Rabidutt Maharaj... takes Swaha to Florida

For Mother’s Day of 2003, People featured a woman of Aranguez named Chandroutie Maharaj who had six sons and four grandsons who are all practising pundits. Judging from the response, it is evident that the story was well received in TT and many parts of the USA. Further, the story served as inspiration to Chandroutie’s grandson, Rabidutt Maharaj a pundit in Orlando, Florida. The young and vibrant Rabidutt, 30, visited TT recently and was all compliments for the People magazine for recognising a powerful lady who dedicated her life to her family and in return, saw the fruits of her labour. This article has found a place on the wall of his home in Florida.

The well-built Rabidutt could easily pass for a wrestler but his choice of life is to travel along the spiritual path and enlighten people on the greatness of Sanatan Dharma (The teachings of Hinduism). He is married to Dr Priya Maharaj, originally from Guyana and they both have a mission to establish a temple and to reach the hundreds of youths who are interested in leading religious lives. Rabidutt was born to Binmatie (who is the eldest daughter of Chandroutie) and Sondath Maharaj of Aranguez. As the previous article stated, Rabidutts’s mother died of cancer while he was still a teenager and he was left in the care of his grandmother who moulded him and his brothers into being pundits living spiritual lives. Before Rabidutt left TT for India six years ago, he was a recognised pundit in the Swaha Organisation. He completed two years of studies in  music in India, before entering college in Florida where he majored as a website consultant. Today he is doing well and is able to conduct puja (prayer meetings) among the Hindus in his hometown.

He noted that many Caribbean people in Florida host East Indian functions in the Hindu calendar during the course of the year. On his return to Florida he has to start preparations for Kartic (devotion done at the seaside) celebrations. “This was one of the more popular celebrations of the Swaha organisation here in Trinidad. And I have been looking for a beach side where I can set up a venue for Kartic. With the help of some friends I found just the place to do this kind of devotion,” he said. In the world of music Rabidutt noted that there is a need for more people to study the composition and origin of music in order to create original sounds that will accompany the new compositions. “A lot of the musicians copy the music of India. They listen to the sound of the instrument and they follow this trend when creating a song. But the ‘ragas,’ the scales in East Indian music have to do with the time of day or night, it has to do with the mood of people and the kind of descriptive writing that is done in song,” he said. He gave an example of the sitar music which is soothing and well-suited for the evening time. As a qualified musician, Rabidutt has been asked to compose music for many of the artistes in Florida. He noted that he will be concentrating on doing an original soundtrack recording of his own later on this year.

Rabidutt is serious. One can see that he is not the type to joke around or waste his time in idle gossip. He has a mission in life and he knows his direction; he is confident about his future. He said he got a gift from his parents —– the gift of prayer and this has helped him to develop a strong character. “You are given this human body as a gift from god. It carries the soul that is travelling back to god and when we connect with god then we are able to see a clear future in front of us. We don’t have to guess about anything. Sometimes it is very trying and other times things come easily. This is our own Karma (action) working for us,” he noted, speaking from his own experience as a pundit and a religious person. While in Florida he misses his younger brothers Umadutt, Vaidath and Chadradatt. “I miss talking and laughing with them. But I know that they must do what they have to do in life,” he said. He is happy that his brothers are successful in their own way, despite the fact that they lost their mother early in life, they found the strength to excel with the help of their grandparent and uncles of Swaha. Rabidutt is ready to take on the world. He is flying the flag of TT high in Florida, for wherever he goes he makes it known that he is a Trinidadian.