Time for a new Pandits’ Association

May 16, 2010 Letters

Dear Editor,
It is now public knowledge that a few Indian Nationals arrived in Guyana sometime ago and advertised themselves as astrologers and pandits.
These were persons whose sole intention was to fleece Guyanese of their hard earned money. Well they are on the run now and some Guyanese are crying.
Long before these guys arrived in Guyana another Indian National was advertising and offering his services as an astrologer and nobody paid any attention to him.
He thought Hindi on the television and advertised his services as an astrologer at the same time. He has been telling persons who sought his services that they have to pay in excess of $20,000 for pujas which will be done at his residence. No one ever saw the pujas being done.
Sir, according to the Pandits’ Council Act, No person can perform the services of a pandit unless he is certified by the Pandits’ Council. Unlike Suriname there is no list of practicing pandits in Guyana.
Today the accepted meaning of the word pandit is someone who is qualified and experienced in Shastras (Hindu scriptures), Karamkanda (rituals), Jotishe (basic astrology), Hindi and Sanskrit. It is expected that they also understand basic counseling and psychology.
There are a number of pandits in practice now a days and when you hear them preaching, all they do is quoting Prakash Gossai word for word.
Their only interest is in singing and playing musical instruments The Dharmic Sabha is holding pandit classes, but when you listen to those pandits attending the classes, you wonder what they are learning.
The time is now right for a new Pandits’ Association, because membership of the existing Council is a family affair. It is made up of a few pandits who belong to a family who is considered to be Brahmans, (high caste). In fact the Council’s Act says that a pandit must be a Brahman. The majority of pandits are not from the so called Brahman families so they are not allowed to join the Pandits’ Council.
Such a practice is discriminatory and I suggest that the Ethnic Relations Commission look into this matter.
It is my firm belief that if the Pandits’ Council was functioning in the interest of Hindus then those Indian Nationals would not have been able to rip off Guyanese.
Further it is not my intention to put down any pandit.
It is my hope that by exposing the limitations, they will be motivated to enhance their abilities.
Indar Persaud

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Time for a new Pandits’ Association

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