Wednesday March 23, 2016
Kaieteur News
PEOPLE’S NATIONAL CONGRESS REFORM (PNCR) The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) expresses Holi Greetings to the Hindu Community in Guyana in particular, and Guyanese in general, on the auspicious occasion of the celebration of the Festival of Phagwah in Guyana. The significance of Phagwah is two-fold. The religious significance of Holi lies in the conquest of good over evil, manifested by the destruction by Prahlada of his demonic father, King Hiranyakashyapu. Its secular significance lies in the advent of the season of spring, and its real and allegorical implications of fertility, rebirth, renewal and regeneration. Guyana is a multi-religious, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural country. Our diversity is an asset not a liability. We are proud to belong
to a country of many faiths. We are proud of the mosaic of ethnicities within our country. As we celebrate this beautiful festival we pray for greater trust and cooperation between our communities. We pray for happy families and households. We pray for better interpersonal relationships. We pray, in other words, for social cohesion at all levels of society. 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.
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PEOPLE’S PROGRESSIVE PARTY (PPP) The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) extends warm greetings to our Hindu brothers and sisters on the occasion of Phagwah which is being observed today. Phagwah, also known as the Festival of Colours, provides that unique opportunity for people from all walks of life to reach out to each other through worship and exchange of water and powder. This is indeed an auspicious moment in the Hindu calendar as it serves
to highlight the universal lessons of the triumph of good over evil and justice over injustice. Phagwah is today a national festival which is embraced and celebrated not only by the Hindu community but by people from all across the ethnic and cultural spectrum of Guyana. This is testimony of our maturity as a people and our capacity to appreciate and tolerate religious and cultural diversity. The PPP takes this opportunity to call on all
Hindus to guard against those with hidden agendas who seek to divide the Hindu community out of selfish and partisan interests. Such attempts which belonged to a bygone era must be rejected since it has the potential to undermine the very fundamentals of Hinduism. The PPP joins with the rest of the Guyanese people especially the Hindu community in celebration of this joyous festival of Phagwah.
GUYANA AGRICULTURAL AND MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS OF GENERAL WORKERS UNION (GAWU) THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN The festival of Holi popularly known as Phagwah - is once again upon us. In Guyana, this festival is now a fixture in the country’s calendar of holidays. While this festival is of Hindu origin and celebrated by the Hindus primarily, today’s Holi festivities attract, increasingly, non-Hindus in Guyana and elsewhere in the world. We are drawn to Holi’s colourful expressions and the exuberance and joy that electrify the celebrations everywhere. But, Holi’s significance lies also in the embrace of life’s many positive values which provides sustenance to the human existence. Over the years, Holi has come to be seen as an enduring
reminder of the triumph of good over evil. This inspiring message where ‘good’ is promoted and embraced is as relevant as ever today. Around us, these days, are many evil-doers of various stripes and many injustices which seem to be growing rather than diminishing. As life’s burdens grow heavier for the masses, and new threats hang over their heads, the message of Holi gives us hope, strengthens our faith that wrongs can be overcome, and imbue us with the courage to go on in the face of adversities and triumph. This year’s Phagwah activities find the GAWU facing various challenges in the sugar industry. However,
we are optimistic as the message of Phagwah reminds us, that success in the future will come from our principled struggles. At this time, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) takes pleasure in wishing all Hindus, indeed all Guyanese a Happy Holi 2016. That fact that this Holi festival appeals to a cross sector of our diverse religious and cultural makeup is significant. Any event that can promote togetherness and tolerance should be encouraged. In the circumstances of t o d a y, o u r u n i t y t o overcome injustices and so on to a joyful and bright future is essential.
INDIAN ARRIVAL COMMITTEE (IAC) The Indian Action Committee (IAC) extends Phagwah (Holi) greetings to all the citizens of Guyana, especially those who are guided by the philosophical teachings of Sanatan Dharma. Phagwah or Holi is a festival of Bharat (India) that has its roots in antiquity and celebrate the coming of a new spring season, the drawing of a new year and the Triumph of good over evil exuberance of this festival reflects the collective hope of people for progress, prosperity and the concomitant betterment of their lives. This festival of renewal most likely pre-dated the Sarasvati Valley Civilisation, the World’s first significant civilization which flourish between 5000 BCE and 2600 BCE and sir Krishna of Mahabharat frame. Even though the culture
landscape in Bharat had change from time to time from the Introduction of the Negroids followed by the P rotoAustraloids , Dravidians, Mongoloids, Caucasians, Persians, Greeks, Shakas, Kushanas, Huns, Arabs, Turks, Afghans, Mughals And Europens, the festival of Holi emerged, survived and flourished in Bharat, the world’s first melting pots. Even though the culture landscape in Bharat had change from time to time from the Introduction of the Negroids followed by the ProtoAustraloids, Dravidians, Mongoloids, Caucasians, Persians, Greeks, Shakas, Kushanas, Huns, Arabs, Turks, Afghans, Mughals and Europeans, the festival of Holi emerged, survived and flourished in Bharat, the world’s first melting pots. Holi was brought to
British Guiana by Hindus who arrived here as indentured labourers to work on sugar plantations 177years ago and was sustained by the majority of approximately 239,000 Bharatiyas who arrived on these shores between 1838 and 1917. Phagwah was transplanted from a large subcontinent, characterize by the four season of spring, summer, autumn and winter, to Guyana a small South American land of dry and rainy seasons and even though global warming is creating climatic havoc, the symbolism of Holi must not be lost. IAC, therefore, calls upon all the citizen of this multicultural land of Guyana to regard the great festival of Phagwah or Holi, which celebrate life and hopes regardless of demography or geography, always as a focus for national unity.
Joyous Phagwah greetings to all our Hindu brothers and sisters, and more so to all Guyanese. Phagwah is a very special occasion in the Hindu calendar of events. Indeed, the significance of Phagwah is dichotomous; it secular significance lies in the advent of spring and its religious significance is premised on the importance of good prevailing over evil. Phagwah alludes to important life principles such as; love, purity of heart and
spirit and the attitude of giving. It is our sincere hope that as we cel e b r a t e t h i s occasion, that we would indeed reflect on the importance of our local communities and together we would work to restore the beauty and glory of the aesthetics of our communities. Also, that every boy, girl, man and woman would embrace the wider vision of making our communities more environmentally friendly so
that our children, and the elderly would able to live in communities that would enhance their social, physical, mental and environmental wellbeing. May we all embrace the spiritual significance of this occasion and may we resolve that at this juncture that we will strive to renew the bonds of friendship, co-operation and trust that would enable Georgetown to realize that great potential of becoming modern City.