Culture, General T&T, Hindu, India, Religion, Schools

Hindus observe Kartik Snaan

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By Seeta Persad
November 26, 2015 – newsday.co.tt

Kartik SnaanHINDUS across the country yesterday observed the religious event of Kartik with many going to the beach or river to hold pujas (prayers) and pray.

All Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) run schools were closed to allow for entire families to pray together. Kartik Snaan is the name given for the months of October/November in the Hindu calendar. During this holy time Nav Ratri, Divali and Ramleela are observed and celebrated.

Pundit Varma Maharaj told Newsday that during the holy month of Kartik, one who bathes early in the morning attains the punja or religious merit of having taken a bath in places of pilgrimage.

“One who is lucky to take a bath in the Holy Ganges in India can attain Moksha liberation from one’s sins,” Pundit Maharaj said, adding that persons who perform puja at sea for Kartik in any part of the world, attains the same liberation. Devotees also worship Lord Kartikeaya (the brother of Lord Ganesh).

Hindu scriptures say that Lord Ganesha was designated as Pratham Puja (the first deity to be worshipped), his younger brother Kartikeaya inquired as to what would be his role and position. It was determined that a month in the year would be dedicated to Kartikeaya and this month would be called Kartik. During this month also the scriptures give an account of Lord Shiva as he destroys Tripurasur (a demon) to make the world once again a safe place to live in.

Kartik Nahan, Pundit Maharaj says, represents a period of spiritual purification, at it affords the devotees the opportunity to rid themselves of all sins or negative ‘karma’ whilst simultaneously praying for their spiritual upliftment.

Kartik has been practised in TT for as long as Hindus have been here, but it was only in 1956 that it was observed on a large scale. In June 1952, Act 41 of the Parliament of TT incorporated the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS). This not only led to the introduction of Hindu schools throughout Trinidad, but also to the organisation of the first and probably largest gathering of Hindus on the occasion of Kartik Snaan in 1956.

According Swaha’s message on Kartik Snaan, far from being a mere allegory, this scriptural episode of Kartik bears direct relevance to our own spiritual condition. The immersion into the vast expanse of water symbolises inner cleansing of negative qualities. This as the people seek to attain victory over the six enemies (lust, hate, anger, greed, envy, pride) which, quite often control the reins of people’s lives, giving direction to actions, shaping judgements and defining relationships.

http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,220430.html

24 thoughts on “Hindus observe Kartik Snaan”

  1. Observe the machinations of the former administration still at play. The idea appears to be, to lirerally “drown out” other beleif systems in the mind of the local population, as well as the international community by publiwhing every single 1001 events/rituals within thjs vast belief system…and the so called christians, muslims, baptists, orisha etc. Sit back & be colonized. It is clear….this is the epitome mofmchauvinism…why is it, that the ex9ress & other papers don’t also publish, & give whole, frony0t page spreads to all the beleif systems in T&T, & every single one of their rituals & dYs of worship, to give a more accurate perspective of how a single belief system (hinduism) stands among many in this society. In fact, this is the last belief system to arrive in this society.Indigenous people’s beliefs, Christianity, islam (africans not indians brought islam in T&T),orissha, ‘obeyah’ buddhism (chinese arrived with buddhism almost half a century
    before Indians), so how is it that indian cultural/religious imperialism is dominating the ‘national’ newspapers & media??? Africa people, don’t even have the political ‘aptitude’ to realize thT that 50 ft. Hanuman murti was a political statement wrapped in religious clothing…a sign of the ‘movement’ & things to soon come….analyze the machinations in T&T after it was built… (including 2010-2015 )

  2. In fact, have you noticed that the express seems to accomodate a lopsided amount of interests via columnists & front page layouts, of Indian interests whether overtly or covertly political views, ideological interests & religious prestige. Also note that the express is also connected to TV6 & of late I95.5…indian bollywood (racist) tv shows daily, but no equivalent representing African & creole roots & culture….How did this reLity come to pass ? Ken Gordon is a black/African man(not sure in heart & mind…) BUTTTTT leadership was passed on to whom? Hindus….both express & TV6 have Hindu women in powerful leadership..one of these women (head honcho) is Mr. Gordon’s
    Former secretary…see??…..

  3. “This as the people seek to attain victory over the six enemies (lust, hate, anger, greed, envy, pride) which, quite often control the reins of people’s lives, giving direction to actions, shaping judgements and defining relationships.”

    I do not believe this bath works for the purpose intended. It is difficult to gauge its effect on poor people in India when they have been conditioned to believe that poverty is their divine birth-right and pathway to light skin and a better life in another lifetime. Upper caste folks do not buy this though. For them, festivals like these are about encouraging the poor to feel good and accept poverty, and not challenge upper caste lust, hate, anger, greed, envy, false pride and I would also add, racism and colorism.

    In Trinidad, like elsewhere, this festival surely does not work as these negative qualities are ripe everywhere and especially so among the community that upholds it.

    Bathing is useful, but not to eradicate those negative attributes.

    1. Kian, I have been preusingthis site for some time now and I am always amazed and elevated to see the dept of consciousness emanating from persons like yourself, Yoruba Israelite, Rodwell Paton and the masterful/mistressful Alyssa. Your contributions are nothing else but hitting hard on the Truth, which is poison to the Falsehood of the Indo Mamoo Caste Narratives. Indeed Narendra Modi the Sat Maharaj of India.Definitely more explosive since he commands hundreds of millions and viewed in the context of the history of genocide in India at the time of partition in 1947. This is a serious matter for Trinidad and the Caribbean, since Hinduism in Trinidad has Always been nurtured from direct involvement by Indian envoys. Presently Sat Maharaj and Modi share Deep bonds of friendship. As a matter of fact, Modi has visited Sat and the Maha Sabha (religious headquarters of the UNC), a few years Before becoming PM.

      1. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Bollywood-singer-Kumar-Sanu-joins-BJP/articleshow/45349978.cmshttp://

        http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/SWEET-DEALS-217262301.html

        Imagine a Hindu party(UNC), during the chaguanas west by-election, bringing a Brahminist (Hindu)singer/Politician from India (Kumar Sanu,card carrying, BJP Member & close associate of “the butcher of gujarat”) to tell Indians & Brahminists in T&T… -vote for the Hindu, Indian party, not That Rawan !(J.A.W.)…MY INTERPRETATION!

        p.s. I Have absolutely NO sympathy, whatsoever, for Mr. J.A.W. buttttttt How his adopted hindu family (UNC & supporters) sucked dry his wealth & international influence & spat it back in his face SHOULD be a lesson to allllll others who look like him!!!

        1. *Kumar Sanu, during the chaguanas west By-Election,endorsed, publicly, on stage the UNC & Khadijah Ameen over J.A.W…..

          *My interpretation of this action is as if he might as well have said ‘Vote for the hindu, Indian Party, Not that Rawan!’ *

          1. http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Sanu-Moonilal-a-good-man-217040391.html

            All who have eyes too see…..Kumar Sanu admitting that he knows moonilal well….saying he’s “a good man”, and that he came to T&T specifically for Moonilal & that the UNC should get the vote…”that’s the main thing”…he also admits that this was his first time performing on a political stage OUTSIDE OF INDIA….Kumar Sanu is an official member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is regarded & infamous for being a FUNDAMENTALIST HINDU/BRAHMINIST political party!!…..these are the people who are alleged to instigate caste violence & Hindu hedgemony/superiority of india…aiming for ancient India type status! it would be safe to assume he performed on a BJP stage….these are the breadcrumbs…smoke….that UNC is a wannabe fundamentalist Hindu Party….when will African people WAKE UP!…

      2. Thank You Awo. I am very happy to know that what Alyssa, Yoruba, Rodwell and myself are doing is edifying our people. The times in which we live are more serious than the comatose media in Trinidad and Tobago would have you believe. We will continue to share our thoughts, our knowledge, our experience and whatever our research turns out. As you are aware there are those who are vehemently opposed to us and they will vilify us at every opportunity. But wen will deal with them when we have to and will not be distracted from our mission.

    1. Thanks for the link, Alyssa. I haven’t had time yet to look at it.

      I take a jaundiced view of “historians”. I accept facts, but their speculations are another matter. They give no credence to Holy Writ, yet can’t disprove any of it. The Aryans certainly invaded. But I doubt very much that that invasion took place before Nebuchadnezzar’s sacks of Jerusalem ca. 600 BCE. Dating Indo-Aryan writings to 1200-900 BCE will be found to be wrong I think.

      Also, dating anything back to anything older than 6,000 years ago also will be found to be wrong, when due credence is given to Holy Writ. And in accordance with Holy Writ, when everything was buried in a great flood about 4,400 years ago, there will be no self-dating written records prior to that time. Some pre-flood monuments do remain, notably the Great Pyramid at Giza. The Sphinx there shows signs of rainfall weathering. This would have occurred at the Flood I think. Since then the Sahara desert has grown to its present size, and calculations suggest precisely the Sahara would be not greater than about 4,400 years, precisely as would be required if the Flood story is correct. I am saying all that to say that I don’t accept his theories about the age of the Harappan civilization, nor that of the Indo-Aryans. These are more than quibbles, because if Holy Writ is wrong about the Flood, then indeed much else of it would be unreliable. These historians throw out these dates that directly challenge Genesis, yet never offer any proof. Meantime, here are direct scientific checks that may be proffered: if Genesis is incorrect about the Flood, why is the oldest desert less than the age predicted by the Flood story? Why is the oldest reef (Great Barrier Reef in Australia) an age consistent with Flood Story? Why is there no self-dating historical record older than 4,400 years (I don’t accept carbon-dating — its inherent error margin is way too great). Check out the oldest book in the world, written by Ptah Hotep, it’s within what the Flood story would predict. Genesis would predict that everyone on the planet today is descended from Enoch, through Noah and his three sons, Ham, Shem and Japheth, who came off the Ark about 4,400 years ago. What does DNA science (rate of genetic mutation of the Y-chromosime) predict for the earliest date for the common make ancestor of all mankind? Genesis states not as theory, but as fact, that that earliest common ancestor is indeed Noah,who would have lived no more than about 4,400 years ago. Is that contradicted by scientific fact? If not, why are these speculations so blithely thrown about that the Dravidians were in India 30,000 years ago? All of that irks me.

      Buttt… (as you like to say)… it doesn’t change the core fact that the Indo-Aryan was a johnny-come-lately to India. As they are a johnny-come-lately to T&T. And the racist program they perpetrated then, some of their descendants seek now to perpetrate in T&T, Guyana, Suriname, Fiji, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, increasingly West Africa as well, and have already succeeded in perpetrating in Mauritius. This is serious business.

      I will not cite Scripture today on this matter. But it is part of Holy Writ. And how it will end is also part of Holy Writ. It will not end well for them. The short of the story is that we, the “Negro” aka Bantu, are the true Israelites of the Bible, and the indo-Aryans are of the seed of Esau, Israel’s twin brother. They were warring from the womb. It was prophesied that they would have the dominion for about 2,250 years (for a time, and times and a dividing of time). That time is now up. It in in this story of Holy Writ that the true wisdom and understanding concerning this matter will be found. Regardless, it is prophesied that we “shall” know the truth, and the truth will “make us free”. That is Holy Writ.

      Gotta run I’m afraid…

      Shalom.

      I had time to look more carefully at that other article proving the Aryan invasion. I accept his proof via the hymns of the Rg Veda.

  8. Ahhhhh yoru a, you and i are eye to eye…you know your stuff & i am not holding my neck out on the exactness of the estimates…as you realize i am single minded in my focus….HOW & WHY Aryans, india, hinduism, holy sciptures are RELEVANT to US in the indian diaspora regarding racism, politics & OUR future in light of this info…

    Yoruba,what is the REAL (not stated) purpose of the inter religious organization ?? Is it for the head of faiths to merely tell each other how wonderful each other’s faiths are (hypocritically)? I heard Archbishop Harris on TV saying that contrary to common belief in T&T…..Hinduism has only ONE god ….and that there are simply many ‘manifestations’ of this ‘one’ God i.e. Hinduism is Monotheistic…..who does this guy speak for? Christians??….MY GOODNESS…..that organization is a political pool party…through & through…….this is the purpose…whatever a member SAYS is true about their religion….the entire group most parrot the same & broadcast it to their parrishes?? Next thing he’ll say is Hindus don’t really practice caste….and if they did…it is merely “division of labour”

    1. Alyssa,

      I hate to say it, but if that’s what Archbishop Harris said, then he is profoundly misled. He cannot be familiar with Scripture as I know it, and make such a statement. Holy Writ is very clear that under the Holy Covenant, we are to serve only Yahweh.

      “And God spake all these words, saying, I am Yahweh thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I Yahweh thy God am a jealous God,…” (Exodus 20:1-5)

      Haitian Vodou also recognizes the one God, “Bonne Dieu” or the good God. That does not mean that Vodou is monotheistic. Under the Yoruba pantheon there is also recognized Olorun, the god or literally owner, of Heaven, identified with the God-of-All. But the pantheon of the orisha is far from being monotheistic. As I have articulated before on this group, the religion of the “Hindus”, literally a reference to those people living beyond the Indus or Sindh river (from the viewpoint of invaders from the West) is of a pantheon, qualitatively no different from Vodou or orisha-worship. We may infer reliably from Scripture that Ram and Shiva were the first of the pantheon:

      “And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtechah: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan…” (Genesia 10:6-7)

      Ram was the grandson of Ham. And Shiva was his son. From this we may infer that “Eastern Ethiopia” (properly Eastern Kush, or Indus Kush) was populated by Ram, the son of Kush, and his son. They were the patriarchs, subsequently deified under the Hamitic tradition of ancestor worship. That tradition set the stage for a form of religion in which the deities may multiply without limit. Further one may worship any number of deities without any one of them being “jealous”. Yahweh made it plain to the children of Israel as an article of the Holy Covenant, that He is a “jealous” God. He is owed exclusive worship by those who are His servants. Therefore, Hinduism cannot be observant of the Holy Covenant; it cannot be monotheistic in the ordinary meaning of that term. Neither is Haitian Vodou. Neither is Orisha worship. Even though all have and do understand quite well the notion that there is a God of All.

      That God of All is the author of Holy Writ. He is the author of the Holy Covenant entered into with the children of Israel, who in turn were to be the Light of the world, transmitting that knowledge to the rest of the world. The so-called monotheistic religions — Judaism, Christianity, and Islam — all claim to be keepers of the Holy Covenant, all of them in word moreso than deed. As defective as they are, at least they may with a straight face make the claim. The ancestor worshippers — vodou, orisha, and hindu among many others — cannot make such a claim with a straight face, although all may claim acceptance of a One God of All.

      It of course serves the hypocritical purpose of brahminist Hinduism to give followers of monotheistic Holy Writ that they too are of the Book. It is a flattery, with intent to deceive. I say brahminist Hinduism, because hinduism in its original form before Aryan invasion, was unselfconsciously Hamitic in its ancestral and pagan polytheism. The Aryans are sons of Abraham via Isaac and Esau, therefore were historically acquainted with Holy Writ, and resentful of the fact that Esau was passed over in favour of Israel for the favoured position of heir to the estate — the children of God, i.e. Israel in its literal meaning, also cognate to bantu (children of God literally) and nigger/negro (= negus = king in the original ethiopic/kushitic) despite the derogatory connotation of the latter terms. But rather than adhere to and uphold the Abrahamic covenant, to which they are heir, alongwith Ishmael and other sons of Abraham, they took the position that they would adopt some of the pagan ways they found within India, and proceeded to create Brahman (=Abraham) and Saraswati (=Sarah) as two new deities added to the “Hindu” pantheon. What then transpired in terms of Manu and the brahministic concoctions of karma/dharma to justify caste oppression is by now well known. The brahminists ought to have been monotheistic having had Abraham as patriarch, but far from it, they merely infiltrated and took over “hinduism”, and today put forward its brahministic overlay as the very definition of what hinduism ought to mean. Long story short, it is the grossest hypocrisy, moreover carried out in the very name of Abraham and Sarah! Brother Harris (Holy Writ admonishes us to call no man “Father”) is hugely misguided in his formulations. If he were a true servant of God he would not be so taken in. But then again, Roman Catholicism also strayed from the path, and like the brahminists, are guilty of wholesale importation of various paganisms into the way laid down under Holy Writ. They are only slightly less in error than are the brahminists. Holy Writ they will find equally unforgiving … guilty in one, guilty in all… unless of course they find redemption in time under the propitiating blood of Yeshua. He remains the only way through whom and by which our manifold sins and iniquities may be expurgated. Washing in the filthy river Ganges will serve no such purpose, alas.

      Still busy, I’m afraid, so I’ll leave that as it stands and go…

      Shalom

      1. My Dear Yoruba, it was on Ctv yesterday! I headd him & saw him….but do you kniw what sickened me the most?? It is how he, in a somewhat condescending manner (from a supposed position of Knowledge) said “if you ask the average trinidadian if Hindus believe in many gods, they will reply “well yes”…this is actually incorrect…there are many MANIFESTATIONS of the one god”….so the non-hindus will feel as if they were dumb for thinking that in the first place….heaven help T&T!

      2. I am blessed with if anything TIMING!….i logged on by chance, to Ian Alleyne’s Crime Watch… (i don’t take him seriously anymore as he exposed his UNC overt support by barely stopping short of serranading UNC ministers on air as well as S.I.S…) anyway, this evening he aired a funeral & weeping mourners…a mature, Hindu called in to say….”Ian…like is d Devil take over sept. 7th”…to which Ian clearly didn’t want to openly say yes, but replied to the equivalent that if he did tzke over, he (ian ) will deal with the devil (becUse he’s ian alleyne of course)….hear that?? That comment about the devil taking over after the recent election flies over the head of so many african people who don’t understand that Hindus definition of the devil (Rawan)….so disgrzceful & crass…..no class!…only carss about ‘Cyass’ (caste)

        1. * THAT (the caller) Hindu’s definition of the devil… (he, the caller) no class!…only carEs about ‘Cyass’ (caste) *

  9. I have always alluded to the fact that the IRO (inter religious organization) is a farce. To me, that was confirmed when during the last fasting of Wayne Kublalsingh. Kamla just willy nilly despatched the head of the IRO (Pundit Maharaj) to go talk to Wayne and report to her. He did and even called Wayne a fake!
    So much for religiosity! I get the sense that this organization is a nicey nicey type of organization where all the participants just pat each other on the back and as you quote Archbishop Harris, they try to cover for each other. Although I am a christian, none of these guys speak for me, my beliefs or my convictions. The politics of the organization helps keep their pockets fat. That is all we can say about them.

  10. Lol….kian “Pat each other on the back”….i have a much more crude way of expressing the sentiment of that statement..it’s common usage in U.S. & Canada….but i won’t!

    Also, i forgot about that….yessss..d.the IRO head was ‘dispat hed’ to ‘deal’ with wayne kublalsingh…i did NOT know he called him a fake though. …as i pointed out numerous times….the dynamic between pundits, presbyterian ministers, indian imams & Indian Hindu UNC (indian political thrust) is VERY different to the relTionship dynamic between the PNM & African Bishops, imams, baptist (barbara burke is proof)..etc…
    the Pundits, Presbyterian Ministers & indian Imams are rooted in the UNC or whatever the indian political thrust calls itself in order to SNEAK INTO office! I.e. These ‘religious leaders’ are foot soldiers of the indian party….the strange thing is…it is so obvious, but they expect the public to turn a blind eye because of the western apprach to ‘politics’ & ‘religion’….in other words they expect to batter througj africans with indian political interests with the ‘Teflon’ of ‘respect for religion’….ENOUGH! Do you remember when Dr. Rowley as Opposition Leader went to the Divali Nagar?…..the female pundit used it as an opportunity (on site, on camera)to LIE & say that The PNM has a history of Victimizing Indians ……this is the same way Sat Maharaj & the Maha Sabha cried religious victimization when they weren’t granted & radio liscense, but use to this day, that radio liscense to propagate UNC LIES & Ethnic chauvanism….i have heard, with my own ears people frequently referring to Africans as NIGGER without any genuine correction! E.g. I heard a caller call in to express disgust “….yeah…an what about dis sunity maharaj criticizing WE Prime Minister?…eh?….ent she have a child wit a Niggah?…” there was silence from the hosts (sat & indian grenadian or st. Vincentian immigrant who co hosts with him) i implore all of you to listen in on the show at least a couple times “Maha Sabha Strikes Back” on weekdays (evenings) from 3 or 4 p.m. i believe …102.7 fm

    when listening, remember that Sat was overtly Kamla’s guru & was the defacto leader of T&T from may 24th 2010 to september 7th 2015…..and until ALL the state boards & institutions have these “devotees ” instzlled…he still has influence there…the callers are the same people thT sell doubles, roti etc to YOU!

  11. Alyssa, the word ‘fake’ could very well be taken as an exaggeration on my part because I don’t remember the actual words Pundit Maharaj used in describing the condition of Dr. Wayne Kublalsigh. But I am sure his description then was
    not complimentary to Dr. Kublalsingh. His description tended to mean that Dr. Kublalsingh was a ‘fake’ (my term).
    Don’t forget, when Sat Maharaj applied for the license for the station, he emphasized that it was to be used for ‘religious’ purposes. We now know that his reasons were more political than ‘religious’ but be that as it may, African people ought to learn by now that whilst the hindu religion has its specific gods and deities, it does not see religion in the same ways that the christian does. So, to Sat bashing Rowley is just like ‘religion’ to him. Is judge Mendonca (Im not sure I spelled his name right) related to the President, Anthony Carmona? Im trying to understand the reason for the ruling in the UNC election case. One of the things that the hindus got going for them is that there is a stable of Africans ready, willing and able to do their dirty work for them. When Sat converted Jack to hinduism, Jack never gave thought to what kind of hindu he became. Looking at that history now, we are sure Sat, Kamla etal did not consider Jack a brahmin. In all likelihood Jack found himself treated more like a dalit than a caste hindu. When he thought that he was a brahmin hindu, he was nothing but a dalit with all the trappings of the indignities being showered upon him. So, it is evident that if Rodney Charles, Marsha Braveboy and others were to seek that conversion, they too would end up not much different from Jack. Anyway, given the court’s ruling, it is very possible that we may have another election. The key to that is to look at the names of the judges chosen to rule on the case. Just remember, in this Trinidad and Tobago that we now live in ‘everybody has a price’.
    If it is a Jamadar, a Mira Dean Amorer or lets say Kokoram, then I suggest that we start campaigning again for bye elections.

    1. Is justice Jamadar related to the Jamadar who was a senior member of the Dlp opposition? Hmmmm…i wonder….remember i spoke about the whole proportional representation scheme??(ensure perpetual indian party rule) There were 3 DLP honchos dispatched to london soon after the 1970 uprising, in a vein effort to try to get proportional representation put in T&T’s constitution….1/3 of the trio was the said Jamadar (DLP Senior)….wouldn’t it be a crazy coincidence if the DLP Jamadar & the Justice Jamadar are FATHER & SON??

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