Hanuman glorified
The towering murti next to the Rama Krishna Mandir at Blenheim, Leguan
The towering murti next to the Rama Krishna Mandir at Blenheim, Leguan

BUILT by a skilled rural sculptor named after a prince who laid down his life in defiance against worshipping a mortal in one of the legends behind the Phagwah celebrations, the (murti) statue of Hanuman towers over the island of Leguan.

Standing at a height of 52 feet, it is comfortably the tallest in Guyana and reportedly, the second tallest in the Caribbean.

Other huge statues of Lord Hanuman in Guyana can be found at Ruimzeight, West Coast Demerara (22 feet built on a raised platform) and at Blairmont, West Bank Demerara (15 feet). The largest in the Caribbean can be found in Trinidad, at a height of 85 feet.

The marvel is the brainchild of Pandit Sunil Sharma, who recruited his master sculptor brother-in-law Prahalad (only name) to build it on a parcel of land located next to the Rama Krishna Mandir at Blenheim, one of eight mandirs on the 18-square kilometre island. Incidentally, Blenheim is the largest village in Leguan.

According to Sharma, there is no significant event that drove the construction of the masterpiece, relating that it was an idea that crossed his mind and he threw it out to his congregation and received their full support.

Initially, they intended to build the murti at 20 feet in height, but his congregation thought it could be bigger, and bigger it eventually became.

When it was settled that the image of the devoted servant of Shri Ram (the avatar of Lord Vishnu, the Preserver of the Universe) will stand at a height of two scores and 12, many in Leguan and across Guyana pitched in with contributions.

Work on the huge structure started in November 2014 and was completed last year to the tune of $2.4M. The grand commissioning of the murti was graced by then Social Cohesion Minister, Amna Ally.

VIBRANT CULTURE
It stands out not only as a landmark, but also as a symbol of the vibrant Hindu culture on the sparsely populated island.

Some 70 per cent of the close to 3000 residents of Leguan are Hindus. Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world, dating back some 10,000 years and with a following of over a billion, it is the third largest religion in the world.

Hinduism is also a major religion in Guyana, as some 28 per cent of her population are Hindus. Only Nepal (81 per cent), India (80 per cent), Mauritius (54 per cent) and Fiji (33 per cent) have higher Hindu populations.

Quite interestingly, the word “Hinduism” is not the real word for the faith. That name was given by the Greeks and Arabs to the dwellers by the Sindhu River, India. The real name is Sanatana Dharma. This Sanskrit phrase when translated into English means “Eternal Truth.”

Hindus believe in one Supreme God, who has many names and manifests in many forms, among them Lord Hanuman (considered to be a manifestation of Lord Shiva, the Destroyer). Lord Shiva complements the divine trinity of Brahma (The Creator) and Vishnu (The Preserver).

BRAVERY, INTELLECT

Hanuman is glorified in the Sundarkand and Uttar Kand (books) of the sacred text, the Ramayana, the longest poem ever written as a personification of dedication, pure devotion, strength, courage and bravery and extraordinary intellect.

Son of Anjana, an apsara and father of Keseri, a brave chief among forest dwellers, Hanuman was a dedicated servant to Shri Ram (the Avatar of Lord Vishnu).

Against all odds, he crossed into Lanka on a spy mission to locate Sita, the wife of Shri Ram, who was abducted by the demonic king Ravana.

On his journey, he encountered the demoness Sursa, who had a boon that everything that crossed her path must enter through her mouth. At every attempt she made to swallow Hanuman, he made himself larger before assuming a tiny form, entering her mouth and exiting through her gill, thus fulfilling the boon granted to her.

On entering Lanka, he located Sita but was captured and brought before Ravana, who ordered that his tail be set on fire. Hanuman, recognising their plan to torture him, lengthened his tail to great lengths until there was no cloth left to wrap it.

And when it was lit, he made himself small, and leaped all over Lanka, setting the city on fire before joining the forces of Sri Ram, who by the time had seen the completion of the Ram Setu, the bridge over Lanka. The bridge is also referred to as Adam’s Bride, which is a real land bridge built some 3500 years ago, around the same age of the Ramayana.

Ravana’s army was defeated in battle as related in the epic Ramayana and when Hanuman was asked what boon he wished for, said he wished to live as long as men glorify the deeds of Shri Ram.

 

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