PHAGWAH MESSAGES

Mar 16, 2014 News

2014 PHAGWAH MESSAGE FROM MADAME DEOLATCHMEE RAMOTAR, FIRST LADY OF GUYANA

I am extremely happy to send greetings to all Guyanese, especially the Hindu community on the occasion of Phagwah 2014. This holy festival, celebrated with great vibrancy, fun, colour and joy reminds us all that life is meant to be lived with hope and in the pursuit of betterment and true happiness.
Phagwah is a celebration of the quintessence of life. Whatever difficulties we may encounter in our lives we know that the flame of hope is never extinguished. New days and new seasons rekindle that hope that more glorious and prosperous days lie ahead. The rewards of life are to be grasped by everyone. Let us therefore on this special festival of Phagwah be thankful for the great bounty that life has given to us and let us use that good fortune to promote greater harmony and unity in our country.
Ours is a very special country, blessed with great diversity of peoples and cultures. Phagwah is one of the main cultural festivals of Hindus. As we all join in celebrating with them, let us renew the bonds of friendship and respect that have traditionally existed amongst all of our peoples and let us mark this Phagwah festival by acts of overflowing joy and kind-hearted friendship.
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PNCR PHAGWAH MESSAGE 2014

The People’s National Congress Reform extends sincere Holi greetings to the Hindu Community of Guyana in particular, and Guyanese in general, on the occasion of the celebration of the Festival of Phagwah in Guyana.
The significance of Phagwah is two-fold. Its secular significance lies in the advent of the season of spring, and its real and allegorical implications of fertility, rebirth, renewal and regeneration. The religious significance of Holi lies in the conquest of good over evil, manifested by the destruction by Prahalada of his demonic father, King Hiranyakashipu.
In Guyana today, our spirits are becoming increasingly sullen and sour in the brooding darkness that now engulfs our land. Violent crime, pervasive joblessness, narco-trafficking, gun-running, creeping despotism, social disintegration and deepening poverty, stalk our land; partisanship, discrimination and executive lawlessness compound bad governance.
We urge all Guyanese people to see some spiritual inspiration in this Festival and to brace themselves against these many evils that are in our midst, and resolve, at this juncture, to take steps to end these calamities that now bedevil our country, and to restore equity, justice, peace and prosperity to our dear Motherland.
As the celebrated Indian National Kulapati Vani wrote many years ago, “festivals are gathering for refreshing spirit and enjoying life.” We urge all Guyanese to use this occasion of Phagwah to refresh their spirit and enjoy life, and to participate fully in this colourful festival and enjoy the rich elements of our religious and cultural diversity.
Happy Holi to all Guyanese!
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Phagwah Message from Alliance for Change

The Alliance For Change extends Phagwah Greetings to all Guyanese at home and abroad, especially our Hindu brothers and sisters.
As we celebrate this holiday and cover each other in the colours of spring let us bear in mind the religious significance of Phagwah – the triumph of good over evil.
Phagwah this year comes at a time when our moral values are being tested. Increasing levels of violence against our youth and women, abuse of the poor and vulnerable by those in authority and the deprivation of the basic human rights of so many of our brothers and sisters are but a few of the evil we see taking over our society. In too many instances we see the rich taking advantage of the poor, of those in positions of power abusing their power to the detriment of the vulnerable. But, as Phagwah teaches, good will triumph and evil will be vanquished.
The AFC urges all Guyanese to take a stand against evil and not to be disheartened. Let Phagwah 2014 be a celebration of hope for a more just and peaceful future and a commitment to the oneness of the Guyanese people.
Happy Holi!
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FITUG Holi Message 2014

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) wishes Guyana’s Hindu community a Happy Phagwah week-end of celebrations, or, as we can say Shub Holi!
The mythological origins of this Festival of Holi will be repeated often this week-end. FITUG understands those origins and groundings tell of green, envy and their eventual destruction as the wicked covetous “Queen” Holika is burnt to ashes. However, Holi or Phagwah is also celebrated as springtime begins in India and the whole sub-continent. Hindus emphasize their connection to the productive earth and this is what all of Guyana should also appreciate. Guyana has enough arable land for most of us to benefit from. And many of FITUG’s members are in agriculture and can lead the way in teaching the importance of the earth.
It is for our elected managers to provide the infrastructure and incentives for even more agriculture production. Guyana has no business importing so much food items from others.
On the other hand, the Festival of Holi, with its joyous chowtals, dancing, abeer and powders; sharing of sweet meats; is a festival – not unlike Christmas – which can attract the participation of thousands of non-Hindus. The infectious merriment and clean fun to observed on Sunday and Monday is not national in character.
FITUG wishes that this harmony is demonstrated throughout every year but uses this opportunity to caution the younger devotees not to impose certain elements of their celebrations on those who are not interested. Alcohol and dirty water must never sully the clean joy of Phagwah, the love it generates. Guyanese and Guyana are blessed to celebrate peacefully and in togetherness in a world where, elsewhere, there is too much toxic hated and sectarian violence.
A Happy Holi weekend to all!
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GAWU’s Phagwah Message 2014

Harvesting hope in a hostile spring
There first must be crop to be sown before there could be any reaping or harvesting. Effort has to precede results. Springtime around the world promises a period of work and hope – even new beginnings.
As the Hindu community celebrates the Indian Springtime Festival of Holi, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) joins in the joyous occasion. Indeed, the nation needs these brief periods of celebrations and joy if only to enjoy the therapy of submerging the numerous challenges of daily living.
This year, Holi or Phagwah as Guyanese like to describe it, finds the nation is witnessing continued Parliamentary wrangling between our elected representatives. This seems unnecessary at most times even though our parliamentarians are expected to analyse and debate before coming to the best decisions on our behalf. Also, GAWU would trust, at the governmental and parliamentary levels, there is good reason for hope as the National Budget nears presentation.
May all the Holikas of hate and retrogression be banished from our national psyche and development. And may the thousands of GAWU’s Hindu members recall and relive the virtues most desirable for clean, healthy living including the values of family life notwithstanding the daily challenges. Let the chowtals, the abeer and powders celebrate love and not domestic abuse in our towns and villages. Let Phagwah force more ethnic harmony as understanding of Hindu mythology is promoted.
Finally, GAWU again enjoins those responsible for Guyana’s agricultural development to explore, in a hurry, ways to increase production. We think of the travails of sugar; we laud the current success of rice but we call for increased attention to other crop, including all types of nuts and such items our earth can provide even for export. Drainage and irrigation must always be our collective business.
Phagwah is the springtime turning of the land and sowing seeds of food. Let us sow seeds of love too, even when the environment and conditions are hostile. Guyana’s resources are numerous enough for all of us to share – now and beyond the Festival of Holi 2014. Shub Holi!

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MESSAGE FROM HIS WORSHIP, THE MAYOR OF GEORGETOWN HAMILTON GREEN,

Fellow Citizens,

Joyous Phagwah Greetings to my Hindu brothers and sisters and indeed all Guyanese. This is a very special occasion, in the Hindu calendar of events, where purity of heart and spirit is emphasized.
I hope and pray that, as you celebrate the quest for purity we would reflect on our local communities. We wish for the general environment, to be clean and tidy, and there must be a general sense of neighbourliness and goodness.
As we celebrate, let it bring us closer together in Unity regardless of our race, colour or religious persuasion. Let us remember that in Unity there is strength—a value we need now more that even to arrest the noticeable degeneration of spiritual and moral value in our society.
As we celebrate, pray for peace and be an Ambassador of peace, order and prosperity.
Once again, Happy Phagwah.