AT 21 years old, Vovinda Persaud takes his role seriously as a religious leader in his community and as a role model, who also serves as a guidance counsellor with an open-door policy, serving his village with diligence.

The Hindu priest manages the Naamryck Shri Rameshwar Mandir, conveniently located just next door to his house.

The mandir, a landmark in this small village has been in his family tree for generations and handed down to his grandfather by his great grandfather and today it is under his guidance.

One day, perhaps it will be handed down to his offspring, and when asked about this prospect, the Pandit just smiled since he is yet to be married.

Persaud has lived all his life in the small village and says it is home because he is used to the quiet countryside lifestyle and they would mostly be indoors, unless they have errands such as shopping which is done at Parika.

He told the Pepperpot Magazine that he comes from a long line of pandits in the family and it all started when his great grandfather took up the role of being a self-ordained religious leader.

His son later patterned himself after him and he too became a pandit and so it went on with the men in the family from generation to generation.

Even his cousin, who lives a few houses away, is also a pandit.

Persaud has been a Hindu priest for five years. He had the calling as a young boy when he admired the men in his family and the way people looked up to them for advice and the manner in which they carried themselves.

He told himself that is what he wanted to become, a respectable young man who serves his community and is devoted to the mandir and the people.

“Being a religious leader is a privilege for me because I feel honoured to be helping people and to serve as a role model through my humble way of life,” he said.

Persaud stated that he would dedicate his time to counsel devotees and just about anyone, who would visit his home for advice or to “open book”, a religious reading about their life.

He explained that many young people are overwhelmed by peer pressure and domestic issues and he would try to give the best of advice to those who seek religious intervention through the books.

Persaud told the Pepperpot Magazine that alcohol and drug abuse aren’t so prevalent in that village but they would have some ‘drinking’ at times but nothing overly.

He reported that the locals are simple, everyday people, who are farmers and they work really hard on their farms daily and for extended hours, so they do not have the luxury of idle time on their hands.

The pandit disclosed that the village has a nurse, a policeman and a few elders, who all live in harmony and Naamyrck Village is a very safe place where they do not have to worry about thieves.

He pointed out that they have a lot of space and one such place is across the road and can be converted into a recreational park for locals.

The religious leader related that the locals lead a very simple life of working and returning home and those who are homemakers are indoors a lot and they really don’t go out a lot.

He stated that the mandir don’t have any Sunday service since COVID-19 and they would have a small service with a limited number of devotees only on Mondays at 06:00hrs to 07:00hrs.

The pandit added that they have 15 committee members and about 150 members, most of whom do not visit the mandir regularly.

He noted that female members would clean the mandir once a week and it is through donations garnered they would upkeep the operations of the mandir.

Persaud related that he would not charge a fixed price for religious services, but whatever donations can be made to the mandir is accepted and he doesn’t charge a fee per say.

He stated that the members are very cooperative and they would pitch in to assist in mandir functions and events and he is just a caretaker of the mandir which is for the people.