Aditya and Arvind, pundits in training

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.

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 paneer and Arvind likes baigan and aloo.

Pt Ramlal said he chose Pt Navin as his children's guru because he is very knowledgeable, he knows the scripture and, "When he says something, it's not like you need to go back and check which scriptures because you know he is saying something what is there in the scriptures."

He said Arvind and Aditya were so excited when they found out Pt Navin was going to be their guru.

Arvind and Aditya agreed one thing they are learning from Pt Navin "is to sing better."

Arvind hopes to do a puja by himself by the time he is 16, but so far, "The most challenging part is remembering the mantras and waking up early to do the puja."

After school Arvind practises his drums and enjoys a good game of cricket. Arvind, the little drummer boy, can even play tassa.

"I like the noise," he said.

Aditya, on the other hand, said he does not like noise at all.

After they finish their homework both relax with mobile games. Arvind likes Warzone and Aditya likes Call of Duty.

Asked where their names come from, Arvind said his "comes from a lotus" and Aditya said his "was from an Indian movie."