By Sue-Ann Wayow
THIS weekend is a holy one not just for Christians as they celebrate Easter but also for Hindus and Muslims.
Member of Parliament for Chaguanas West Dinesh Rambally on Wednesday issued greetings to all persons with significant occasions this weekend.
In a release, Rambally said that Trinidad and Tobago was one of the few countries in which people live not just with the spirit of tolerance, but with a true appreciation of each other’s faiths.
He said, “This weekend, the Christians are celebrating the culmination of Lent, a period of fasting and reflection. For some, Easter is the important festival in the Christian religious calendar. Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday surround the crucifixion, vigil and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is undoubtedly a message of hope, the resurrection of truth, the triumph of good over evil. There is no death for that which is Divine.”
For the Muslims fasting through the month of Ramadan, this is a time when they offer reverence to the Creator, paying homage to the poor and affirming their spiritual dedication by putting aside some of the daily needs of the body, Rambally said.
“It is a period of restraint and reflection, a calling out of the higher self in man,” the MP said.
Ramballys said recently, Hindus recently completed the nine-day period dedicated to the Goddess Durga, known as Navraatri.
He said on Saturday, they will observe Sri Hanuman Jayanti, an occasion celebrating the birth of Sri Hanuman, a warrior and ambassador of Sri Ram.
Rambally said that in all Sri Hanuman’s strength, his primary identity was that of a servant.
He said, “As we celebrate Sri Hanuman, let us remember that it is in forgetting our little selves in service to others and God that we can reach the highest spiritual heights.”
The MP added, “During this weekend, and period generally, let us all rejoice and pay tribute to the many cultural and religious expressions of the One Divinity. This coinciding of three sacred periods, must remind us that we are a confluence of many cultural and religious streams that come together and make up this one great nation, called Trinidad and Tobago.
“We should be proud that ours is a legacy of appreciation and inclusiveness, that we are our brother’s keepers, and that we serve God in serving each other. Happy Easter, Ramadan Mubarak and Shubh Hanuman Jayanti to all of Trinidad and Tobago.”
