No one can dispute that there is a dearth of youths in attendance at our mandirs and yagyas. Overall, fewer of our youths are active in the mandir while many more are featured in social media posing in fetes with beverages in their hands and dancing to music with much gusto.
Efforts must be made by leaders to redirect the youths to the mandir. If this is not addressed it would be much to the detriment of the community. Already, alcohol and other anti-social behavior are wreaking havoc in Hindu families with little help coming their way. It is urgent that preemptive measures be taken to arrest this social slide among our youths.
I raised these concerns and was happy to get some responses from a few youths and adults who are leaders in their own right. I was disappointed that so few have opted to make suggestions. Nevertheless, I welcome the views shared by them.
The following are the responses I received.
Vandana Mahabir, an undergraduate student at the St Augustine Campus of The University of the West Indies, suggested the following: to sponsor cultural and spiritual workshops for youth to develop a better understanding of the scriptures to equip them with knowledge to meet the daily challenges of living; to have innovative celebration of festivals such as Ramleela, garba and holi, and to sponsor spiritual retreats, camps and hiking trips.
Rajan Seemungal, music teacher of El Dorado, made the following suggestions: to give the youths responsibilities; to involve them in discussions and allow them to share their skills and talents with others. Rajan opined that once the youths experience being part of the team, their commitment to the mandir and dharma would grow.
Anjali Rajkumar, student and vocalist, suggested a scholarship program to assist deserving youths with the hope that they in turn would encourage other youths to get involved in the mandir; to have discussions on issues affecting youths such as bullying, peer pressure, substance abuse etc.
Anjali also suggested that professionals be invited to the mandir to deliver lectures to youth and their parents on what is to be expected of them in areas such as tertiary education and the job market. She also recommended that nutritious vegetarian meals should be provided in these sessions because young people like to eat.
Another suggestion by Anjali was to include in the calendar of events activities to attract youths such as hiking, cooking classes, kitchen gardening, basic sewing, first aid etc. and added that these activities should be hosted during the vacation when youths will have the time.
Gowtam Maharaj, Chairman of the Debe Penal Regional Corporation made the following suggestions: to provide sporting activities, public speaking, storytelling etc. with a strong emphasis on value education. Gowtam added that that values are best imbibed by the pupils living in the presence of an acharya in an ashram.
Ramcharran Motilal, President of Satya Drishti of Lower Barrackpore, suggested the following: engaging youths in sewa projects in the community. He also called for the formation of study circles where knowledge and skills can be learned and the sponsorship of youth conferences and drama production to build awareness of social issues in the community.
I am very glad that Anjali and Vandana have participated in this exercise. Their suggestions must be considered seriously as they are youths and would have a better understanding of the interests of youths and more so issues that youths must address.
As for Rajan, Ramcharan and Gowtam, they are community leaders in the mandirs. Rajan has more that forty years of service as a music teacher in the Baal Vikaas circuit and the community. Though retired, Rajan continues to be engaged in weekly satsanghs and other cultural programs.
Ramcharan is engaged with youths through the Satya Drishti weekly shakha and youth development programs. With a committed cast, Ramcharran has not only been staging annual Ramleela at Lower Barrackpore but has also taken the drama to the SAPA stage in San Fernando for the past two years with positive reviews from the audience. This is certainly an event where youths are at the forefront.
Gowtam Maharaj has been conducting a Baal Vihar (Youth Program) at Rochard Road, Barrackpore in collaboration with the Chinmaya Mission of Trinidad and Tobago. A close associate of Swami Prakashanand, Spiritual Head of the Chinmaya Mission of Trinidad and Tobago, Gowtam has visited India with Swami Prakashananda and is very much involved in the local chapter of this great organization.
Now chair of Debe Penal Regional Organization, Gowtam is in the forefront making representation on behalf of his burgesses to bring to a close the annual menace of flooding and its resulting inconveniences, damages to properties and loss of earnings. Not surrendering, Gowtam has boldly called out failure of the Ministry of Work to clean rivers and the many unscrupulous land developers who blocked water courses in pursuit of their business enterprises.
Youths also need to be encouraged to step forward and take leadership roles in their communities. I am happy that Vandana and Anjali have responded to my requests. It demonstrates that they are sensitive and alert to the needs of their social surroundings.
The challenge is to bring together youths like Vandana and Anjali and leaders like Ramcharran and Gowtam to point the way forward. It is this kind of cooperation and collaboration that are going to address the pressing challenges in the community.
