President Richards gets doused at Phagwa

On a few occasions yesterday, President George Maxwell Richards dodged the overly generous spraying of abeer and powder as he made his way around the courtyard of the Tunapuna Hindu School to meet with the children’s groups present at the Children’s Phagwa 2004 celebrations. The President got his first dousing from members of the Mc Bean Hindu School, after which he, the first lady Dr Jean Richards and daughter Maxine, were given towels to wipe the excess liquid from their faces and arms. To the beat of tassa drums the first family continued to meet with children from various Hindu schools including those from Ramai Trace, Debe, Simbhoonath Capildeo, Guaracara, Mohess Road, Woodland, Caroni SMDS, Felicity, Munroe Road and El Socorro.

The house announcer continued to plead with the children not to be so generous with the powder and abeer, telling them that just a little would do the President well. But the children became exuberant with the presence of the President and felt that a very generous dousing of abeer was the order of the day. When President Richards was later called upon to formally open the celebration, he jocularly stated “My only regret is that the Secretary General (Sat Maharaj) wasn’t on the ground for the ‘sprinkling of abeer.” However, he lauded the influence of the Maha Sabha on the children present yesterday, who represented some 75 schools and youth groups around the country. He said: “Their presence here, in their numbers, testifies to the fact that your vision for them remains in tact, as far as we can see and that they have a focal point in the traditions of their forefathers.”

President Richards noted that Phagwa is a celebration of regeneration, of revival, of fertility and of all that make spring time what it is.
He said: “It recalls the survival and triumph of a young person of very tender years, who, in his quest for God, refused to worship his own father, beyond the love and honour that children must give to their parents. For that young child, it was clear that the honour that is due to God alone, must not be given to man. “It is a position worth noting.” He then cautioned that that position must not be regarded as an invitation to rebellion against proper guidance of good parents or else it may bring pain and grief. The first family was met by Education Minister Hazel Manning and Satnarayan Maharaj, Secretary General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha upon arrival at the event. Later, Mrs Manning, who herself received a sampling of abeer, said that it was her pleasure to experience the colourful explosion. She congratulated the board of the Maha Sabha for their involvement in religious activities and noted that they celebrate, worship and honour God throughout the year. “We are mindful of the great contributions they are making to our society and firstly the contributions to our cultural advancement,” said Manning. Manning then urged the children to spray each other with the feelings of good wishes, virtues and values.

“Be mindful of the deeper meaning of your celebrations, the chanting of religious songs and devotional dance, because they must be accompanied by purity of heart. Respect the rights of others and let great happiness flow in the form of abeer,” said Manning. Also present at the celebrations were Senator Christine Sahadeo, Indian High Commissioner Virendra Gupta, members of the Maha Sabha board, as well as members of the Education Board of Management. The celebrations went into the evening with presentations by the various groups.