Hindu devotees gathered at the Swasti Vaachan Hindu Temple in Barataria on Tuesday, to participate in Ganesh Utsav celebrations.
On the seventh night of the celebrations, after the puja by Pundit Udesh Maharaj and melodious kirtans by Devishan’s group, members of the community, family and friends enjoyed the satsangh, using the auspicious occasion to pay homage to the divine, which uplifted the devotees’ spirits.
As is customary for different families to perform the puja nightly, offerings of fruit were made to Lord Ganesha, who was draped in the finest materials.
In attendance was the Speaker of the House, Jagdeo Singh, and his wife.
Speaking to TTT News, he reminded about the importance of Ganesh Utsav and the benefits of the celebrations to not just the Hindu community but the wider society.
“Ganesh Utsav is an extraordinary festival on the social and religious calendar of Trinidad and Tobago, and particularly Hindus, in the sense that it fosters that community spirit which has held the community of Trinidad and Tobago together for over 180 years, since Indentured and Hindus first arrived in Trinidad and Tobago, and it’s an extraordinary achievement that it continues today, and it has grown bigger and stronger, and as you can see, it fosters a level of community spirit that if followed throughout Trinidad and Tobago, would bode well for the entirety of the society.”
Ganesh Utsav, which spans ten days, celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, who is revered as the God of Wisdom, Prosperity and New Beginnings. It concludes with a grand immersion known as ‘Visarjan’, of the idols in water, which is a significant festival.