In Brief
- Second Annual Hosting: The sacred Hindu epic of Ramleela was enacted at President’s House, St Ann’s, on Friday for the second consecutive year, culminating in the burning of the effigy of Ravan.
- Youth Performers: Students from the El Dorado North Hindu Primary School and the Tunapuna Hindu Primary School brought the story of the Ramayan to life before President Christine Kangaloo, First Gentleman Kerwyn Garcia, members of the Diplomatic Corps, and invited students.
- Presidential Message: President Kangaloo urged the young performers to practise the lessons of Ramleela – truth, courage, and duty – off the stage to help secure the future of Trinidad and Tobago.
Caption: The burning of the effigy of the evil king Ravan on the eastern side of the grounds of President’s House
By Prior Beharry
The inheritance of the epic story of Ramleela was enacted for the second year in a row at President’s House in St Ann’s on Friday.
The celebration culminated in the traditional burning of the effigy of the evil king Ravan on the eastern side of the grounds, watched by President Christine Kangaloo, First Gentleman Kerwyn Garcia, members of the Diplomatic Corps, and students from invited schools.
Delivering the feature address following the enactment, President Kangaloo commended the young performers from the El Dorado North Hindu Primary School and the Tunapuna Hindu Primary School, urging them to carry the moral lessons of the Ramayan into their everyday lives.
She said, “Young performers, the deepest value of what you have done will be revealed after the costumes are removed and the stage is empty.”
Kangaloo said. “The stage teaches what goodness looks like; life asks us to practise it. The story therefore asks more than the learning of lines and movements. It asks you to be truthful when falsehood is easier, considerate when indifference is convenient, and courageous when the right choice is difficult.”
She said that applying these virtues daily transforms the performance from theatre into a living legacy.
Kangaloo said, “When you carry those values into your homes, schools and communities, Ramleela becomes more than a re-enactment; it becomes an inheritance lived.”
She said, “By your daily choices – in how you treat others, use your talents, and meet your responsibilities – the victory of good over evil comes to acquire meaning beyond the stage. By those choices, you help secure our country’s future.”
A tradition rooted in milestone history
Noting that young people have been a particular focus of her presidency, Kangaloo said she and her husband were delighted to welcome the celebration back to President’s House, describing the morning’s presentation as “an act of faith and renewal.”
“A culture survives because each generation receives it with respect and chooses to hand it on,” she said.
Kangaloo said, “By taking part in Ramleela, you have joined a tradition practised for centuries, and rooted in Trinidad and Tobago for well over one hundred years. You have helped preserve an important part of our spiritual and cultural inheritance.”
The President also highlighted the historic significance of hosting the event at President’s House in 2026, a year that marks both the 150th anniversary of the completion of the building and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Presidency when Trinidad and Tobago became a Republic.
She said, “The highest purpose of this House today is to serve the people and to be a place in which the nation can see itself – in its many faiths, cultures and histories, and in the citizenship we share.”
Kangaloo said, “An institution endures not by age alone, but by remaining open and responsive to those whom it serves. We are therefore honoured to make room, at President’s House, for a tradition which has itself endured through the care of successive generations.”
Unity in multiculturalism
Addressing members of the Diplomatic Corps – several of whom are new to the country – Kangaloo noted that the presentation offered a glimpse into the character of Trinidad and Tobago, where a sacred Hindu tradition carried across oceans and rooted in Caribbean soil now forms an inseparable part of the national story.
“Our multicultural identity is not merely a collection of customs; it is the continuing practice of making space for one another,” she said.
Highlighting how the characters of Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, and Ravan teach righteousness, loyalty, self-restraint, and duty, the President reminded the audience that the lessons of Ramleela are universal.
Kangaloo said, “In Trinidad and Tobago, our religions and cultures do not tell the same stories or worship in the same way. Yet, each calls us to master selfishness, honour duty, protect human dignity and seek what is just.”
She said, “Unity does not require sameness; it requires that we recognise goodness, wherever it is found, and defend one another’s equal place in national life.”
Honouring volunteers, the next generation
Kangaloo expressed gratitude to the teachers, parents, and organisers who made the event possible. She offered special thanks to volunteers Trevor Seunarine, David Singh, Renaldo De Leon, Kevin Dass, Tyrece Boodoo, Virendra Harris, and Reyaz Katwaroo, who freely gave of their time to construct the effigy of Ravan.
She said, “Their volunteerism is a powerful reminder of how traditions endure when people decide to give to something larger than themselves.”
The President said,”May the lessons you portrayed today guide the lives you live tomorrow,”
She said, “And may The President’s House always be a place where every community can see its inheritance respected, its children welcomed and its contribution to our Republic honoured.”
