Message from the Leader of the Opposition In Celebration of Hanuman Jayanti

Today, I join Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago, in India and the rest of the world, in celebrating Hanuman Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman, the son of the wind God, Pawan, a celestial being who possesses supernatural strength.

Hanuman Jayanti involves prayers and the chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa, which is a hymn of praise to Hanuman, who is best known as the most loyal devotee of Lord Rama. He symbolically stands for pure devotion, complete surrender and absence of ego.

While he is worshipped independently, Hanuman is best known for his devotion and dedication to Lord Rama as described in the Holy Ramayan. In the Hindu epic, Hanuman uses his intelligence and supernatural powers to serve the Lord and help defeat the evil King Ravan, the embodiment of evil.

Hanuman’s life and character represent an example to all of us, his character is an example of what each of us can do through devotion to God and aligning ourselves with the forces of good, helping the weak, exercising self control, unconditional faith and total surrender.

Hanuman represents the refined nature of man – our breath, our mental and intelligent bodies. He is the perfect example for us to emulate – strength, goodness, loyalty and dedication to purpose.

We are all aware of the challenges facing our country, and at a time like this, we can look to the life of Lord Hanuman as a source of courage, strength, and hope. In these difficult times, let us look to Hanuman and seek His blessings to endow us with the courage to stand up for what is right, and for the strength to join together to rid our nation of the darkness, tyranny and oppression that citizens face today.

Let us keep hope and faith alive in our hearts, as we move forward together to continue our work of building a brighter, more prosperous future for our nation.

On this day, as devotees fast, visit temples to offer special prayers and chant mantras in honour of Lord Hanuman I extend on behalf of my family, and my extended UNC family, best wishes to all and pray that Lord Hanuman blesses our lives with peace, happiness and prosperity.

Jai Hanuman! Jai Bajrang Bali.

Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP
Leader of the Opposition