Barry Padarath said that it was not enough to chant ‘Jai Ram Sri Ram’ but to “see dharma as health care, dharma as education, dharma as service and dharma as leadership” and praised the leadership of the St Andrews Street Youth, Sports and Cultural Group of Carli Bay in Couva for the services it has been providing to the community of Couva over the past forty years. Barry Padarath was a guest speaker on Tuesday May 07, the opening night of a five-night Panchouti Ramayan Yagya sponsored by the St Andrews Street Youth, Sports and Cultural Group.
In his katha, Pandit Sunil Seetahal-Maharaj called on parents to take charge of their kids. He shared with devotees his experiences of being dragged out of bed on Sunday mornings to go to the mandir. He said that he questioned his Aaja who was the pandit as to why he has to get out of bed early on a Sunday. He said that his grandfather said to him that “Sunday was a strong day and the other days are weaker days.”
Pandit Seetahal-Maharaj said that his parents did not spare him licks to have him on the right path and that every conceivable item in the kitchen including the bilna was used to discipline him. Panditji’s katha was on good character and was based on the parents of Raja Dasarath and how they were brought up. He stressed that the qualities of the children today are dependent on the qualities of the parents in the home.
I was impressed with the large turn out on the opening night. It is only during the introduction of Pandit Seetahal-Maharaj by Parbatie Babwah that I learned that the St Andrews Street Youth, Sports and Cultural Group has a forty-year-old history. Moreso, the leadership of Councilor Allan Taxi Seepersad in no small way contributes to the success of this organization.
Parsad and take away meals were served to all. I was impressed with the efficiency in the sharing of the arti and the distributing of drinks and meals. I was happy to see the abundance of youthful faces, both males and females, carrying out those duties.
Pandit was superb in the execution of his discourse and was accompanied by his bhajan group which was most outstanding in its rendition of bhajans and music. All speakers including Pandit Seetahal and Barry Padarath were efficient in managing their time.
On my way out I was happy to see MP Ravi Ratiram advancing toward the yagyashala. He said that a prior commitment kept him back but he was still happy to be present. St Andrews Street Youth, Sports and Cultural Group is in the constituency of Couva North and MP Ratiram makes it his duty to be present in all its activities. Only six weeks ago Ravi Ratiram and other MPs were present when the St Andrews Street Youth, Sports and Cultural Group hosted the Sri Krishen Chowtaal Group of Felicity.
MP Padarath was right when he said that the St Andrews Youth, Sports and Cultural Group was about leadership. The leadership of Parbatie, Taxi and the host of others including MP Ravi Ratiram and MP Barry Padarath has in no small way contributed to the positive vibes I experienced on the opening night of this community yagya. I am looking forward to attending another night to experience this subtle Hindu awakening that is spreading across the diaspora.