HUNDREDS of pupils from the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) schools joined members of 14 mandirs and six village groups to celebrate the Hindu water festival of Kartik Nahan at Mosquito Creek, La Romaine, yesterday.
Bus loads of children accompanied by their teachers and parents gathered at the seaside near the Gulf of Paria for the celebration which took the form of Ganga Pooja (ritual water worship) from 6 a.m.
Carrying lengths of colourful yellow cotton filled with red, yellow and white flowers, the pilgrims saluted the sea. Equally colourful jhandis (flags) attached to bamboo poles were planted at the end of the worship.
Sat Maharaj, secretary general of the SDMS, said that Hindu schools remained closed yesterday to give teachers and pupils the chance to perform the annual cleansing ritual that renewed vows to maintain righteousness.
He said that the beachfront at Mosquito Creek had been developed for easy accessibility to the schools and temple groups.
Musicians, dancers and singers performed while pundits blew the saank (conch shell) and a range of bells were rung to invoke celestial beings in the annual ritual celebration. Despite heavy rains, young and old raised their lotas (brass jar) filled with water and topped with a sweet-smelling flower to the heavens in offering.
It was a day of celebration as traffic crawled along the South Trunk Road, La Romaine.
Other Hindu groups observed the festival on Sunday at Manzanilla beach, Manmohansingh Park in Cedros, Los Iros Bay and other seaside venues.
Each year thousands of Hindu pilgrims journey to rivers and beaches to perform pooja. Manzanilla and Quinam have become popular beaches for the celebrations.
Devotees of the Hindu Prachar Kendra celebrated at Blanchisseusse where the river has been blessed in an annual Ganga Dhara pilgrimage.
The consumption of alcohol and eating of meat are strictly prohibited during the celebrations. Kartik is the last major festival in the Hindu calendar year and falls during the months of November or December each year.
