The void left in the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha in Trinidad and Tobago following the passing of its founder, Bhadase Sagan Maraj in 1971, was adequately filled in 1977 when Satnarayan Maharaj became its Secretary General.
He passed away on November 16.
Maharaj brought many layers of experience to the role. Born on April 17, 1931, in Chaguanas, central Trinidad, accounts of his early years speak about an aggressive childhood, a fighting spirit later observed in how he challenged opponents at the national level. Maharaj experienced his homeland first-hand, living in different locations in his lifetime; some of us in the GTA who arrived here via Georgetown will recall Maharaj during his Guyana sojourn.
Among early careers before his successful activism in politics, Maharaj worked as a rice farmer, a teacher, managed a movie theatre, operated a saw-mill, was a dish-washer, an accounts clerk, a mailman, a civil servant, and a transport company manager, among other things.
A notable experience that may have shaped his world-view, and his transcendent role as head of the SDMS, was his employment with the Canadian Missionary schools. It was during this tenure where Maharaj experienced the societal pressures exerted on Hindus to convert to Christianity. His refusal to yield to such pressure, as reported, resulted in discrimination. He drew positive, constructive strength out of these lessons, which he enabled in his commitment as SDMS head.
Maharaj’s experiences living in different parts of Trinidad and abroad were vast, varied, and yielded indelible lessons in life and faith. As the leader of the SDMS he sharply focused it all into a single-mindedness and passion that promoted the interests of the Indo-Trinidadian community.
The successes acquired through his commitment and single-mindedness stand out as a pillar in the greater legacy that he built and left behind during his tenure at the helm of the SDMS.?
As the Trinidad Express editorialised early this week, “As secretary general of the SDMS, a position he held for 42 years until his passing… Maharaj rose to such prominence that, in the minds of many, he and the SDMS were indistinguishable from each other.
“As leader of the SDMS, Maharaj was a shrewd negotiator who understood the power of the media and the value of strategic communications. If igniting a controversy was the fastest way to focus public attention and put an adversary on the defensive, he would not hesitate. Indeed, he seemed to relish the role of provocateur. Equally, when required, he could be disarmingly conciliatory.”
In his responsibility to uphold the objectives of the SDMS, Maharaj advanced education, expanding and improving a network of schools, and initiating major curriculum improvements. Today, the SDMS manages over 50 schools, among these are five secondary schools, and 15 early childhood education centres.
Under Maharaj’s stewardship, Hindu schools thrived to become premier institutions of learning, and particularly outstanding is the eminent Lakshmi Girls’ Hindu College, which now produces national scholars.
Maharaj also made a major impact in culture, where he fought and succeeded in preserving and promoting the Hindu identity, perhaps recalling his early years of being weighed down by societal pressures to surrender his faith.
Notable among the many legacies is Maharaj challenging the State all the way to the Privy Council, declaring the name of the Trinidad and Tobago’s highest award, the Trinity Cross, was discriminatory against non-Christians. The result was a pivotal re-naming, the award changed to the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
Also, denied a broadcast licence, Maharaj again successfully challenged the State, yet again at the level of the Privy Council. The result was formation of the Radio and TV Jaagriti broadcast network.
It must be noted there were those episodes surrounding issues when Maharaj’s voice was controversial. However, the sum total of his leadership and achievements will always reflect his outspokenness, advocacy, and eternal commitment to his religion.