Brothers Aditya and Arvind Maharaj are pundits in training. They are the chelas (pupils) of Pt Navin Omardath Maharaj, from the Munroe Road Temple. They follow in the footsteps of their father Pt Ramlal Maharaj, officiating pundit at the Milton Road Shiva Mandir, in Couva.
Aditya, 11, is a form one student at the Chinmaya Vidyalaya Secondary School in McBean, Couva while Arvind, 10, is a standard five student at Chinmaya Vidyalaya Primary School.
Aditya's favourite subject is chemistry and Arvind's is grammar.
They both have been studying Sanskrit and Hindi at school. Aditya thinks Sanskrit is much easier to read than Shakespeare.
Every morning before school the brothers offer five offering or lotas of jaal/water.
They offer a lota to Ganesh – the elephant-headed God, to Shiva – the father of Ganesh, Devi – the mother, Vishnu – the preserver and Surya – the sun or creating force.
On Tuesdays and Saturdays, they add one more lota for Hanuman – the monkey God and great warrior from the Ramayana.
Both brothers love Divali because they get to light plenty deyas, firecrackers and enjoy the display of fireworks, but Aditya has a special liking for Phagwa, the spring festival of colour.
The duo know many mantras, they can perform havan or fire oblations and can even recite chapter 15 of the Bhagavad Gita by rote.
Aditya's favourite mantra is Monojavam Maruttulyavegam, dedicated to Lord Hanuman and Arvind's is Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya – a Vishnu mantra.
Arvind has great timing at the drums, playing since he was two years old. He showed Newsday Kids his skills at the tabla, but he also plays the harmonium and the dolak.
Aditya is a vocalist and he can sing many bhajans like Jai Ambe, Mukunda Madhava and Bam Bam Bam Bhola.
Aditya's favourite katha or story is a classic. Shiva and his wife Parvati had two sons, Ganesh and Kartikeya. They were challenged to go around the world three times and the first to return would receive a prize. All Hindu deities have an animal for a vehicle. Ganesh's vehicle is mouse and Kartikeya's is a peacock. While Kartikeya sped off, Ganesh, the lord of intelligence, thinking that his enormous size and small vehicle was a hindrance, decided to walk around his parents. Asked what he was doing, Ganesh said, "My world is at my parents feet." He won the prize.
[caption id="attachment_979522" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Aditya, left, plays the dhantal while his brother, Arvind Maharaj plays the tabla at the Milton Shiva Mandir, Milton Road, Couva. - AYANNA KINSALE[/caption]
Aditya said, "Children's parents are the world."
Aditya and Arvind both agreed that Ganesh was their favourite God on the Hindu pantheon. Arvind chose Ganesh because, "He removes all obstacles." Aditya loves Ganesh's prasad, the ladoo, while Arvind enjoys the jalebi.
Aditya said he can't make any as yet, "but if I get the ladoo mix I could try."
The brothers would love to go to India one day, for the food above anything else. They are vegetarians since birth. Aditya's favourite talkari is p
