Shri Prakash Gossai, special assistant to President Bharrat Jagdeo, popular Pandit and activist of Hinduism known for his devotional songs, died at a hospital in Miami, Florida early yesterday morning.
Shri Prakash Gossai
Gossai, who was born on April 23, 1953 at Handsome Tree, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, was 56 years old.
He had undergone triple bypass surgery during the mid 90s and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Balwant Singh Hospital in Georgetown last Tuesday after suffering chest pains. Bramha Prasad, a close friend and associate who has been with Gossai throughout his endeavours during the past 21 years, reported that on Friday, Gossai was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) for access to better medical facilities.
After discussions between GPH specialists and Gossai’s New York doctors it was decided that he would be flown to the US where an angiograph would be performed. A MedEvac plane was hired, Prasad said, and at 12.30 am Saturday Gossai in care of two doctors was flown to Miami where he was immediately admitted to a medical institution. It was there he took his final breath at approximately 3 am yesterday in the arms of his son, Arun.
Arrangements are being made for wakes and satsangs at various locations through the country and funeral plans are yet to be announced.
“When he left that tarmac Saturday morning with MedEvac I was with him…there were and are many memories of him. He has changed my life,” Prasad said yesterday. “He taught me, from the simple act of wearing a kurta (long Indian shirt for men), to both appreciate and celebrate my culture.”
At the beginning of the 21st century, Prasad recalled, he’d gone to collect Gossai to attend Satsang (religious gathering) at the Cove and John Ashram. Prasad was clad in a shirt and pants at the time but Gossai, he said, objected to him wearing that to the Ashram.
“He took me to his suitcase took out a new kurta and told me to wear that then when I said I’d stay in the vehicle he gave me his Ramayan [religious text] and told me to bring it on stage to him at the gathering,” Prasad recalled. “I didn’t understand at first but when I stepped on that stage and handed him that Ramayan I was recognized by my fellow brothers and sisters and I felt truly accepted…with that one little lesson I was taught to celebrate and appreciate my culture.”
The Hindu community, Prasad stated, has lost a great soul whose “mission was to read and expound the Ramayan so that the common man and youngest child could understand”; and Guyana has lost one of its most humble and dedicated citizens.
Gossai: the teacher
Aye bhi akhela, jaaye bhi akela…
We made our entry into the world alone, and we shall leave alone…
Gossai, is perhaps most popular for the numerous devotional songs he has sung and the simple sermons transforming ancient scripture into everyday situations he delivered in the US and throughout Guyana.
Heeralall Singh, a distant relative of Gossai by marriage, was part of the effort which saw the release of Gossai’s first album of devotional songs, ‘Aye Bhi Akhela, Jaaye Bhi Akhela’ (also the album’s first song), during the late 80s.
Singh explained that Gossai, a spiritual coordinator and founding member of the Bhuvaneshwar Mandir in Queens, New York, “sacrificed his personal life to spread the word of Hinduism” and to teach.
Pandit Gopinauth Prashad, one of Gossai’s younger students, remembered his teacher’s passion for passing on knowledge to a willing student. Just over a year ago, the young Pandit said, he approached Gossai about Hindi classes. Gossai advised him to get a group together but no one else seemed to be interested at the time.
“I was the only person willing to learn at that time and Prakshji noticed my passion and he told me to come he would teach me,” Prashad said. “So for quite a while after that I would go to his office one hour every week to learn.”
Prashad explained that as time went the knowledge was spread to other pandits that Gossai was willing to teach Hindi and the classes eventually moved to the Gandhi Bhawan. At present the class has about 30 persons inclusive of pandits of various ages and children.
“I was inspired by Prakashji,” he said. “When I took up the challenge of becoming a pandit I always wanted Prakashji to be my teacher. I wanted to be like him. Prakshji achieved his goal because at least 85 percent of his class can pick up a Hindi book and read from it.”
Many young pandits, Prashad believes, were similarly inspired by Gossai. His method of preaching especially, the young pandit noted, is currently being used by many. Gossai, he said, had a gift for taking complicated stories from the Hindu scriptures and transforming them into simple modern day situations that people can relate to.
“I remember the first time I became aware of whom Shri Prakash Gossai was when I listened to the first song on his very first album ‘Aaye Bhi Akhela Jaaye Bhi Akhela’,” Prashad recalled. “It touched something in me. Prakashji taught humility and practiced it as well.”
Several devotees from the branch of Bhuvaneshwar Mandir located at Little Diamond, Guyana yesterday said that Gossai helped nurture their spirituality. People, Gossai’s friend Bramha Prasad said, could never get enough of him and he never knew when to say no.
“Anytime anyone asked him to do something for them,” Prasad said. “He never said no. He always willingly gave them a date and time when he was available.”
During his last days, Prasad recalled, Gossai was his usual self. Gossai, according to the man, knew he was sick and he was fatigued from having participated in recent activities but he never refused anyone.
Gossai, his friend said, gave what he could of himself to this world before he left. Prasad said that though he is no more Gossai would want those he taught to use his knowledge and to pass it on; this was his legacy.
The Gandhi Bhavan Mandir, with representatives of Art of Living, hosted a wake last night which they described as celebrating the life of Gossai.
Meanwhile, the Hindu community of Berbice held a wake and satsang at Jagroo’s residence, Canefield, East Canje last night Canje to celebrate his life and contributions as a dedicated Hindu. The wake will continue at the Albion Sports Complex tomorrow and Thursday night.
Sandra Sankar, an active member of the Guava Bush Shiwla Mandir where he did his last fund-raising, said he would be especially remembered for making an “indelible contribution to the promoting of Satya Sanatan Dharma”.
She recalled too that he recently started a “monthly campaign in Berbice to eradicate the bars at wedding houses, teenage pregnancies, suicide and domestic violence”.
She extended sympathy to his children and relatives in New York.
My condolences goes out to his family, but what i can’t understand only the influental get medevaccted to foreign countries, while other have to stay and suffer in guyana, and it’s at taxpayer’s expense, what happened to guyana that they can’t get it’s healt sector in order, woe to the poor man and woman in guyana.
My sentments exactly!! Also, these procedures are simple enough to be performed in Guyana. Health care is still in the 10th century back in Guyana. This is a young man. What a backward country!!!
He was a US resident with many relatives over here to support and pay for the treatment. You of all poeple should know the cost of health care over here. How can the poor in Guyana afford have their care here. Aw shucks, many right here in the US can’t even afford to go to the doctor.
Amen-ra,…..not everyone was born equal or lucky enough to even try and get another chance at life, what about the taxpayer’s expense, it goes like this, somebody pays for him and another pays for me and then someone pays for u, if u get what I’m getting at…don’t make foolish comments….not nice.
symphaty to his family. you can’t blame this and that. when ah doctor or the most famous person in world have to die. they will die no matter what attention they got. did someone tell him when he will and where he will born. whether to suffer in guyana or africa dessert. the question is how you live your presious life time that you got as a gift. amen
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight,
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there. I do not die.
Mary Frye’s (attributed)
http://www.businessballs.com/ifpoemrudyardkipling.htm
EXCELLENT ……THE BEST BLOG I EVER READ…WELL SAID
AMEN-RA.. U SOUND SO REDICULOUS.. U THAT? DO YOU KNOW IF THE FAMILY WILL PAY FOR THAT SPECIAL SERVICE? HUH! U LIKE BLA BLA BLA EARLY MORNING… …. WHO CAN AFFORD IT WILL PAY FOR IT & GET IT,,, U GOT IT!!!! IF U HAPPEN TO BE OVER THERE & FALLS IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS U OR UR FAMILY CAN REQUEST MEDEVAC TOO… AREN’T U AN AMERICAN CITIZENS? THEN UR AMERICAN GOVT CAN PAY FOR IT, U PAY TAXES OVER HERE RIGHT?
MY CONDOLENCES GO OUT TO THE GOOSAI FAMILY IN THIS MAJOR LOSS.. FROM THE SINGH’S FAMILY, FRAMINGHAM, MA & CLERMONT FL AND THE PERSAUD’S FAMILY, BRONX, NY ALL FORMERLY FROM MAHAICONY RIVER.
MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE &
Boston you’re in denial, but it’s ok.
I like how they painted a rosy picture of him,he has a lot of baggage,and has a court matter against him in Florida,i think why Jagdeo hired him is beccause Reepu Daman Persaud is very sick and the PPP needs someone with religious clout to keep the Hindus to continue voting PPP.That’s how mister Gossai was brought in,those who know him here in” Little Guyana” Queens,NY can tell you the other side of him.
Not Hindus alone vote for the PPP/C,people from all races and religion vote for the only party that can take Guyana forward.
RDMAN EVERYONE HAS ANOTHER SIDE OF THEM..
RDMAN… I am happy that you can recognise that the Hindus are bound together have spoken and will continue to speak in 2011 to make sure that their part are successful again, what is funny is that I am not sure why you cannot get the christian to vote for the PNC and keep them in power, is Jesus against them too??? Are the Pastors loosing faith???
Your blog is considered ridiculus and I hope SN will post my reply to you…
My condolences to Pandit Gossai’s family and his soul will rest in peace…
WOW !!! Where did you come from…
What you say might be very well true, but why wait until someone is beyond the reach of mortal ken to ask questions he can no longer answer?
rdman i support what you are saying 100%.
June 15 is my birthday and all I want for my birthday is my guruji!!!!!! =-[
Hi sister, though a guruji is good to have, that in itself cannot guarantee good health, success and prosperity. You need is a good positive feeling about yourself, a good brain, and smart thinking faculties.
I read the Bhagwat Gita myself. Without a guru. As a scientist and reader of the Gita, i find that gurus cannot answer questions outside of their narrow readings. Actually, many of them cannot think for themselves. They can only quote from the literature put together by the hard work of others thousands of years before our generation. Also, though I am not a follower of religion, the Gita is one of the greatest literature for self-advancement.
“Those who live only for themselves,though alive are dead,while those who live for the sake of others,though dead are alive.”
You are definitely alive and well in our hearts Prakji.Your great name will live on
WELL SAID… I LOVE IT… NO MAN IS PERFECT IN THIS WORLD AND RDMAN… R U THE PERFECT ONE??????? SOME MAY SAY GOOD, SOME MAY SAY BAD, BUT THOSE WHO REALLY KNOW HIM IN PERSON AND NOT FROM HEAR-SAY ARE TRULY SAD. HELL & HEAVEN IS RIGHT HERE ON EARTH, GOOD & BAD ARE WITHIN EVERY ONE OF US… BUT WHAT MATTERS MOST IS THE GOOD THAT ONE DO THAT COUNTS RATHER THE BAD…. A MURDERER CAN JUST KILL SOMEONE BUT HE CAN ALSO JUST SAVE SOMEONE FROM A TRAGEDY… WHAT WILL BE YOUR SAY TO THIS RDMAN???
Rohan for your information, this was a well respected Pandit and not a dude,, so have some respect for the dead,, and the hindus does not need your advise on how to eat and be healthy,,,Hindus live on vegetables and fruits and I do not know which school you went that thought you these are not healthy foods,
Soldier, I agree with you that vegetables are healthy. But vegetables cooked in lots of oil can still result in severe cardiovascular problems in people who are not adequately physically active, in the long run. In addition, I know vegetarians whose cholesterol was very high and some of them develop deep vein thrombosis. My sister who was a strong church follower and ardent vegetarian had cholesterol of about 275. Her blood pressure was high also. She was a nurse, on her feed for long working hours. She developed pulmonary embolus just before she died of meningitis.
With regards to which school I go to. I hold a PhD and am a cancer research scientist. I also taught many biology classes over 12 years at the university level. One of my goals for fellow humans is to promote better and inexpensive healthy life style by dispelling the myths that often lead to many human maladies.
Shri Prakash Gosai my condolences goes out to his family, we were hoping to hear his melodious voice at my father’s yagna. May his soul rest in peace!
I do not know much about this dude. But may his soul rest in peace…as are those of others (good and bad alike) who left before him. Word of caution to his followers and all Hindu followers. Many of the food you prepare and eat are indeed delicious, tasty. BUT… they are not healthy… even though it was “blessed” by the Guru or you God. In time, clogged arteries set in. High blood pressure develops. Heart rate starts to go through the roof. Medical bills become insurmountable. Please heed. Eat well. Become more active. Just do not sit and listen to the good word. Put common sense to work for you.
I will share an experience with you. Once I was complete vegetarian. My cholesterol was quite low. Nearly 110, but little weak and sick. But most time fill of energy. Ten years later, I started including fish and eggs in my diet. During one winter’s months (of less activity, just studying and writing) my cholesterol went well above the limit (about 217). I was surprised because I did not eat red meat, chicken and the likes. Bear in mind my diet at this time included 85 % vegetables and the rest, egg and fish. Subsequently, I cut back on the fish and eggs and consumed more bean soup and vegetable, with drastic reduction in fried food for six weeks. Results: my cholesterol dropped to 197!!.
Eat responsibly. If you are busy, rather than looking at TV, dedicate about half hour to basic stretches. The internet contains a wealth of information on how to exercise. You can also cut back on Church activity to make time for some exercise at the park. I promise you that after exercising you will feel better than after a church service. There will be no doubt about how you feel. But there can always be doubt about what you hear in church. Just try it. You may even be able to convince your pandit/priest that exercising and responsible eating should be given priority over his babbling. Sorry folks, no offense intended. I am just tired of hearing and seeing folks having their priorities in the wrong place. LET YOUR HEART BE YOUR OWN TEMPLE.
Rohan, what many irrespective of religous leanings, fail to remember that the body IS the temple of God, and they abuse it.
Prakash-ji was lives on in the homes, mandirs and cars of Hindus all over North America, the West Indies, India, and other places in the CD’s that we play, in the bhajan books that we use as reference, but most of all, in the gratitude in our hearts. Gratitude that we had the honour and privilege of being touched by his love.
Thank-you, Sri Prakshi-ji, for your teachings, and your love. Because of you, we have a better understanding of our beloved Sanatan Dharm.
Guruji i never said I am the perfect one but when people like you try to say only the good things of a person when he is dead is not good at all,people need to be educated about your Guruji’s other side too,why hide the fact when it is well known.As for you old soldier many Hindus are not bound too much by their religion,i walked around Guyana lately and in every village Christian Churches outnumber the Hindu Mandirs and what is amazing more Hindus than Muslims are converting to Christianity.When you want to see togetherness it’s Islam,and by the way i don’t believe in religion but believe in god,as for the PPP in 2011 time will tell,your PPP are caught up in a web of corruption,it makes Burnhan look like an angel,have a wonderful day.
May his atma rest in peace.
To his wife and children who has allowed him to give so much we thank you and with time things will get easier.As a hindu last night was very difficult,it brought back memories of me growing up as a teenager in Guyana and listening to cassettes of yajna’s he had performed that was taped..I still have those and so many cds that i spent most of last nite listening to….his voice will live on forever…..for all of us that valus his message and even for the ignorant that has nothing better to do than post controversial comments may god bless us all and may our culture and religion keep us strong…jai shree ram
What Makes a Dad
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle’s flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family’s needs,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so,
He called it … Dad….guruji…panditji…Prakash Gossaiji
yes true
Yes, that is so true. Thank you to Leela and the kids for so selflessly giving us Prakashji.