The Trinidad Guardian
MARTINIQUE, FRANCE, December 19, 2001, Nicole Etiene, 50, of Fort de France, Martinique, will receive the Upanayan Sanskar (sacred thread) at the Munroe Road, Chaguanas temple of Pundit Samsundar Ramdeen today. He is among five people who will be ordained as pundits in the ceremony. Etiene, whose native language is French, said yesterday that he was following in the footsteps of his grandmother who was a Hindu devotee and taught him about the culture. “I was just attracted to Hinduism,” he said. “My late grandmother was a Hindu and she would practice the rituals. I was interested in the faith, but did not follow it. “Three years ago one of my friends invited me to a Sunday morning service at the Shakti temple in Martinique and that was it. Since then, I have changed and began to practise Hinduism.” Etiene is the lone Hindu in his family. The Shakti temple in Martinique is run by Pundit Ramdeen. He said his siblings have followed the Catholic faith and Christianity, but he is the only one who has followed in his grandmother’s footsteps. “I wanted to be part of my family’s culture,” he said. He said to him Hinduism was a calling and taking the Upanayan Sanskar was part of his life’s mission. “I did not choose to become a pundit, it chose me,” Etiene said. “I think it was something inside me that called out to me and I think this is the right step for me to take. “At first my family did not agree, but now they are supporting me in this path. “I am happy to take this step and happy that my family is supporting me They are now accustomed to my new way of life. “In addition to being a vegetarian, they are getting involved also.” Etiene also sees the taking of the Upanayan Sanskar as serving as a “bond with my ancestors such as my grandmother, who was an Indian and Hindu, for me.” He said he would take all that he has learned from his Guru Ramdeen and share it with his fellow Martiniquans. He also plans to go to France to share the teachings of Hinduism. Chaguanas teenager Vijantie Balroop would also be taking the Upanayan Sanskar today, along with her three brothers. Balroop, 16, a Fifth Form student of the Laskmi Girls’ Hindu College said she wanted to follow her faith and “obtain spiritual upliftment.” “This is something every Hindu should do,” she said. “It is part of our culture. I know my parents are proud of my brothers and I for the choice that we have made.”