Dear Editor,
This is in response to Mr Devanand Bhagwan’s ‘Phagwah is a cultural rather than a religious celebration’ (SN, March 10). While I agree with the contents of his letter, I strongly believe that he misunderstood mine.
My letter was based on the Phagwah/Holi celebrations in Guyana, and how they contribute to our country; it was not crafted to match those of India. Although I may have made some general statements, the gist of the letter was centred on Guyana and the way the festival is celebrated here.
My position was taken out of context as suggested by Mr Bhagwan’s statement, “Ms Rampersaud would have more accurately described the festival as ‘Hindustani,’ rather than ‘Hindu.’ Hindustani is the Hindi word that would be translated as ‘Indian.’” In Guyana, believers in the Hinduism religion are known as Hindus; this is what I was referring to, and not, as he suggested, Indians, because in Guyana ‘Hindus’ aren’t only Indians but individuals from every ethnicity.
Mr Bhagwan’s second point, that “There is little religious significance in the celebration of Holi. In most places in India (especially in the northern areas of the country), the Holika is burned invariably by men (mostly in their 20s or 30s) who are either somewhat drunk or under the influence of ‘bhang’ (a derivative of marijuana); no woman are usually found at the scene for fear of being molested.”
Again, this does not apply to Guyana because locally when the Holika is planted, those who partake in the rituals would commence fasting until after the celebrations. Nowhere in this time are alcoholic beverages involved. In fact, this period is passed with chowtal signing and prayers on a daily basis at most temples across the country. However, it should be noted that since this festival is a cultural one that cuts across religions and ethnicity, alcohol does come into play on the actual day, but this in most cases involves non-Hindus.
Yours faithfully,
Shivanie Rampersaud
