Foulis, Guyana
Pleasure But Plastic
We began our walking festival at a big yellow house. The procession was colourful. I could pretty much guarantee that this padayatra was the only outdoor spiritual event in the country on this day. People responded quite favourably with the wave of a hand or just an address: "Haribol!" Yes there is a real worth to the island and its people, but there's one thing I find intolerable—the garbage.
Devotees here inform me that there is no recycling program in the whole country except for transmigration of the soul. Seriously, it is a real agitator to see the neglect. The plastic and glass is in abundance. "It was worse five years ago," said one of the members of padayatra. "When drains got so clogged and flooding began because of it, the government finally stepped up."
Another tragic element that's coming around on the horizon is the drilling of oil. Guyana apparently is now known to be sitting on top of, or near, one of the largest oil deposits in the world. Usually wherever mining takes place, there is prosperity for a time, and then often the economy goes for a nose-dive.
Despite all negativity, our program went well. I had helped their local drama group, from Berbice, to tweak areas of their production, "Ajamila." More time was needed. They performed well. At the end of what was called the pandal program, the whole assembly of people were dancing up a storm, especially the younger set. They did much of the work, regarding set-up and take-down.
Except for the trash, I really like it here. Oh, and the number of cars is increasing, which is not good news for a walker, or anyone for that matter. https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-to-open-first-ever-temple-in-guyanese-capital,5568/
May the Source be with you!
4 km
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