It is with sadness that Indo Caribbean Hindus learn of the fatal accident that critically injured Pt Sarvo Dayal Bissoondial and took the life of wife Devina Sunday last. They are enormously popular, respected, and well-liked among Guyanese and other Indo-Caribbean people in Florida as in New York. Their presence was felt everywhere in Florida in religious activities over many years. They fulfilled the needs of the large community there as well as Hindus in neighboring Georgia. They were very good singers and musicians and in addition to his being a good exponent of the Hindu scriptures. And they were known for their kindness, simplicity, humility, and empathy.
The news of the fatal accident made the rounds in the Indo-Guyanese community in New York and Florida through social media shortly after the accident long before it hit the traditional media. The accident has been the topic of conversations of various chat groups. Guyanese friends and family of the couple are in shock as they know the duo extremely well for their service to Hinduism. The death of Devina and the injury to Pandit Sarva Dyal Bissoondial, as stated by everyone who knows them, is a major blow to the Hindu community in Florida. Her loss and his injury are major blows to the Guyanese community in America.
Sarva and Devina are admired for their dedication and commitment in service to the Indo Caribbean public in the states of Florida and Georgia. They are well known among Hindus from Guyana, Trinidad, Jamaica, Suriname, and India; even non-Hindus who graced their havans (rituals) and kathas (pujas or jhandis) were impressed with their service and explanation of the Hindu scriptures. They graced events gentleness and made people felt welcome at their religious programs with their warmth remarks.
Sarva, originally from Annandale, resided in New York for a short while with friends and families before deciding to move to Florida where both he and his dharam patni (wife) served the religious needs of the large Hindu population (Arya Samajists and Sanatanists) from the Caribbean and India. They had a presence at almost every public event including when public officials visited from Guyana. (There has not been any public event of a Guyanese official since the change in administration in August 20; Guyanese yearn for one. Pt Sarvo big up Anil Nandlall, fellow Annandalian). Unlike most Pandits, Sarvo did not subject himself to any particular mandir but found themselves at almost every mandir or religious event. They would drive long distances even to Georgia to perform religious services for Guyanese where Pandits are not easily available. They traveled from north to south Florida performing religious services. The couple was returning from a havan service when the accident occurred.
Just last month, Pt. Sarvo (as he is called and well known) was in New York to perform havans for Arya Samajists; and not surprisingly, Guyanese remember them fondly.
Sarvo and I did not meet when he visited last month as I was traveling overseas. I had not seen Pandit Sarvo for years. Last year, he and Devina showed up at a lecture I was giving at a Trinidadian owned hall in Miami on Indian entrepreneurship in Trinidad. They came in late dressed in traditional Hindu regalia, and after the talk he came up to me and asked if I remember him. I replied, “You have a knowing face from New York”. After telling me who he was, we embraced, and he introduced me to Devina. He reminisced about life and activities about Guyanese in New York and showered accolades on the handful of us who championed restoration of democracy in Guyana. The husband and wife couple offered to take me and my wife to dinner and to a Hindu katha that evening and to visit Mandirs the next day. I declined their kind hospitality informing them that I already had another engagement and that I rented a car and would visit Mandirs to meet Guyanese as I did in every visit to Florida every year going back decades.
They were committed to Indo Guyanese culture and Hinduism in general. I was to meet them this coming weekend in Florida for discussion on starting a cultural project in Guyana. The project will go ahead unfortunately without them for the time being. The latest on his state is he regained consciousness but remains critical.
New York Guyanese wished Pt Sarva a speedy recovery and express condolences to their two daughters (both in college – one a medical student) on the passing of the hard working gracious Devina.
