In recent weeks, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan had declared that today will be the date that Guyana observes Diwali while the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha raised its objection to this date advising that the correct date for the auspicious day is November 11.

Why are Hindu cultural issues and celebrations in Guyana so controversial.

A religious celebration should bring peace among the people.

Whether its Diwali or IAD, they seem to have difficulty  agreeing to work together and being  harmony among the people.

As a government, a decision regarding the date had to be made, when groups cannot decide among themselves.

The minister made the right decision based on the best information available to him.

Is it a culture thing among Hindus to divide, when they don't have their own way ?        

Fact:

Guyana Hindu Dhramic Sabha is the LARGEST Hindu organization in Guyana and stipulated that Nov 11 as the date that they will celebrate and the constitution of Guyana has freedom of religion enshrined.

Fact: Ramjattan was very arrogant in arriving at his decision.

Fact:

Most Hindus in Guyana will celebrate on the 11th.

Fact:

Yuji and the Majority of Bramhanas will celebrate on the 11th.

Fact:

President Obama declared that Nov 11th is Diwali.

Fact:

Those who want to celebrate on the 10th can do so. Sanatana Dharma is Democratic.

For the past few weeks the Guyana Times spinning this issue,

the minister had to declare the day a holiday when diwali will

be observed,that day was declared to be Nov,10 after

consultation with a number of pandits.Did the minister said

diwalimust be observed on the declared day??,if he did

that is totally out of line.

Django,

By declaring the 10th as the National Holiday, Ramjattan technically declared that it must be observed that day.

Ramjattan messed up due to arrogance and this is a decision that will hurt the AFC politically.

I have said enough and will no longer comment on this matter.

How was this event funded? Is the PPP going to raise this issue in parliament? Was public money used?

Ramjattan said Hindus must celebrate Diwali on the 10th, just as he told the PSC he would not budge on the 2 am curfew with warning the businesses will close their doors. People in government would seek good advise in different field of business and act act accordingly. At the same time you want to lose business and upset the private sectors. But king shit is commanding the people. 

BTW, plenty Hindus celebrating diwali today in the US

Forget about what organizations say...when is the actual darkest night?

All this bytcing bout 10th and 11th why doan you all take both days and fo those who can afford it tek the whole week rass off and celebrate

the 11th is a new moon night

I wonder if them fellas undastand what that means...but nooooo...this is about PNC vs PPP...fugget everything else

House Slaves want to decide for the Hindus of Guyana!!!

Boy...I leave you Hindus to figure things out

Diwali is celebrated on the day of the darkest night and that will be Wednesday night.By the way ,our resident PUNDIT, MITWAH, is celebrating today and tomorrow.

Wednesday is the night of the new moon so obviously Wednesday night will be brighter than Tuesday night.

Ok, explain how this is so....

I know Muslims decide based on the sighting of the moon, and sometimes half celebrate one day, and the other half celebrate the following day. I figure this is because of large time differences in different parts of the world.

Why is it that some HIndus think it's tomorrow while others think it's today?

I did. I will not listen to no Harkatee House Slaves!!!!!

Riff, It is  very simple, Right now it is the 11th in Parts of India, Temples with Foreign Pandits want to celebrate at the same time with their relatives back home(I say they should go live there)

Also, lately some Guyanese Pandits start thinking they will be "PURE" celebrating the same time with Bharat Mata!!

Forget the date....what is the actual darkest night in THIS part of the world? 

It should be on the darkest night from what I understand

All nights dark, I would not know the difference

So why you having ah fit

You dodging give the real answer.

What real answer??  Good if you can determine which night darker. You have a special talent.

Some parts of India are celebrating on the 10th, some on the 11th. I have a team working in Chennai and they are celebrating on the 10th. Other parts of India are celebrating on the 11th. 

Dat is correct, South India celebrating on the 10th, North India on the 11th.  My Family came from North INdia.

It's like Saudi Arabia always seem to celebrate Eid one day before North AMerica...

Yes Bhai because it is dated and I am NOT a Scientist but maybe because the moon appeasrs there a night before.

QUOTE "Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, East Berbice Prant Pandit Deodat Persaud explained to Guyana Times that Diwali is celebrated on the darkest night of the year.

He noted that according to NASA, Wednesday night will be the darkness of the year with zero per cent visibility.

House Slave Rumjhaaaaaaaatan done know to count beyond 10.  BLOODY DUNCE NEEMAKLARAM!!!

ok...where is the info from NASA that the learned pandit speaks of?

exactly...maybe the darkest night in on the 10th in this part of the world

Maybe/Maybe not.

All I know is my wife is home today and I just had some nice sweet rice...so Happy Diwali

Bhai Kaz Dem question dat too haad fuh me, ask meh how to spell Mosquito nah.

Lets get this clear. Not every Indo vote the AFC got was Hindu, and not every Hindu who did vote for them will changed based on this issue.

So they lose 2% of the voters, and by 2020 the Indo vote will be 2% smaller.

Continue to live in your little cave.

East Canje Motorcade was politicised

Dear Editor,

I have listened to what purports to be a debate on the date of Diwali, and remained silent because I am not one who can read and understand the ‘Patra’.

Points were presented by Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and by the Hindu advocate and opposition MP, Dr Vindhya Persaud, and both sides sounded very convincing although neither side has been willing to concede to the other. What we have, as a result, is two dates slated for the celebration of Diwali ‒ Nov 10 and Nov 11.

I have spoken to a few very learned persons, who are unquestionably very qualified to pronounce on the date, and I have had both dates given from those I contacted. The persons on the two sides argued vehemently for their stances, with Minister Ramjattan being the more authoritative of the two (between himself and Dr V Persaud). The day set as the national holiday for the celebration of Diwali is November 10. Does it mean that the Minister is trying to divide the Hindus? Or that he is trying to stop Hindus from worshipping according to their religious belief? I say an empathic “no”.

At the Diwali Motorcade at the Rose Hall Estate Ground in East Canje I had the most disgusting experience ever. It reminded me of the Diwali Motorcade night I tried to take Ashni Singh (then Minister of Finance) off the same stage for trying to gain political mileage at a religious function. Pandit Jagmohan Persaud, a Hindu priest groomed by the late Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud and spokesperson for the Hindu Dharmic Sabha, and Dr Vindhya Persaud so disgusted me that I felt like hauling them off the stage. Just because the Hindu Dharmic Sabha has been issuing the dates for the celebration for 40 years does it mean that their scholars cannot be wrong now? Can they not agree to disagree? Why is this discrepancy seen as a political move to destroy the Hindu religion? These people are bitter at having lost the 2015 election and their hold on the people.

Neither of these persons delivered a Diwali message. Not even the old rhetoric of the return of Shri Ram from exile was offered to the people. Instead Jagmohan, who spoke first ventured into the political domain and forgot religion. His emphasis was on the declaration of the date for the celebration and he said that Minister Ramjattan should be focusing on stopping the surge of criminal activities instead of trying to dabble in religion. Dr Vindhya Persaud in a follow-up speech declared that she is her father’s child (no one doubted that) and that she will fight for her religion. I will fight for mine too and I am a Hindu. She shouted to the people (at least 50% non-Hindus) to light their diyas on November 11 and keep the children away from school and do not go to work and she will stand up for them. Against what or for what, may I ask?

Editor, I was utterly disgusted that the Dharmic Sabha in the name of religion, can be so politically blinded. They are causing the Hindus to have doubts, not the Minister.

The many scholars whom I have consulted cannot seem to agree on just one date, and so if I believe one rather then the other I will go with what my advice is from that person (or persons). Now if I decide to light diyas on the 11th instead of the 10th or vice-versa, will I be cursed? Will that act destroy me as a Hindu? Does that mean that I am trying to destroy the religion? The learned Doctor should not try so hard to please her leader and should not turn a religious celebration into a political battlezone. The Hindus are the ones who will be hurt.

I will conclude by saying that Dr Vindhya Persaud herself by shouting out a call to fight the act of Minister Ramjattan is digging deep into the political arena, and it is a hopeless fight to gain votes. If we cannot agree on one date then let those of us who want to light diyas on the 10th do so, and those who want to do it on the 11th do so. Do not preach to the people that the government is trying to destroy the religion. When I asked the very religious leader, Dr Vindhya Persaud, a few months ago, just before the Naya Zamana show to have some special invitations for a few ministers and even the President, her response was shocking. I now can see why. She said that she wanted to keep these occasions “apolitical”— not political. Editor, every year from 1999 to 2014 government ministers and presidents have been speaking at these motorcades and hustling political mileage too. I was the MC for the East Canje Motorcade for many years, until I entered the political arena, then I was taken and kept off the stage. Who is making the motorcade political? Was that not trying to divide the Hindus? If President Granger or the Minister of Culture is asked to speak at a Diwali Motorcade, will that mean that the celebrations would be political? How shallow and narrow minded can these people be?

My advice to the Hindus in Guyana is that Laxhmie Maa (the mother of Light) will not shut you out if you celebrate Diwali on November 10 or November 11. Shub Diwali!

Yours faithfully, Charrandass Persaud, MP

http://www.stabroeknews.com/20...ade-was-politicised/

Both days are appropriate. Subdh Diwali!