Remembering Vick Panday: a visionary for unity and mankind
'His dreams stretched beyond bricks and mortar'
Vick Panday
Image: SUPPLIED
VICK Panday, founder of the New Ahobilam Temple of Protection, was a visionary whose dream stretched beyond bricks and mortar, said his cousin Viresh Panday.
“Vick was unique in many ways. He was all for the community and unity. One of his dreams was to create a spiritual centre incorporating a mosque, a church, a synagogue and a temple - just to bring people together,” said Panday.
He said at the heart of that vision was service.
Panday said under Vick’s guidance, the Food For Love Africa community kitchen was established.
“Collectively, over the last five years, more than 42 million meals have been served. Disaster relief and free water for communities was his passion.”
Panday said that Vick exclusively handled all the developments of the property.
“The building under construction was adjacent to the temple and was related to multiple projects. It would have been used for office space so it was a multi-purpose place. You would have to walk through this building, to get into the temple. On the first floor there was a thoroughfare building and on the side of it, was stairs. Those stairs would have taken you to the upper level.
“Vick had recently returned from a pilgrimage to India, spiritually recharged and rejuvenated. He was a live wire. There was never a dull moment with him,” said Panday.
He added the pain of witnessing the aftermath of the tragedy remained raw.
“Vick’s doors were open to everybody. Anyone who went to Vic's home, never left without eating. He always brought our families together and loved to socialise. He always reaches out to people, like Uncle Kishore and Vasudev. He would basically pull them away from their jobs just to keep him company.
“Vick and Vasudeva loved each other – they were inseparable even in death. We would always joke and ask Vasu, ‘Who do you love more, Vic or me?’.
“He would always reply ‘Vick’ but he would call me in the evening and say ‘you know I was joking, I love you’. We all shared such a heartfelt relationship,” said Panday.