President, First Lady present awards to Diwali Motorcade winners

Patrons turned out in their numbers much earlier than usual at La Bonne Intention (LBI) Community Centre ground last evening for the highly anticipated annual grand Diwali Motorcade.

The presence of Bollywood singer Jeffrey Iqbal in the lineup of artistes may have been a contributor to the large turnout which was evident long before the parade of floats started entering the ground.

Iqbal who first appeared at the Diwali Utsav one week ago at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) along with Gunjun Singh, staged similar performances in Essequibo and Berbice.

In his  melodious voice, the American born artiste who was the final act performed a number of hit songs done by himself and other Bollywood artistes, much to the satisfaction of the audience.

President Donald Ramotar and First Lady Deolatchmee

Ramotar with the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO)

and their Diwali motorcade float

President Donald Ramotar turned up along with First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds to catch the performances,  as the brightly lit Diwali floats made their way into the LBI ground.

Floats participated in the small and large category and were judged by a panel that included Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony and Philbert Gajadar among others.

Prior to the announcement of the winners, the judges explained the criteria used for awarding or deducting scores. Mishaps like the ones experienced on some floats where the generator failed, causing the lights to go out, cost some of the participants.

President Donald Ramotar and Prime Minister Samuel

Hinds take a close up look at Diwali motorcade floats

In the end, the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO) was adjudged the overall best float. The news was met with loud cheers and the majority of members went up on stage to receive the trophy from President Ramotar and the First Lady.

The Better Hope Mandir copped the first prize for the large category while in the small float category, the Success Mandir came in first.

President Donald Ramotar and First Lady Deolatchmee

Ramotar present a trophy to members of the Progressive

Youth Organisation (PYO) for being judged the overall

best Diwali motorcade float

In the commercial category, the winning prize went to Edward B. Beharry and for the most creative, Rosignol Sanatan Dharma (small) and the Golden Om Mandir (large).

As a show of appreciation, the organising body for the annual event, the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, handed out gifts to the first-time participants.

President Ramotar who will be hosting a cultural event this evening to commemorate the religious holiday, said in his remarks at the motorcade, that Diwali has a wealth of relevant messages.

“It is as you know, the victory of good over evil, the victory of light over darkness, the victory of knowledge of ignorance and these are all things that we have been working for,” President Ramotar said.

President Donald Ramotar delivering remarks to a large

gathering at the LBI Community Centre Ground during the

Diwali Motorcade

In the face of a political opposition that has been reluctant to meet eye-to-eye with the government of numerous priority issues, President Ramotar said, “we stand solid in the faith that good will triumph over evil,” as told in the message of Diwali.

This year’s celebration was the first without the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s founder Reepu Daman Persaud who passed away . He was honoured along with the late President, Dr. Cheddi Jagan for their role in the struggle for democracy and the preservation of culture.

West Demerara Diwali motorcade – a beautiful spectacle - attracts huge crowd

It was an exciting night for the thousands of Region Three residents as they witnessed the beautifully decorated floats and enjoyed the performances put on at the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s Cultural programme and Diwali Motorcade on Friday evening.

President Donald Ramotar among the huge gathering at the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s Cultural programme and Diwali Motorcade

The event that was held at the Ocean View Mandir, attracted a huge crowd, and was graced by President Donald Ramotar. 

The Sabha’s largest motorcade will be held this evening, starting in Campbellville and moving to La Bonne Intention Community (LBI) ground.

President of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, Dr. Vindhya Persaud delivering remarks at the Sabha’s Cultural programme and Diwali Motorcade at the Ocean View Mandir, West Coast Demerara

Thousands of people, of different religious and ethnic backgrounds lined the West Coast public road to get glimpse of the beautifully decorated vehicles in the motorcade.

President Ramotar extended heartfelt wishes to gathering in his brief remarks. “This is the Festival of Lights and brightness; it is where light shines through darkness, and good triumphs over evil, and this is what happens in our country.”

President Donald Ramotar sharing a light moment with one of the ‘Latchmies’ on a float at the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s Diwali Motorcade

He also paid tribute to the late Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud, who he remembers as a loving person and would have been very happy to see such a large turnout at the event. 

The president also intermingled with the crowd and shared some light moments with the beautiful little “Latchmies” who were on the various vehicles on the motorcade.

The evening activities also included performances by Bollywood singer, Jeffrey Iqbal, who wooed the crowd with his superb performance, especially his all time best ‘Tere Bina’,  and  ‘Tere Maast Maast Do Nain’.

President Donald Ramotar presenting tokens to young participants of the motorcade

Various cultural items punctuated the cultural aspect of the event and this was well received by the large gathering.

Head of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, Dr. Vindhya Persaud said Diwali’s significance is underscored by the message of light over darkness. “Light is not only literal, but extends metaphorically to knowledge and spiritual enlightenment,” she told the huge gathering.