Our Priests
HEAD PRIEST- PANDIT JAG GOSSAI
Pandit Jag has served as a volunteer at Devi Mandir for the last ten years and has the experience and knowledge to lead the mandir to greater heights.
Pandit Jag is also a professional educator, having lectured in several colleges and universities in the GTA for many years. He has vast knowledge of our scriptures and is able to deliver these messages in a simple yet effective manner to the entire congregation.
PanditJi recently graduated from the Hindu Community Institute based in California as a Counselor for Hindu Tradition. He is currently undergoing training as an Inter-Religious Chaplain at the Graduate Theological Union University based in Berkeley-California, which he hopes to complete by the end of 2023.
He is particularly interested in training of the children via Bal Vikaas so that they can become Ambassadors of Hinduism.
ASSISTANT PRIEST- PANDIT GIRISH KHALLI
Pandit Girish Khalli is one of our resident Pandits’ at the Devi Mandir. With over 35 years as an experienced Pandit on India and now in Canada, he is indeed a valued contributor to Satya Sanatan Dharma in these parts. PanditJi holds a Masters Degree in Sanskrit also speaks multiple languages such as:- Hindi; Sanskrit; Punjabi; Gujarati; Bengali and of course English.
Pandit Ji is a very versatile singer and can deliver a very powerful and eloquent pravachan. His intense training in India makes him a very highly qualified Pandit performing all Hindu Samskaras as well as religious ceremonies. The Devi Mandir is very proud to have Pt Girish as an integral part of our team of highly qualified and versatile Pandits.
SPIRITUAL ADVISOR- PANDIT NEIL DEV PERSAD
Pandit Neil Dev Persad: One of our new and very versatile Pandits’ of the Devi Mandir. Pandit Ji brings a wealth of scriptural knowledge and can relate to any type of congregation on a wide range of topics during his discourses. Pandit Ji is originally from Trinidad, studied in Toronto and now resides in the USA. An IT managing consultant by profession for the past 30 years, he is focused on empowering and uplifting our community spiritually. He is a professionally trained singer and musician and infuses a great amount of music into his powerful delivery of kathaas.
Pandit Neil was trained by his father, Shri Pandit Toolsie Persad, a well known scholar of Ramayana in Trinidad. Pandit Neil conducts most of the major religious events alongside fellow Pandits of the Devi Mandir. The Devi Mandir is very proud to have Pt Neil as an integral part of our team of highly qualified and versatile Pandits.