Dear Editor,

It is with profound sadness that I learnt about the passing of Shri Prakash Gossai. In his passing, Guyana has lost a truly remarkable son and the Hindu community, a phenomenal leader. Please allow me to extend my sincere condolences to his immediate family and members of his larger spiritual family; words are inadequate to describe what a profound impact his life had on the upliftment and promotion of Hinduism in Guyana and the wider Hindu community.

Having grown up in a Hindu family, attendance at yagnas was a regular occurrence. As such, from a very early age, I had the distinct pleasure of experiencing Pandit Gossai’s discourses of the Shri Ramcharitmanas. He effortlessly coupled devotional songs with chaupais and dohas (couplets) taken from Tuslidas’s Ramayan to distil and inculcate the essential teachings of this epic Hindu scripture. His mastery of the Shri Ramcharitmanas was evident in his ability to make relevant the teachings of this ancient scripture to a modern world. A talented and creative musician, Pandit Gossai brought a contemporary flair to devotional bajans, infusing them with vigour and vitality.

Though very successful, he remained open, humble and modest at heart; the following anecdote illustrates these qualities.

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to attend a yagna in Edmonton, Alberta, of which he was the officiating priest. During the course of his presentation, he dealt with the subject of environmental influences; he asserted that the company we keep is reflective of who we are. I have heard this thought presented by numerous individuals on many occasions; I never fully agreed with it. At the end of the evening’s session, I sought him out to present my thoughts on the matter:  “If enlightened individuals were to seek out each other, how then do we elevate the general public to greater enlightenment? Shouldn’t individuals aim to share their knowledge in a respectful manner so that others can benefit from the philosophies that they have been exposed to?

Why be insular and closed when the alternative is openness? Is there a greater cause than to educate and elevate those around us? If this necessitates the keeping of ‘disreputable’ company, then so be it. While we strive to surround ourselves with enlightened and like-minded people, this should not preclude us from engaging and welcoming those who do not fit in our narrow mould.” In that vein, judging people by the company they keep is unduly harsh, especially in a world when we are not usually privy to all the facts. The very next evening Pandit Gossai, with much candour, revisited this topic to issue an addendum to his earlier presentation.

The fact that he was open to, and welcomed my comments demonstrated the quality of a great teacher that he was.

In revisiting the topic, Pandit Gossai exemplified a great spiritual leader. May his soul rest in peace. Om Shanti!

Yours faithfully,
Kowlasar Misir