The Bamboo No 1 Mandir, Valsayn & the Hindu Diaspora Foundation sponsored a Chowtaal Sammelan along with Holika Dahaan on Sunday March 24, 2024. The program which began at 4 p.m. culminated with the burning of Holika and the pasting of gulal on the faces of celebrants.
Six chowtaal groups, a tassa group and a dance group responded to the invitation: El Dorado Bhuya Saaj & Cultural Group; Saraswatee Ramayan & Chowtaal Group; Bhavani Shakti Mandali & Chowtaal Group; Radha Krishna Kirtan Mandali; Sri Hanuman Darshan Ashram; Sri Krishen Chowtaal Group; Agni Power Dance Group and the Malick Rhythm Boys Tassa Group.
President of the Bamboo No 1 Mandir, Wayne Lalchan, said: “We need to work with all individuals and group to bring back Phagwa to its glorious days in the 1980s. Our mandir has been hosting Phagwa for the past 30 years and we have the experience and commitment to add to this revival.”
The Hindu Diaspora Foundation led by Mark Ramdeen of the USA, has collaborated with the Bamboo No 1 Mandir in a mission to revive Phagwa. Visiting Trinidad, Mark Ramdeen was impressed with the efforts of the Bamboo No 1 Mandir to promote Sanatan Dharma.
In addition to refreshments that were distributed to all present, each group appearing on stage was presented with an appearance fee of $500.
The entire evening was streamed live on bhakti TV Synergy TV and the Facebook page of the Bamboo No 1 Mandir.
The Bamboo No 1 Mandir, reconstructed about 10 years ago, had its origin in an earthen structure built in 1948 when 63 families from the Charlieville/Bejucal district, displaced by government’s construction of irrigation canals to boost food production during the war, settled the area. Nirhoo Lalchan, one of the pioneers of the community, successfully negotiated the donation of four lots of land for the construction of a mandir.
“Phagwa has a bright future in Trinidad and Tobago. In Guyana it is a public holiday. It is now spreading throughout the diaspora- Fiji, Mauritius, Suriname, New York, Toronto et cetera. Why should Trinidad be left behind?” asked Wayne Lalchan.
