Videsh Sookram attended St. George’s College and is presently awaiting results for his CSEC (CXC) examinations. He also wrote CXC examinations in January of this year where he excelled and placed amongst the top ten students in the Caribbean in Mathematics. This brilliant young man has plans to pursue Advanced Levels/CAPE studies in Pure Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology, after which he dreams of pursuing tertiary studies to become a medical doctor as it is his greatest goal to assist others in whatever way he can.

Videsh, who has been involved at the Gyaan Deepak Kirtan Mandali for almost five years, is a dedicated young man, impassioned about his spiritual and cultural development through Swaha. Having been introduced to the temple’s Summer Camp through a close friend, Videsh has since been involved in every event or activity; namely, Ramleela celebrations – where he has acted in a number of prominent roles and the Swadeshi Festival – where he has participated and copped awards on every attempt. He has also been active in maintaining the temple’s facilities and often participates in Sports Days.

Apart from school and temple, Videsh also keeps himself busy with other activities. He has taken a keen interest in the steelpan and also has plans to start music classes with Dr. Ruby Mallik in the near future.

So how does he balance it all? When asked, Videsh noted that time-management is essential and in addition to that, he simply enjoys what he does. As for his involvement in Indian culture, he considers himself enthusiastic to promote it in whatever way he can. While he acknowledges the challenges in balancing such a lifestyle, he is excited to develop his knowledge and understanding of his environment. He says, “Some youths may not cherish their culture and may take it for granted and they do not follow the teachings and practices. It is a problem, as we all know, and Swaha is doing an excellent job in promoting our religion and culture because they themselves have changed me into a vibrant young Hindu.”

Videsh humbly credits his parents as his inspiration to all that he has achieved thus far and for providing all that they can to continue nurturing his dreams and ambitions. His guru, Pt. Umesh Persad, has also served as an inspiration. They have instilled traits of dedication and motivation in him to always aim to achieve and excel. Therefore, we at Swaha look forward to seeing and hearing of many more accomplishments from this well-rounded and driven young man.

It was December 2006 when I walked into The Little Store, Curepe and purchased my 798 paged copy of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. As I began reading what I and many others now refer to as “the manual of mankind”, I was awestruck by the profound explanations that followed each verse. Sadly my priorities escaped me and I left my reading incomplete at Chapter 2. It was not until faced with personal traumas in my life did I return to my Gita for some form of solace. It was now September 2010…nearly four years later. I took a vow to “fast” (my understanding of what dictates a true “fast” has changed since that time) and complete the reading of this Perennial Philosophy. It took me 6 weeks, but I accomplished my goal. Some of what I gleaned, I shall now divulge.

The Bhagavad Gita is divided into three groups of six chapters, dealing with Karmayoga (Yoga of Action), Bhaktiyoga (Yoga of Devotion) and Jnanayoga (Yoga of Knowledge) respectively. Reading the Gita, I saw that these different pathways are intertwined. Can one practice Devotion without Action? Isn’t Knowledge a vital ingredient in the performance of Devotion? Know Me, Love Me, Act as I would. Sri Krishna wants nothing more.

My heart filled with joy as Bhagavan proclaimed His supremacy over all (Ch.5 V 29; Ch.7 V23; Ch.9 V24). Gita taught me equanimity of mind and although difficult to comprehend at first, its conceptual reality to date gradually grows on me. I found reassurance during the loss of loved ones where Bhagavan told Arjuna that there was never a time where He and I were not and neither was it a fact that hereafter we shall cease to be (Ch.2 V12).

As I delved deeper I saw this sacred text to be an amalgamation of philosophy, religion, science and Dharma. I read of the manner in which the universe was created (Ch 14) (Jai Prakrti Ma!) and Pranayama (breath control) was also explained, though I will suggest that consultation with a Pundit is advised to ensure it is done correctly. Gita spoke of the perishable nature of the body (Ksetra) and the immutable, imperishable nature of the soul (Ksetrajna). Gita spoke even of preferred foods! (Ch. 17 V 8-10). I even learned of the significance of the sacred incantation “Hari Om Tat Sat” so that when I begin my worship I utter this prayer for guidance and forgiveness for any inadvertent transgressions in my Bhakti. The principle of Ahimsa (non violence) resonated throughout as well as the qualities of a God realized soul and those with adverse qualities (Ch. 10 V4&5; Ch. 12 V 13-20; Ch 13 V 7; Ch. 16 V1-4).

As I completed my first reading, I appreciate that my Gita will now be a source of continued reference as I am an infant to its true purpose. It has become a source of comfort. I can begin to have a definitive position on issues that have long plagued my mind. I can impart knowledge to others hopefully in a manner devoid of egotism. It has made me a stronger Hindu. Life looks so very different now. I am trying a vegetarian lifestyle now – I guess a happy side effect?

This has been a glimpse into what the Gita has done for me. I have cited some verses above for those who are yet to discover the Gita in the hope that I can persuade you to do as I have. We don’t have to wait until we are old or sickly to have a “Gita part” read for us. Its maturity will resound for ages as it is a source of constant Dharmic interpretation. The very act of reading the Gita encompasses Karma, Bhakti and Jnana so we cannot go wrong! A three in one gift! Even Mr. Albert Einstein, the only human to use 4% of his brain, a man who could not begin to grasp the essence of the Gita until his twilight years said this, “When I read the Bhagavad Gita and reflect about how God created this universe everything else seems so superfluous.”

In closing, I leave you with some final words of the Gita, for they play in my mind every day since my reading, “Thus has this wisdom, more secret than secrecy itself, been imparted to you by Me. Fully pondering it, do as you like.” (Srimad Bhagavad Gita Ch. 18V63).

Shalini is a vibrant young lady, whose passion for dance, led her to tour the Western hemisphere. She was part of the 4H Cultural Exchange of Washington, USA in 2008. She has plans to tour other countries such as Canada later on in her dancing career. Shalini was a member of the prestigious Kiss Natraj Dance group for eight (8) years. She even went on to perform in the National Council of Indian Culture in 2009.

Shalini dances at various cultural events, weddings and other occasions. She has participated in numerous dance competitions nationwide. Only recently she placed 3rd in the Finals of the Children of Mastana Bahar [2010], winning a prize of twelve thousand dollars. She explained that coming 3rd was not an easy process. Her winning performance featured a Lord Shiva dance, in the Tandava style which was well choreographed by Shalini’s dance tutors, Mr Vishal Pooran of the Amritam Shakti Dance Company and Ms Sita Persad, who is a journalist as well as a dance instructor with the Shakti Devi Dance Company.

Why do a dance featuring Lord Shiva? Well, Shalini explained that He is her favorite deity and He inspires her daily to be her best. She is also very fond of the Tandava style of dance. The song she chose was energetic and vibrant to reflect the positive energy of Lord Shiva.

So where will Shalini go from here? She wants to continue with the Bharat Natyam and Odissi styles of Classical Dance, which may one day, take her to the land of India, where she hopes to learn and perform this specialized field. For now, however, Shalini hopes to further her dance studies at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute.

Shalini wishes to thank her parents for being her main promoting agents as well as her extended family who inspired her to continue her career, as they themselves are part of promoting Indian Culture through dance, song and music. Most of all, Shalini is thankful to God, for blessing her with the ability to dance and perform successfully in this lifetime.

When the principal forwarded the VCIP (Venture Capital Incentive Programme) letter of invitation to participate in a business plan competition last year May, I was intrigued, and especially since there were lucrative financial prizes, not only for the students but also the school involved, if they won. I immediately encouraged my form six Management of Business students to participate. Two groups from our school submitted entries to the competition. These entries were both totally different business plans which the students completed themselves, with my guidance. One was from the lower six students which was about an internet based business which sold toys online. The other was from the Upper Six group and was based on an amusement park which would be located in Sangre Grande.

For several months, we monitored the progress of the competition with officials from VCIP, and last year October, to our great joy, we got the announcement that we were one of the top winners of the contest. This was especially significant given the fact that sixty four schools were invited to participate, and forty four actually submitted entries to the same competition! Needless to say, our students: Sabeena Sookoo, Reuben Ali and Rasheeda Ali, were all elated to be in the top three.

Finally VCIP had its official awards ceremony on February 5th 2010. The suspense built up as the winners were called in and then announced one by one. We won third place, with the students receiving a seven thousand dollar prize. Our school, as a result, automatically got a five thousand dollar prize in the form of a cheque! Everyone was happy even as the second place winners, Holy Faith Convent (Couva) and first place winners, Signal Hill (Tobago) were announced.

I wish to thank Mrs Vidusha Ramnarine Singh for her unfailing work with the Form Six Business students and our principal, Pundit Balram Persad, for always motivating the students and staff to reach for the stars.

STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVE
Sabeena Sookoo and Rasheeda Ali

The most hardworking seven letter word anyone can find is success. In persevering anything, be it school, work or whatever, we need to keep success in mind. In entering the VCIP competition, success was always in our minds. We were introduced to the competition by our Management of Business teacher, Ms Alana Gajadhar and our group started with eleven students from the Upper Six class.

However, many students from the original group dropped out so that they could focus on their preparations for CAPE examinations. As a result, our group was eventually reduced to three members: Sabeena Sookoo, Reuben Ali and Rasheeda Ali.

The competition focused primarily on creating a business plan. We were asked to create our own business model. We decided to create an amusement park called Funtastic Amusement Park. We completed this project within a period of three weeks and enjoyed researching and using our creative nature towards enhancing , which helped prepare the right foundation for their success. Last but not least, I wish to thank our and bringing our project alive.

In the end we accomplished not only our school work but were able to become third place winners in the competition. In our hearts we felt like winners. We competed against forty-four other secondary schools and placed in the top three, we were pleased with ourselves and proud that we were able to contribute something back to our school.

I am faced with many challenges as a young budding accountant at Toyota Trinidad and Tobago Limited, the least of which is being an active Hindu. At present, I hold the position of Treasurer at the Swaha Divya Ashram in Preysal. My job is one which is very demanding as well as time consuming. However, at school, nobody ever tells you what the real world is like, what challenges you have to face as a professional. Therefore there must be a balance. When I was doing ACCA, the chief principle was balance. Back then I had to balance everything: school and home, religion and studying, leisure and friends. To balance these I was given great encouragement by my family and friends but my main support was my Guru Profeesor Pt. Prakash Persad who guided me spiritually and helped me to strengthen my belief in Bhagwan.

As an extension of my religion I got involved in the cultural aspects, one of which was Classical Indian Dancing which I did for 7 years and won the 1st Swaha Swadeshi Competition. Dance aided in stress relief and concentration, which was an integral part of my academic life. When ACCA was over and I became qualified, I recognized the valuable contribution that my mandir, which was like my second home for over twelve years, gave to me and I was compelled to return this service to others at SWAHA Divya Ashram. Thus I began to spend more time getting involved in more activities to promote and encourage youths to get involved in spiritual undertakings. Some of these activities were Ramleela celebrations, Sports Day and other celebratory events.

I believe that young people have a lot to offer. They bring a fresh perspective and insight to old situations; therefore we need to invest in them. They bring new ideas and energy to what would seem to be a dull, rigid culture by incorporating modern music, lighting, sound, martial arts and costumes to our Ramleela celebrations.

Hinduism offers a life lesson which follows an exact pattern:

As a young Hindu I see that giving back to the community is a mandatory part of upholding Dharma. I know that later in life I will reap the benefits of my deeds. I will continue to be strong and active in my beliefs, extending my hand of charity to my community. However, I will also continue to pursue the highest excellence in the academic field and encourage and motivate all youths to follow in this path.

Tell us something of yourself: your achievements, skills,etc. What you are doing at present?

I am the proud daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Roodal Harilal. From an academic stand point, I am currently a 4th year student of the UWI attached to the Faculty of Medical Sciences pursuing my degree in dentistry. My success at CXC and A’level examinations has brought me to pursuing my dream of becoming a dentist. However, my other achievements have stemmed from my involvement with SWAHA. At present I am the assistant PRO for the Tulsi Manas Mandir and for the last two years I held the position of PRO. I have also been the only participant to compete in the Swadeshi competition in both the song and dance categories and placed first in both in the same year.

How long have you been involved with SWAHA , in what capacity, and what has kept you committed to your mandir for so many years?

Since I was a baby I have been a member of the SWAHA’s Tulsi Manas Mandir. I have been involved in our youth group and have been part of our executive. My commitment is eternal to my temple because I believe if you attend temple for the right reason and that is, to pray to the Lord then nothing can weaken or deter you. I must admit though with my heavy work load it was sometimes difficult to give 100% but the yearning inside of me to attend service was always there. Being part of this organization has been a wonderful experience for me and it plays an integral role in my holistic development.

Who or what has been your inspiration on this road that you are travelling?

Firstly, Lord Ganesh and Mother Saraswati. Secondly, as our holy scripture says, “Mayray Maataa aur Pitaa pratham guru hain”, so my parents. Thirdly, my sisters, other family members and friends. Finally, my guru Pundit Balram Persad who has always given me words of wisdom and encouragement.

What advice can you give to the Hindu youth in regard to his/her personal and professional development?

In your personal life, honour your mother and father, respect your elders, give assistance when you can and aim to be a professional Hindu. For your professional development what I have learnt thus far because I am still learning is time management is key to your success, together with devotion to duty, discipline and self confidence.

What plans do you have for the future?

My plans for the future is to graduate with my Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S ), specialize in Conservative Dentistry. I also hope to get married and have a family and visit India.

Who was responsible for it and what inspired you all to invent such an instrument?
Prof. Prakash Persad was responsible for the robot. It was difficult for Pundit to get players and he wanted something to play long hours at a constant speed and I didn’t want to play tabla anymore, so we built a robot to play tabla.

What impact can such an invention have on East Indian music and more so, on any type of music?
It will be useful for singers who wish to practice for long hours but don’t have someone to play for them, or even for them to use for performances. It may also act as a very good teaching aid for someone learning to play the tabla.

Do you see the robotic tabla replacing the artiste, the tabla player? How?
Human creativity and feeling are very difficult to program into a robot. It cannot replace tabla players when you speak about the human touch and the emotion a player would give in his or her performance. It is there to assist when necessary.

After this invention what is the next step? Any plans for adding variations? To create a ‘robotic orchestra’ or band, maybe?
The next step is to have the robot sense the correct speed and choose which taal to play when the singer starts to sing. It will be learning on its own, when to start, when to play some variation and when to stop, and yes we do intent to create a robotic orchestra which will include a robotic pan player.

Additional Information About The Robotic Tabla Player

This project seeks to develop a robot which is capable of adequately accompanying a human singer for a musical piece. While this may seem a simple task, the robot will need to listen to the human singer to detect the right tempo, select the correct rhythm to suit the piece being sung and also make whatever variations are necessary to accommodate a live singer, e.g. change speed, break and change the rhythm and play solos as required. A prototype pair of hands has been developed to test this concept. These hands may be programmed to play a set rhythm at a specific speed. This prototype has been able to that a robotic simulator is a viable replica of a human player, as preliminary tests have shown that listeners could not differentiate between the two sources when accompanied by other instruments and also the quality of sound, when analyzed scientifically, was seen as comparable to a human. The following video shows the robotic tabla player in action.