Paras Ramoutar
TRINIDAD TOBAGO, April 15, 2007: India-based Chinmaya Mission is breaking barriers here with the commencement of a program to train both male and female as pandits. The Mission’s spiritual leader, Trinidad-born, but India-trained, Swami Prakashananda, said that the training is organized for social work, not for people to use the Pandit’s knowledge as an income earner. “Although most of what Chinmaya Mission does in areas of training is not accepted by the traditional orthodox organizations, we do not foresee any problems. Whatever problems we have had before, we have dealt with in an honorable way. This would be in no way different,” he said.
Swami Prakashananda contended that while the women have more responsibilities at home, “We feel that it is through the mothers and families in the home that we can really filter Sanatan Dharma down to the younger ones, thus it is important for the women to learn about the rituals.” The program starts on April 16 for a six-month period, and participants will attend the lectures on a part-time basis.