The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha recently certified a batch of 18 pandits who successfully wrote the Balbodha examination, one of whom attained a distinction and 14 first grades.
In a press release the Sabha said that as it seeks to equip pandits for new challenges, it is overwhelmed by the response to training programmes by pandits who attend its Sanskritik Kendra in Prashad Nagar. It added that certificates of competence are issued to pandits who satisfactorily completed the pandit examinations and certificates of participation to those who have improved their standards. There are continuing classes for pandits.
Presenting the certificates, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony urged the pandits who he described as “leaders in their communities” to broaden their scope of work with specific attention to the issues of domestic violence and alcohol abuse which exist in their communities, the release said.
Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud who also addressed the gathering noted that pandits attending the kendra are exposed to a curriculum covering all ceremonies for which the response has been very good, it added.
Meanwhile, according to the release, Sanskrit teacher Purushottam Shivraj said that students who wrote the Pravesha examination some time last year were successful, two passing with distinction and two with first grade. “This batch has recently written the Prarambha Gita examination covering the first three chapters of the Gita from both a language and philosophical aspect and is awaiting results,” he was quoted as saying.
A new batch of pandits is studying for the Parichaya Sanskritik and the Pravesha Gita examinations, while a second batch is studying for the Sanskritik Pravesha examination which is being conducted by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Mumbai, India.
The release said persons interested in the Sanskrit examination should contact the Kendra on 227-6181.
