“Whenever we are challenged, we must do our best,” urged Dharmacharya Parasram

Dharmacharya Dr Rampersad Parasram of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha said that “whenever we are challenged, we must be at our best,” and quoted Sant Tulsidas who said that “ones’ strength and commitment is tested in adversity.” Dharmacharya Parasram was speaking at the Watts Street Mandir in Curepe on Monday May 13,2024 when new murtis were installed following the destruction of murtis at the mandir last week by religious bigots.

Quoting from the Shiv Puran, the Dharmacharya stressed that “everything depends on truth …Satyameva Jayate-Truth alone triumphs in the end and falsehood cannot prosper.” Continuing with the scripture, the Dharmacharya quoted from the Bhagavad Gita where Sri Krishna promised that so long as the devotee surrenders to Him, his protection will be secured.

The major event of the evening was the chanting of sacred mantras led by Pandit Navin Omadath Maharaj, President of the Pandits Parishad. The chanting of the sacred mantras reverberated the atmosphere creating an aura of sanctity and divine consciousness. Mantras are sacred weapons to protect the devotees and the environment from negative forces.

Other officials of the Maha Sabha including its President, Secretary General, and Pandit Dinesh Rambally, MP for Chaguanas West, spoke at the event. From all that was said, it was underlined that Hindus have been living in a very hostile environment.

Pandit Dinesh Rambally, dressed in his priestly garb, used the occasion to share with us his knowledge of the sacred mantras. He emphasized the potency of the mantras and identified the ‘aghore’ mantra with the worship of Lord Shiva and devotees using the ash from the funeral pyre to smear the lingam and their bodies. He went on to add that the other mantras were specially selected to realize the objective of atonement.

Commending the Pandit Parishad for the stance it has taken, Pandit Dinesh Rambally said that the desecration of the murtis had ‘made me very angry’ and added that it was a disturbance of the sacred energies… and a crime. Identifying Independent Senator Deoroop Teemal who was seated on the front row, Pandit Rambally thanked him for calling those attacks on mandirs criminal acts while addressing the Parliament a few weeks ago. 

“Let’s not fool ourselves, lets face reality, for 179 years we have been facing what is taking place today,” said Vijay Maharaj, Secretary General of the Maha Sabha. Maharaj added that more importantly is how the Hindu community addresses these acts of aggression by enemies of Sanatan Dharma. He said that education was used to kidnap our souls and so the Maha Sabha built its own schools to educate Hindu children and pledged that “the Maha Sabha would continue to fight for the welfare of the Hindu community.”

This sacrilegious act has certainly awakened the Hindu community and the Pandits Parishad who are the guardians of our dharma. In his opening remarks, Pandit Rishi Maharaj, PRO of the Pandits Parishad, set the tone for the speeches that followed. Pandit Rishi’s vocal tone was clear that our pandits are prepared to fight whenever their dharma was under attack.

Present in the packed congregation was Pandit Mukram Sirjoo, President of the Inter Religious Organization (IRO) and Raviji of the Hindu Prachaar Kendra.