Georgetown, Guyana
With Statesmen
We got to talking at the Padayatra Walking Festival. Hamilton Greene is a very well known city councilor for Georgetown. He's 80 years and has ran as mayor for over twenty five years. Even at that age he is a great sport taking to the streets with us. While most everyone around us was enwrapped in the ecstasy of chanting, just to break the ice with him and do the human thing, I continue to ask about himself and about Georgetown and Guyana.
From this, he gave me the rundown of rich history of the Dutch settling here and taking the responsibility for building the canal and bridges we were walking over. He told of the succession of the Europeans with the presence of Spanish, English and Dutch and of all the Slavery. We also touched on the topic of the current drug culture as we tracked through some of the challenged neighborhoods.
Yet all is not so grim in Guyana. I noted how easy it is to approach people and to greet them with a handshake or pranams, as we moved along in the procession. Hamilton is popular with people. I am an unknown but becoming known. Once the microphone came my way it was obvious the organizers insisted I lead the chant. Then all attention comes your way.
Part two of the Padayatra entails setting up in the main rendezvous for the night. The venue was the Alexander Mandir. The pandit for the place spoke eloquently as did the Prime Minister and acting President of the whole country, His Excellency Samuel Hinds. His theme was about unity and about walking and about the commonality in the language amongst us. He chose to use words like ignition having its roots from Sanskrit. Ignite comes from the word Agni. And pedestrian has its roots from once again Sanskrit, the word pada, which means feet.
Incidentally we all, that is the entire assembly of people in the hall, used our feet. I lead the simple swami step as we sang away in the joys of a final kirtan.
May the Source be with you!
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