution and mediation and shared great rapport with the leaders of the Christian denominations in the committee for constitutional reform, which comprised representatives of the PNC, PPP, and TUF, as well as other stakeholders.
Presidential Adviser Gail Teixeira said that Pandit Reep was a comrade, friend, and a sparring and bantering partner who would tease her by calling her ‘Gilawattie’, which he knew irritated her. Newly-returned to Guyana at Dr Cheddi’s invitation, Teixeira was mentored by Pt. Reep, especially helping her to understand the colloquial dialect spoken in the rural communities.
She related that they shared many commonalities, among which was a love of culture, and that Pandit Reep taught her about the different genres of music and their origins. According to her, he completely understood the norms and conventions of Parliament  and that she felt that she had lost a brother and a friend.
His godson, Ravi Chaitram, who returned from the USA for his funeral, said that Pt. Reep was a gem of a guru, a jewel among pandits,  and that the Dharmic Sabha was a family tree bonding members together across the globe.
Also present were President Donald Ramotar, former president, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, Prime Minister Sam Hinds and his wife Yvonne and other ministers of government, leaders of industry, and a host of other dignitaries and visitors and relatives from overseas.
In tribute to Pt. Reep, satsangs (wakes) were held throughout the country and in communities worldwide by members of the Dharmic Sabha who still remain faithful to the institution created by their guru, a man who towered in stature in the national landscape and across continents.