Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 11/Sep 07:01

Doon Pandit – Healer, patriot and social worker

Few persons have read, Doon Pandit: His Life and Times 1900-1958 by D. H. Singh. The work captures the legacy of Pandit’s philanthropy, vision and spirituality. Some of the relatives of Pandit (born Seenath Ojar) have migrated whilst others still reside in Trinidad. Who was Doon Pandit? He was a humble, religious leader, but also a heroic individual who willingly served his community and country. Citizens have seen him as a humanitarian, activist, healer, nation-builder, charismatic leader, mystic, educator, peace maker, Hindu patriot and motivational speaker. Pandit was charitable and generous. He hailed from the Las Lomas/Arima/Tacarigua area, and stories of his work extended across the island and beyond. He was a man, beyond his times, a man for all seasons, a social reformer who initiated positive social change in the early 20th century. Here was a man, without a secondary or tertiary education, with an unrivalled international reputation at that time, yet never losing sight of his role as servant of the people. Doon’s service to the poor was badly needed. Albert Gomes in, Through A Maze of Colour, captured the heart-breaking conditions faced by some Indians, who found refuge in Port-of-Spain. “Ragged, unwashed and underfed, they roamed the streets by day under constant barrage of jeers, sneers and obscenities from every side.” Doon had a deep desire to render service to those in need. To ignore the role of Doon Pandit would be a retrograde step. He made Hinduism in TT a dynamic religion and relevant to the society’s needs. He is portrayed as a catalyst who sought to unify society as he transcended all barriers of ethnicity, geography, class, gender and religion. This legendary Hindu sage walked with the governor and other colonial officials yet never forgot the simple, poor ordinary people. He truly epitomised the words of Rudyard Kipling in his poem entitled “If,” which stated, “he walked with kings but never lost the common touch.” Doon avoided the exalted and sanctimonious role of the pundit as someone who merely pontificated on the religious texts. Interestingly, Doon was credited for curing Josephine Shaw, wife of the then-Governor of Trinidad. Subsequently, the King of England, in 1949, conferred upon him the title of MBE (Member of the British Empire). He freely shared his spiritual gifts and did not seek accolades and awards. Yes, he transformed the role of the pundit to that of social worker, humanitarian and liberator. He sought to free his people from injustices, sufferings and poverty and yet showed remarkable tolerance, open-mindedness, respect and acceptance of all ethnicities, religions and classes. He was comfortable being associated with chamars, Afro-Trinidadians and non-Hindus. And was involved in the Blind Welfare League, Red Cross, Breakfast Shed initiative and service to lepers in Chacachacare. Louis Homer, deceased journalist, mentioned that Doon once employed a Grenadian to constantly have a fire burning in his yard. This is an instance in which he did not discriminate among his fellow citizens. It is admirable that this patriot worked with the poorest of the poor, the sick and the destitute. Was he a politician? D.H. Singh argued, “When politicians came seeking his support Doon Pandit remained neutral. Doon Pandit remained focused as a spiritual healer and social worker and refused to be drawn into politics. He was too busy serving the thousands who crowded his ashrams.” How refreshing! How vital for some of our citizens to emulate. There are physical reminders of this great Trinidadian. These include the Doon Pandit Arima Hindu Primary School, Doon Pandit Mandir in Arima and the Doon Pandit cemetery in Las Lomas. In 1950, Pandit was part of a meeting to create a pandit’s union. The significance of this biography is an illustration of how much more needs to be done to recognise the contribution of pundits to the socio-religious development of the Indo-Trinidadian community particularly in the era in which they lived as they provided sterling leadership in their community and the colonial Trinidad society. We need to begin a special fund to assist budding authors and researchers who are interested in documenting the lives of our forgotten and invisible heroes. This generation has to continue collecting oral histories, reviving the past and highlighting our local heroes and icons. Should we not have documentaries or local films celebrating the lives of patriots as Doon Pandit? It is vital for our legends to be preserved and revitalised. The monumental achievements of Doon Pandit are truly inspiring yet he remains one of the Caribbean’s unsung heroes.   The post Doon Pandit – Healer, patriot and social worker appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.