Trinidad Workshop

Kashika Publications, which is responsible for distributing Hinduism Today and Himalayan Academy Publications in Trinidad & Tobago, hosted a two-day workshop at the National Council of Indian Culture's Divali Nagar facility, led by Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami last weekend.

If one thing became evident during the weekend's 10 hours of classes, it was that Gurudeva's visit during the 2000 Caribbean Innersearch enlivened this tropical island's Hindu community, gave them permission to be proud of their heritage and faith and activated their interest in learning more about how to apply Hindu principles in their lives. Since then, Ashwinee has gathered around her a marvelous group of sevaks. A dynamic mission for the spreading of the monastery's educational materials not only in Trinidad & Tobago but throughout the Caribbean exists here as a result. It is truly something special. This was Bodhinatha's third visit in the past five years, and his support has been equally important to sustaining the momentum.

As one attended put it in the local language, "Wit' Bodhinatha's trick presentation style, de' Hindus in Trinidad are understandin' deir religion, mon!"

Pandit Narendra Ragoonanan conducts the formal welcoming for Bodhinatha

Panditji\

s Sanskrit chanting was so powerful and precise'

Senthilnathaswami introduced Bodhinatha and conducted two of the weekend\

s ten hour-long classes'

Both days, around 60 people attended the free workshop

Swami Atmananda of Bharat Sevashram Sangh came to greet the visiting swamis, showering them with love and blessings and gifts of local fruits and homemade sweets. On the left is Gajanan Nataraj, who came from the island of St. Lucia to attend the workshop. On the right is Prabhu, a local devotee of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, and our driver for the visit.

The always elegant Pandit Narendra Ragoonanan and the always shining Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami

Taking a little break between classes

The entire workshop was captured on video and audio, for later distribution and re-use

A local TV station heard about Bodhinatha\

s visit and dropped by the workshop to interview him'

Bodhinatha and Senthilnathaswami pose with a few of the sevaks who made the workshop a success, staying up past midnight to set up the venue and throughout the weekend to manage logistics

More sevaks manned and womaned the table offering Himalayan Academy\

s publications to the attendees'

Left to right: Ashwinee, Senthilnathaswami, Bodhinatha, Narendra and Kashika

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