Dear Editor,
As I write these few lines Shri Prakash Goosai would have been cremated after hundreds of speeches had been made and thousands of Bhajans sung world-wide over the past 48 hours in honour of this great Guyanese. I hope that his family has plans in train to have some of his ashes taken to Guyana and rendered into the mighty Atlantic Ocean after relevant prayers and rituals; after all, even though he spent nearly half of his life in New York, I am sure that not a day would have passed without him thinking about his brothers and sisters back home.
My memories of him take me back to the early nineteen seventies at Gandhi Youth Organization (GYO) where under the watchful eye of Shri Darshanji then leader of the GYO Kirtan group, he very quickly demonstrated his immense natural gift for devotional singing, eventually leading to his winning national competitions, etc. Clearly, after excelling academically at Cummings Lodge Secondary and at the University of Guyana he was ready to take on bigger challenges in the international arena, which we all know he did with great relish.
I had the distinction of introducing him at an immensely successful ‘homecoming’ fund-raising show at the Gandhi Bhavan grounds in 2006 with the opening words “Prak is back.” Little did I realize that he was back for only a very truncated period. At the planning meeting for this show he told me in his characteristically humble fashion, “Chris, I don’t want anything; I am doing this for GYO which I consider to be the real launching pad for what I have become today.” I remember fondly the late President and one of the founding members of GYO and Dharma Acharya, Pandit SP Sharma saying to me how much he enjoyed Prak’s singing during the regular Sunday Satsang.
However, Bhagwan Ram has greater plans for Shri Prakash Ji, and I envision after a well deserved rest in Vaikunth (heavenly abode), he will be sent as special assistant to spread the message of Sanatan Vedic Dharma in his own inimitable way wherever needed.
To the family and close friends of Prak, I wish to express my sincere condolences to you at this time of great personal loss, but I ask you to be proud and celebrate the life and achievements of our ‘Maha atma.’ To all Hindus: you must pick yourselves up and vow to carry on the mandate of our great Dharma.
Ayee be Akela Jaye Be Akela (I came into this world alone and will leave alone) was his composition, and that Bhajan will forever ring in our ears, but remember Prabhu Mila Jayenge (literally: Lord when will we meet?) Prak is smiling as he looks down on us.
Hari Om
Yours faithfully,
Christopher Persaud
Former Senior Vice-President GYO
…just who is dis “we” ,,, in “we should clebrate” ????????????
A better question would be. Celebrate what???
Or better yet!! Why did the good pandit leave such phenomenal success in the US to work for the OP?? This is where his worth to the betterment of his fellow Guyanese who are wondering day to day what their next meal will be will be answered.
you know Sarkar I didn’t really want to comment on this article but I think you nailed what I was going to say.
How come the PPP cannot find it in their souls to embrace humanity and bolster democracy in Guyana.
Prak did not compose Aye bhi Akela–it is a song from an Old Hindi Movie. Many people have been singing this song at wakes and funerals for the longest while.
I am among the we that will celebrate the life and works of Prakashji. We are not soliciting the participation of anyone for those who recognize class will come of their own accord.
As for the cynics, rest assure that whatever you say and I repeat what you say will not detract from the achievments of Prakashji. Further let those who to cast aspersions on Prakashjirender 10% of the service he has rendered and they too will be applauded.
I wish to express my profound sadness on the loss of such a great singer. To the citizens of Guyana and the multitude of fans globally I wish to say that Shri Prakash Gossai’s legacy will be forever enshrined in their hearts. His music transported listeners to the spiritual world which I believe is the only reality. May I say that one branch of my grandfather’s family left South Africa in 1925 and continued keeping in touch with him from Georgetown, Guyana. Members of both families met only in 2006 and that was when my sister Vivaglutchmee Anandavally Naicker was introduced to this icon by our cousin Doreen Naraine of Bladen Hall North E.C. Demarara Guyana. May God bless his family during these difficult and trying times.
Enjoy Shri Prakash Gossai Live in Concert
http://www.sendspace.com/file/gdf08i
49minutes so you will need a good DSL Broadband connection.
ENJOY ON THIS FATHERS DAY 21ST JUNE 2009
… I AM NOT ! in any way offended by those who would grovel at the feet of insignificance ! be it far removed from my mind to be so base ,, to ask ,, or even to imply by mere suggestion that
the person to whom WE should all celebrate[?] — what abt is still mystifying to me — is as insignificant as any other grain of sand found ……. ah guess n e place yuh want fuh look !
in the grand scheme of things ,, he is/was not even remotely close to the likes of Dr.Jonas Salk ,, who we all must be forever cognisant of !!!!!!!!1
I like your point. Dr. Jonas Salk was a scientist. His polio vaccine saved millions of lives at a time when most needed. BTW, was he ever awarded he Noble prize in medicine? I am not sure. Would like to know.
Others in the list include: 1.Albert Einstein,
2. The guy who recently came up with the idea of creating a nutrition in the form of a paste which include peanuts, to be distributed to millions of starving children.
and many …many more.
i see u are back! have missed you….:)
I do not even know who Dr. Jonas Salk is/was but I would not ridicule you for admiring Dr. Salk since to do so would be an insult to Prakashji.
Again we are not soliciting your commendation of Prakashji’s life and works. We who travelled the path with him are fully cognizant of his value and are extremely grateful to him.
You admire and celebrate whom you like and rest assured we would not be offended and debase ourselves by copying your writing style.
In the grand scheme of things, conundrum I must confess that most bloggers reading your message will have no idea at all who Dr.Jonas Salk is or indeed was.
In this information overload age, personalities have to be VERY SIGNIFICANT or they will become buried by new information.
Patriot ,, thanks for the thought !
many have been and still is being touched ,, and even more will be touched ! at this point ,, i think it would be prudent to let u know that many was ,,, is ,,, and will continue to be called ,, how many will be chosen ,, to be “touched” ! wellll dah iz anadah storie ! but so far ,, u iz nat wan ahdem !
but fuh ur sake ,, juss continue blindly wid de ring in yuh nose ,, and sing like de pundit ,,
ah hope u iz nat wan ahdem wah duz turn up yuh nose at dem wah de pundit seh ,, iz nat to be touched ! afatahrall ,, he know ,, caz he like u has been divinely touched !…….
I agree with Divinetouch that those wanting to celebrate the life of Prakash Gossai are not soliciting others to join them.
We are all insignificant but in recognition of insignificance, it does not mean that we cannot pay tribute to the likes of Prakash Gossai who have sought to understand in his own way, his insignificance. Prakash’s message has never been about his own glorification but that of something beyond him – whatever name we may give to that – divine energy, god, ….
at a time when conversion is on the increase, at a time when hindus faced culture shock, at a time when there was divisiveness, he was a vehicle through which they stayed connected to their religious beliefs. For me, this is enough reason to hindus to celebrate his life, to remember him for what he represented. He is more aware than any of us of his own limitations. This is testified in his humility. It is not about idolising him, but remembering his contribution within a space of gratitude.
Many will have different stories based on their own experiences, but for the overwhelming majority whom he associated with, he was indeed a powerful tool through which they stayed connected with Hinduism as it is practiced within the Guyanese community.
Dr Jonas Salk is in another category of contributors in the field of wholistic living. Whoever is chosen and whoever is touched is a matter of subjective and personal interpretation.
Satish ,, i took the time to read ur few lines ,, where ur emphasis on “significance” ,, is the only reason i chose to indulge u ,, my mention of Dr. Salk ,,, could indeed have been one of so many others ,, but Jonas just happened along while i was busy writing ,, as for ,, per u ,, “age of data overload” ,, why the “most bloggers” is not be able to know who Dr.Jonas Salk was ! and his immeasurable contribution to man !
and now to ur “very significant” ,,, if by the latter u reference de braman priest pundit who ,, quite frankly ,, is insignificant since it is the likes of him that has the many who follow the cleverly thought out system ,, to put themselves as the elite of the “caste” that has so many hundreds of millions in INDIA , in POVERTY !
u an de aderz doan come haysuh with religion an hoo is hindu an
hoo iz nat ,,
better think how to develop the contry rather than celebrate things that realy brings no hope to Guyana
Well said.
ROHAN HE MADE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON SO MANY LIVES, YET YOU TRY TO IMPRESS OTHERS LIKE YOURSELF, WITH YOUR KNOW IT ALL ATTITUDE.
de 3 lb conundrum !!… says:
Prakashji, is not a braman priest pundit. He never held himself out to be a pandit and if you know wnything about the caste system you would have never referred to Prakashji as a braman.
However, continue to enjoy your opinion and utilise your energies in the negative vein while I and those who have walked the path with Prakashji will remember him for what he is – a simple man who made a positive difference to the lives of many.
I invite you to go out and use your talent and resources to also make a positive impact on humanity no matter how small your contribution.
prakash was not a bramhin. so i think this part of the dialogue is irrelevant. and i know this because he was blocked from reading at the alexander village hindu temple because he was not a bramhin. another excuse was later given.
…bramin or out ,, it tells how elite ,, aloof an ,, arrogant
dis “caste” is ,, abt hoo dem feel dem iz !
hoo made dem de kings of de “caste” !?????????????????????????
i know of many hoo in GUYANA in the moment of utter ignorance and stupidity ,, while thumping their chest ,, blurts out ,, me ah braman pickney ! an from what is told de bramans is de know it all of everything on de planet ,, yet many of dem dat shout out “me ah wan braman” doan know ‘e own name when it’s shown to dem ! and they is de “caste” of knowledge ,, an de knower of all things !…. what a mythical farce !….
i agree with you here. the caste system is an oppressive force. the bramhins’ in my view, prefer their perceived superiority both for financial and social reasons. financial as poojas are a business and social because of the status. there are exceptions to every situation however. but because this has not been openly challenged in Guyana, it has not led to a problem. guyanese hindus have an inherent preference (because of religious and social traditions) for bramhins to conduct their poojas. and we have not had many instances of non-bramhins pandits showing up to challenge the status quo. But the bias is there. I do not subscribe to the caste system nor the superiority of any human being over another. I will conduct my own poojas if I knew the mantras.
Prakashji revolutionised the reading, interpretation, and delivery of the Ramcharitmanas so that even the most dull witted can comprehend it.
This is what he will be truly be missed for, coupled with his great humility and charisma.
Why don’t you pickup where he left off. Nothing can be missed
if it continues. Come on if you are sooo much a Prakashji follower, how can he missed. Just keep on doing what Prakash Gossai was doing.
Talk the talk and walk the walk.