– Maha Shivaratri, Lent fasting, Ramadan should inspire Guyanese to respect the Creator, President Ali says

PRESIDENT Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Friday joined hundreds of Hindus at the Cove and John Ashram on the East Coast of Demerara, to celebrate Maha Shivaratri.

The auspicious occasion is a worldwide celebration in honour of the Supreme Being, Lord Shiva.

In an impactful and uplifting presentation, President Ali used the opportunity to speak on the importance of unity within the nation.  His address was not only for those gathered before him, but all Guyanese.

He explained that Maha Shivaratri, which is also known as the great night of Shiva, has great significance for Hindus across the world and the story of the Supreme Being Shiva is relevant and can be inculcated in the lives of every human being.

“The elements of Maha Shivaratri, what this period signifies, the type of hope, and selfless acts, but more importantly, the type of reflection and changes that it inspires us to go after and to be, are exactly what are needed in a very troubled world today,” President Ali related.

With the numerous challenges that “we” are faced with in the world, President Ali emphasised the importance of spirituality in the lives of all.

President Ali related, “These moments of reflection, these moments of going into your inner self and understanding that we are just mortals…that we are just passing by in this earthly abode. There is a spiritual being and a creator who is above us all and needs to not only be recognised, but the message needs to be shared widely.”

The President further stated that Guyanese of all denominations are once again blessed and fortunate to celebrate and pay respect to the divine father during the same time frame.

“This year, Guyanese, once again are blessed [with] a country that is so multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-spiritual to have again the Festival of Maha Shivaratri, the Lent fasting from the Christian community, and Ramadan from the Islamic community coming together once again in one period.”

According to President Ali, the opportunity to pay respect to the Supreme Being through spirituality allows Guyana and its people to come together through selfless acts under the banner of being better human beings towards themselves and each other.

While the government is working towards advanced development for all Guyanese under the ‘One Guyana’ umbrella, President Ali reminded the public that one of his main aims is to ensure that prosperity is experienced in every home. He also assured the large gathering that he will continue to work towards enabling the lives of the future generation, despite their economic circumstances or where they are from.

“To have the highest level of education, enabling them to be empowered with the gift of education and enabling them to be in school by supporting their attendance through different programmes, such as the Because We Care grants. These are all part of the spirituality of the government; these are all part of the humanness of the government that spirituality requires,” President Ali emphasised.

President Ali added that spirituality and Maha Shivaratri require all Guyanese to delve deep within themselves to find common ground so that all can live in peace and harmony.

Requesting that all Guyanese recognise that no one is superior to another, President Ali said: “This festival calls devotees to reverence, devotion, and introspection…the mere fact that there are certain traditions that follow this festival…regardless of your stature, regardless of your status, spirituality brings everyone to a simple balance, to an equilibrium, to a level point, a level playing field where none are superior to the other, and that allows us the introspect that we are all on the same plane of a human family.”

Finally, President Ali wished all Guyanese, especially the Hindu community, a happy, peaceful, and prosperous Maha Shivaratri with Lord Shiva’s richest blessings.