Georgetown : The Viraat Sabhaa in a statement today says its position regarding the celebration of Deepawali 2015 and will remain convinced that this year’s festival must be observed on Tuesday, November 10.
“This is a position we have articulated before and stands ready to defend. We take this opportunity to reiterate our reasons. Our conviction on the November 10 date is based on calculations premised on the knowledge of renowned Astrologists, Kaushik, Kaashi and Bhaskaar. These Panchangs/Patras (Astrological guides), all convincingly demonstrate that Deepawali 2015 is on November 10. “
Practices essential to the observance of Deepawali are the performance of Lakshmi Puja and the lighting of Diyas during the night. What is explicit as contained in the Kaashi Panchang/Patra is that Pradosh Kaal, Nisheet and Mahaa Nischeet Kaal (all being auspicious times), are present on November 10. Given this, it simply means that Deepawali cannot be observed after November 10. In addition, Amawasya(dark night) ends on 13:47 hrs. on Wednesday, November 11, after which, automatically, a new moon begins the statement further says.
This confirms the calculations that the festival must be observed on Tuesday, November 10, given that it cannot be observed in the new moon but must on the darkest night of the year. It is in this context that the Viraat Sabhaa calls on Hindus to celebrate Deepawali 2015 on Tuesday, November 10 and not to allow misinformation to in any way influence the celebration for a different date.
The Panchangs/Patras also allude to world zones for these dates. The zone for Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname shows the festival to be observed on November 10. Trinidad’s Swaha calendar confirms this. Having realized that calendars published by the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha (GHDS) shows the observance of Deepawali for Wednesday, November 11, and which is reflected on national calendars, the Viraat Sabhaa submitted a petition to the government for consideration of an intervention to have the true date reflected as Tuesday, November 10.
The Viraat Sabhaa believes that this is an opportune moment to provide information regarding its composition. It is a registered organization and is supported by, among others, the following:-
- The Sanatan Vaidic Dharma Pandits’ Sabhaa of Region 3 headed by Pandit Balbadar who is a Hindu Philosopher, Sanskrit Teacher and Author.
- Pandit Chowbay, an academic, from the Par Upkaric Sabha in Esequibo.
- Pandit Rudranauth Sharma and associates from the Guyana Pandits’ Council.
- The Maha Sabha
- The Gandhi Youth Organisation
- The Cove & John Ashram.
- Pandit Prabhu Deo Sharma and others from the Corentyne.
The petition was signed by those listed and their affiliates deriving some seventy signatures which is reflective of a vast majority of Hindu representatives in Guyana. It contained detailed calculations and supporting documents for the November 10 date. The Viraat Sabhaa wishes to note that Swami Aksharananda, was firm that if Deepawali is to be celebrated after the birth of the new moon, it would be inappropriate.
Renowned Pandit Dr Budhindranath Doobay of the Canadian Hindu Federation and Priest in-charge of the Vishnu Mandir in Toronto, supports the Viraat Sabhaa’s position of the November 10 date. Also endorsing this position is ,the President of the Hindu Society of Berbice.
The Viraat Sabhaa also wishes to dispel any notion of misinformation peddled by the GHDS. The difference in belief of this year’s date for Deepawali has been discussed before. The Viraat Sabhaa made known this observation months ago on national television in an effort to inform the Hindu community. With regard to the assertion in a GHDS press release on October 15, 2015, which states that it convened a meeting to discuss dates and only the Viraat Sabhaa refused to attend, it should be noted that no other organization attended.
The Viraat Sabhaa would like to inform that Pandit Rudranauth Sharma of the Guyana Pandits’ Council is refuting what the said release mentioned with regard to his organization collaborating with the GHDS in deriving the major religious dates for 2015. Pandit Sharma, after realizing that 2015 dates for Phagwah, Janamashtmi and Deepawali were inaccurate as reflected on the GHDS’ calender, he brought it to the attention of its President but his concerns were ignored.
He then proceeded to print his own calendar reflective of, in the case the date for Deepawali, November 10. It is therefore inaccurate for the GHDS to state that it collaborated with the Guyana Pandits’ Council to derive the dates in question.
The GHDS was forthright that it is guided by the Bhavani Shankar Panchang to derive these dates. The Viraat Sabhaa wishes to state that this particular Panchang/Patra has over the years lost its popularity with local Pandits.The English versions of the other Panchangs/Patras are now easily available. All the related calculations are already computed in these versions resulting in many Mandirs now printing their own calendars based on this information.
As it relates to the GHDS contending that our calendar reflects November 11 as the date for Deepawali 2015, the Viraat Sabhaa had long before mentioned that it was a mistake and having recognized this, apologized on various occasions and informed that the true date for this year’s Deepawali celebration, is Tuesday, November 10. It should be noted that regardless of which Panchang/Patra was used locally, Trinidad and other countries have all derive the same conclusion; Deepawali 2015 is November 10.
The Viraat Sabhaa wishes to state without any ambiguity that its position on the 2015 date for Deepawali is guided by religious sentiments and not by commercial motives. Despite this being the first occasion where Hindus are publically disagreeing over the date of one of its sacred festival, the Viraat Sabhaa urges devotees to be guided by the truth and hopes that this will result in the desired unity that always appeared to be elusive in the past.
