Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) 2014 Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd.

d. (ICC) 2014 Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) 2014 Indo-Caribbean Cultur
ISSN 1683-4143
http://icctrinidad.wordpress.com/
2014. Trinidad & Tobago. Volume 15, Number 1.
Indian Arrival Day
Finding family roots in ancestral India
Indian Arrival Day 2014. Trinidad and Tobago
The 2005 edition of the ICC
magazine on the theme Temples
and Tourism in Trinidad won an
Excellence-in-Journalism Award.
On May 30th 1845, the Fath al
Razak docked near the Light House
in the Port of Spain harbour in
Trinidad and Tobago with 225 adult
passengers on board. Tey were
immigrants from India who had
come to the British colony to work
in the sugarcane plantations after the
abolition of African slavery. Tey had
spent 103 days at sea during a long
and dangerous journey that spanned
14,000 miles (36,000 km). Te
immigrants were contracted to work
for fve to ten years on the sugarcane
estates in a system of indenturship
that ended in 1917.
A total of 147,596 Indians came to
Trinidad over this 72-year period.
Although they were promised a free
return passage back home, at least 75
ISSN 1683-4143 Volume 15, Number 1.
Cover and page design: Preddie Partap
Advertising: Mera Heeralal and Ramona Harripersad
Proof-readers: Kaveeta Ramchal, Vindhar Suraj
and Kristina Mohammed
Consultant: Genealogist Shamshu Deen.
Contact: (868) 789-8769, shamshu@tstt.net.tt
Resource: Archivist Avril Belfon and Te National Archives
of Trinidad and Tobago
Contact for Ramesh Ramcharans book and documentary flm:
(868) 703-5465, rameshramcharan7@gmail.com
Contributing writers other than those identifed on each page:
Kaveeta Ramchal, Bhawna Saxena, Kumar Mahabir and
Jeremy Ramberran
Photographers - Te authors of the respective narratives are the
photographers, or had assigned an unnamed photographer.
Editor-in-Chief and Chairman: Dr. Kumar Mahabir
Cover depicts Indian family begging on the street in India.
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC),
10 Swami Avenue, Don Miguel Road,San Juan,
Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies
Tel: (868) 674-6008 Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707
E-mail: dmahabir@gmail.com, mahab@tstt.net.tt
Website: http://icctrinidad.wordpress.com
Copyright ICC 2014 by the respective authors and
photographers.
percent of them stayed and settled in
the New World. In many ways, they
brought India to the Caribbean. Tey
continued their religious traditions of
Hinduism and Islam, and eventually
transformed Trinidad into a colourful,
cosmopolitan society.
Descendants of these Indian
immigrants, who now comprise about
half of the multi-ethnic society of the
island (1.3 million), commemorate
the arrival of their ancestors to these
shores annually. Te commemoration
takes the form of prayers, speeches,
songs, music, dances and plays in
communal as well as public spaces.
Te spirit of the day is invoked at
various beaches with the re-enactment
of the landing of the frst boat-load of
pioneers who gave birth to the Indian
community in Trinidad. Te historic
day has been proclaimed a national
holiday since 1994.
Te entire month of May has been
deemed Indian Heritage Month, but
May 30th holds special historical
signifcance. On this day, participants
gather to honour their ancestors who
crossed three oceans and travelled
halfway around the world to reach
the Caribbean. Tey gather to pray
for their souls, and to seek guidance
and blessings for the future. Scholars,
teachers and elders share their
knowledge of the past and increase
public awareness on this important
aspect of the nations history and
heritage.
Editorial Finding family roots in ancestral India
Real-life narratives are invaluable sources of information,
and the accounts presented here cannot be found
collectively in any book or on the internet. They comprise
part of the historiography of indentureship.
Tis edition of the magazine
captures the experiences of six
persons of Indian origin from the
Caribbean who were successful
in fnding their distant relatives
in ancestral India. Ramesh
Ramcharan, Ramnarace Dwarika,
Dev Ramoutar, Veda Marimuthu,
Shamshu Deen and Vishnu
Bisram share their sentimental
experiences through spontaneous
words and selected photographs.
In their narratives, they paint a
moving picture, flled with amazing
discoveries and extraordinary
kindness.
Tese fve men and one woman
went to India separately and in
diferent years (1998, 2001, 2003,
2007, 2012). Tey embarked
on a journey to the other side
of the world in search of their
kin whom they were fortunate
to meet. Ramcharan, Dwarika,
Ramoutar, Marimuthu, Deen and
Bisram wanted to get a deeper
understanding of themselves and
their family history.
Te returnees had little or no
written record of their family
history. Some of them had only
vague anecdotal sketches of their
great-grandparents life stories
told to them as children by their
grandparents. Others did not have
the opportunity to hear stories, and
had to rely on the assistance of a
genealogist. For many of them, it
was a wish, a dream come true, or
a commitment to a grandparent in
the Caribbean to visit their relatives
in India.
Ramcharan, Dwarika, Ramoutar,
Marimuthu, Deen and Bisram
must be highly commended for
making great sacrifces fnancial
and physical to go to remote
villages in India. Tey could have
chosen to visit magnifcent tourist
sites, but they took neglected
routes that foreign visitors generally
do not traverse.
Te returnees discovered their new
relatives who later became part of
their unknown family, and have
been added to their growing family
tree. Te concept of family now
embraces people in India, and
home also extends to South Asia.
Tese family-seekers witnessed the
poverty of their long-lost relatives
who reside in Uttar Pradesh and
Bihar, especially in Allahabad,
Mirzapur and Zahurabad. Te
truth which they found is that
life had not changed much in
the century and a half since their
descendants departed for the
Caribbean, and the sixty years since
the British left India.
For those who are still searching
for their ancestral roots, the
stories recounted by Ramcharan,
Dwarika, Ramoutar, Marimuthu,
Deen and Bisram are,
indeed,inspirational. Spell-binding
and wonderfullyillustrated with
colour photographs, readers get an
opportunity to feel part of their
personal experiences.
Te theme of return, reconnection
and reunion recurs in almost all the
episodes. What is conveyed is not
just a sense of the poor condition
of life in rural India, but the rich
relationship of the community.
What stand out in these narratives
are the warmth, contentment and
hospitality of their distant relatives
in India. Tese stories allow us to
connect - in a very real way - to a
past and a place that some of us
could only have imagined when
listening to the stories of our
grandparents - our nanas, nanees,
ajaas and ajees.
Dr Kumar Mahabir is
the Editor-in-Chief and
Chairman of Indo-Caribbean
Cultural Centre Co. Ltd.
He is an Assistant Professor at the
University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT).
Indian Arrival Day Greetings
from the Prime Minister of the Republic of
Trinidad & Tobago
A new people came from a distant
land to begin a new life and to lay
down roots for themselves and for
generations to come. Tey came
to these shores tired and hungry
from a long journey at sea, after
crossing the Kala pani, but, most
importantly, they came with hope
and a spirit of adventure.
It is that same spirit of adventure,
coupled with their admirable work
ethic, frugality, and a penchant
for saving, which allowed them
to better themselves and improve
their economic conditions in the
ensuing years.
It is without a doubt that the East
Indian population in Trinidad and
Tobago has achieved much and
has contributed immeasurably to
national development over the past
169 years of life and history in
various disciplines.
I am aware that six (6) persons of
Indian origin from the Caribbean
travelled to India and were
successful in fnding their distant
relatives there. Tis was in keeping
with theme of your magazine
this year, Finding family roots in
ancestral India, and which, no
doubt, provided these individuals
with a deeper understanding of
not only their origins and their
respective relatives in India, but of
themselves as well.
I am certain that it was a dream
come through for each of them and
an experience that they will forever
appreciate, share with others, and
hold in their hearts.
As we celebrate Indian Arrival
Day 2014, let us remember with
grateful hearts, the many sacrifces
that our Indian ancestors have
made as they toiled the land and
remained faithful to their values,
traditions, and principles which
have sustained them over centuries.
It is, therefore, incumbent on all
of us, young and old, citizens of
this great nation of Trinidad and
Tobago, to use our God-given
skills, talents, and gifts, in a true
spirit of selfessness, patriotism, and
sincere love of country, to build a
nation of which we can be proud,
and which we can bequeath to our
children and future generations.
Tey deserve no less and they will
thank us for it!
Tey have left us a most inspiring
legacy and a frm foundation that
collectively we are called upon
to build and nurture. We can do
them no greater honour than to
emulate their values, their work
ethic, and their indomitable spirit
of adventure that defned their
character, in order to build a future
flled with prosperity for all.
I wish you a very
Happy Indian Arrival Day 2014
Dear citizens, as we celebrate
Indian Arrival Day 2014 in
Trinidad and Tobago, we come
to recognize, with grateful hearts,
what took place one hundred and
sixty-nine (169) years ago a
singular event which will forever
be part of our nations rich heritage
and legacy.
Te Honourable
Kamla Persad-Bissessar,
S.C., M.P.
Prime Minister of the
Republic
of Trinidad and Tobago
Indian Arrival Day Greetings from
Dr. The Honourable Lincoln Douglas
Minister of the Arts and Multiculturalism
Dr. Te Honourable
Lincoln Douglas
Minister of the Arts &
Multiculturalism
As Minister of the Arts and Multiculturalism,
I am delighted to extend warm greetings
on the occasion of Indian Arrival Day. Tis
celebration has grown over the years and its
appeal extends far and wide, which is refected
by the large number of communities that take
part in these festivities.
Indians, not only within Trinidad and Tobago,
but throughout the West Indies, have left an
indelible mark upon all areas of society be it
the arts, socio-economic, culture, fashion or
culinary arts, to name a few.
Te Ministrys vision for enhancing Trinidad
and Tobagos cultural industries includes the
contribution of Chutney musicians, other
East Indian forms of artistic expression, and
certainly all other creations of our diverse
society.
As always, we pledge our continued support
in making all of our arts more fnancially
sustainable for our creative souls who
contribute to our cultural economy.
As we observe Indian Arrival Day 2014, I ofer
my sincere gratitude to the members of the
East Indian community for their contributions
made toward building our blessed nation.
Indian Arrival Day Greetings
from the Ministry of National Diversity &
Social Integration
As the Minister of National
Diversity and Social Integration,
it is a pleasure to present this
message to the Indo-Caribbean
Cultural Centre Co. Ltd (ICC)in
commemoration of 169 years since
the arrival of our ancestors from
India to Trinidad and Tobago.
Our Ministry is ardently working
to stimulate and heighten
awareness and public education,
and as such, we applaud the
contribution of your organisation
towards enlightenment and
heritage.
With the theme for this years
edition of your magazine being
Finding family roots in ancestral
India, we proudly honour our
ancestors with refection and
remembrance. We acknowledge
the journeys of the six persons
mentioned in your publication
who sought their Indian roots
journeys of discovery and of
self. Te narratives of Ramesh
Ramcharan, Ramnarace Dwarika,
Vishnu Bisram, Veda Marimuthu,
Dev Ramoutar and Shamshu Deen
celebrate the search for family,
connections and commonalities.
Te science of genealogy is quickly
gaining interest as persons are
seeking to trace their origins and
appreciate the legacy left to them
by their forefathers. Te surge of
interest to uncover our roots is a
testament to the revitalization of
the institution of the family and
the strengthening of the bonds for
values, morals and upbringing.
Our nation, as we know it today,
is the result of more than six
centuries of immigration with a
notable infux of persons from the
East. On the journey to Trinidad
or Chinidad - the Land of Sugar,
which sometimes lasted 100 days,
approximately 147,600 Indians
were brought in 319 voyages and
154 ships. Tey left their homes
in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West
Bengal and Tamil Naidu in India
to escape poverty, plague, and
unemployment.
Te Indian indentured labourers
were sent to 244 estates throughout
Trinidad. Tese included
River Estate in Diego Martin,
Woodbrook Estate, El Socorro, St.
Augustine, Orange Grove Estate,
Verdant Vale in North Arima,
Non Pareil in Sangre Grande,
Caroni Estate, Union Hall in
San Fernando, Lothians Estate in
Princes Town, Poole Syndicate near
Rio Claro, Marie and Loch Maben
in Cedros, and La Lune and San
Antonio Rock in Moruga. After
1917, most of them decided to
stay as they sought advancement
in society and contributed to the
formation of a nation which can
only be described as a melting pot.
We celebrate the Indian infuence
in our society in aspects of religion,
business, politics, family systems,
music, dance, education, cuisine,
agriculture, beliefs and customs.
From the General Register of
Immigrants housed at our National
Archives of Trinidad and Tobago,
to the identifcation of Indian
heritage sites such as Nelson Island
by the National Trust of Trinidad
and Tobago - the Ministry of
National Diversity and Social
Integration is the keeper of the
memories of yesterday. In addition,
the National Museum and Art
Gallery hosts history and art
exhibitions on Indian immigrant
history and perspective toward
the holistic representation of our
nation.
We extend greetings to our Indian
community and all citizens on the
anniversary of Indian Arrival. May
we continue to uplift our heritage
and history in remembrance of all
who have brought us to this point
in our journey as a nation. May we
continue to listen to the stories of
our forefathers stories which hold
the keys to our past, our lineage,
and our birth right.
Let us strive with discipline,
tolerance, and production to make
our home of Trinidad and Tobago
an example of a rainbow people,
who through peaceful co-existence,
have demonstrated the power
and potential of humanity to rise
above diferences and to embrace
shared values and a common vision
toward nationhood.
Dr. the Honourable
Rodger Samuel
Minister of National Diversity
and Social Integration
10
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Meeting
distant
relatives
It was a
family
dream being
fulfilled
When the van stopped we four
exchanged glances knowing that
we had ARRIVED. My heart
raced as I looked around and
saw many large trees towering
over small houses Kalika
[my companion] invited us to
descend from the van and I
mentally focussed on aaji [paternal
grandmother], informing her I had
returned to fulfl the promises of
Jagessar, Maharaji and Ramcharan,
that someday the Trinidad portion
of the family would return. I had a
warm feeling of inner satisfaction.
I stood back and allowed my
mother to go frst as she was
entering the home of her in-laws
for the frst time. I imagined her
as a bride with my father looking
on, pleased that she was making
her way into his home. As she
entered the yard, she whispered to
me that she felt that she had lived
her whole life in one moment,
the moment she entered the yard.
Extract from Ramesh
Ramcharans book
Where the Journey began:
A Journey to Roots (2012)
Slowly I placed my right foot into
the front yard, quietly focused on
aaji, telling her that I am fnally
here, in your space, after ninety-
four years.
12
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Falling
at our
feet
They wanted
to know why
we had taken
so long to visit
My wife and daughter trailed
behind and my feet suddenly
lacked sensation - as if I was
walking on sacred ground. Tere
stood a huge neem tree in the
middle of the yard. Ramsunder
[Indian cousin of the author]
invited us to sit on a khatia
[bench/bed made of jute strips]
while they brought in our luggage.
I was tense but excited and
observed a large crowd standing
at the entrance staring at us in
disbelief and possibly some awe. A
few older women entered, rushed
to my mother and wife and fell
at their feet. My mother resisted,
but afterwards allowed them as it
was the custom. Tey embraced
my mother and then my wife, and
in Bhojpuri, enquired where we
had been for all these years. Tey
wanted to know why we did not
visit before as Ramsunder often
spoke of his relatives abroad.
Tey remembered that my father
had visited once and had difculty
in understanding why it took
us such a long time to return to
the gaon [village]. A number of
them wept, informing us that
many of their relatives had also
left the village around the time
that my grandparents did, but
no one had ever sent a letter or
kept in contact. Many enquired
if we knew of the whereabouts of
their relatives who had left in the
past. I listened to their concerns
in surprise and not a little
discomfort.
My bhouji [brothers wife] brought
water in a bucket and three silver-
plated thali [brass plates]. Tey
had my mother and wife place
their feet in the thali, washed and
wiped them with a cloth, and
then massaged them. Ramsunder
was fanning us, and they ofered
sharbat [sweetened water] and
plain water to drink, subsequently
taking turns at washing Neela's
[authors daughters] feet.
Extract from Ramesh
Ramcharans book
Where the Journey began:
A Journey to Roots (2012)
14
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Houses of grass and clay
I was
impressed
by the
importance
placed on
housing the
cows
Extract from Ramesh
Ramcharans book
Where the Journey began:
A Journey to Roots (2012)
During this activity I recalled so
much of what aaji had related.
Tere stood the neem tree where
she did her puja [ceremonial
worship]. Opposite to the gateway
was the water-well that she so
often spoke of - now surrounded
by bricks. Next was the house
constructed with one-foot thick
(0.3 metres) tapia walls leepay
[plastered] with white dirt. Te
posts were wooden and the roof
was covered with dried grass. A
single doorway, about 5' high
(not quite 2 metres), led inside
and one had to stoop while
passing through.
Behind me was another section
of the house running east to
west. Tis portion of the roof
wascomposed of both grass and
clay Te walls bore several
openings Te cattle were tied
inside in the afternoons, and the
small pits were for grass and other
cattle feed.
Chakra Publishing House Ltd.
10 Swami Avenue, Don Miguel Road, San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies
Tel: (868) 674-6008. Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707, E-mail: dmahabir@gmail.com; mahab@tstt.net.tt
http://chakrapub.wordpress.com/
Available
at Chakra
and major
bookstores
1992. Reprinted 2001, New edition 2009.
xx + 120 pp. 5 x 8 inches. Paperback.
ISBN 976-8012-75-7
TT$100. or US$25.
(includes handling, registration and local/foreign postage)
This cookbook represents a comprehensive collection of
over 70 traditional vegetarian recipes. They have been
handed down by indentured immigrants from India by
word-of-mouth and practical example for over four
generations. From delightful snacks to dinner-party
specials each recipe has been kitchen-tested and,
therefore, meets a high standard of accuracy.
Some of the dishes are beautifully illustrated in
color to tempt your appetite.
Kumar Mahabir Caribbean East Indian Recipes
Chakra Publishing House Ltd.
10 Swami Avenue, Don Miguel Road, San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies
Tel: (868) 674-6008. Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707, E-mail: dmahabir@gmail.com; mahab@tstt.net.tt
http://chakrapub.wordpress.com/
Indian Caribbean Folklore Spirits by Kumar Mahabir. Illustrations by Aneesa Khan
This captivating book provides details of the
presence of a brood of spirits believed to roam
the Caribbean since the abolition of slavery.
For the first time in history, the existence of
these spirits is being revealed collectively to
the general public, in this compilation. These
supernatural beings are (1) the raa-khas a
deformed, demonic newborn child, (2) the
chu-rile a spirit of a deceased pregnant
2010. 32 pp. 9 x 7 inches.
ISBN 978-976-95049-5-0-2-0. Paperback.
TT$45. or US$12.
(includes handling, registration and local/foreign postage)
woman, (3) the saap-in a woman who transforms into a snake, (4) Dee Baba a mythical
protector of the house and land, and (5) the jinn, Sheik Sadiq a spirit that can be captured
in a bottle to grant wishes. Written for readers of all ages, every page of the five stories is
enhanced with beautiful coloured illustrations.
Available
at Chakra
and major
bookstores
16
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Making pottery from clay
I smiled at the
potter who
was explaining
the process,
knowing that my
grandparents in
Trinidad were
skilled in this
work.
Ram Adhar [a neighbour] was
making clay earthenware vessels
such as guglette and parai, and
had dug the clay from the felds
about 100 meters (100 yards)
away, carrying it home in baskets
on his head. He soaked the clay
with water and later mixed it with
sand to make a dough which he
subsequently kneaded with his
feet, removing stones, grass and
any foreign objects that are likely
to cause injury to his hands when
shaping the end products on the
potter's wheel. Tis lump of clay is
called goonda.
An hour or so later when the
correct texture was attained, small
lumps were placed on a chaak
[fat stone] which sat atop another
stone that was fxed in the earth
to ensure that it was immovable.
He took his laati [stick], gripped a
spot on the chaak and spun it in a
clockwise direction until it picked
up speed. Ram Adhar then used
both his hands to mould the clay
on the spinning chaak and shaped
it into small earthen cups. He used
a chowne [sharp thread] to cut
the fnished product of from the
remainder of the dough and placed
it in the sun to dry. Tis was a
family profession handed down
through generations. Ram Adhar
also had a large earthen awa [oven]
in his yard, which he used for
baking the wet clay products. He
covered the oven with broken clay,
grass and earth to retain the heat
that was created by dry frewood
and khandas [cakes of dried cows
dung and wheatstalks].
Tis activity took me back to
Chase Village in central Trinidad
where clay pottery is still made by
villagers who use both traditional
and modern equipment to make
deyas, guglette and other clay
products.
Extract from Ramesh
Ramcharans book
Where the Journey began:
A Journey to Roots (2012)
18
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Vegetable Gardens
Lauki is a
type of Indian
gourd which
has an outer
green skin, is
white inside
and has a hint
of sweetish
taste.
We also noted many vegetable
crops that were very similar to
those found in Trinidad, including
a variety of ghata (eggplant/
melongene/baigan), that was about
9" (about 20 cms) in diameter.
Te baigan plants were never
more than 3 feet (1 meter) high.
Other vegetables included ban
ghobi (cabbage), carrots, murai,
mung bean, pigeon peas, lasun
[garlic], piag [onions], chives, bodi
[long bean] - known as bora in
Guyana; mattar [yellow split peas],
mustard (grown for its seeds), urdi
(also called urdi dhal), lauki [bottle
gourd] and sweet peas.
Lauki is also used to make bottles,
vessels, musical instruments and
pipes. Te sweet pea is borne on a
low growing vine that spreads for
about 3 feet (1 metre) in diameter.
Plucking a few pods, we removed
and ate the peas. Tis vegetable is
commonly known as sweet pea
in Trinidad.
Extract from Ramesh
Ramcharans book
Where the Journey began:
A Journey to Roots (2012)
20
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Grinding sugarcane
Sugarcane
juice was
obtained
by crushing
the cane in a
mill.
Further along, we came across a
local mill in one of the felds. Here
the canes were squeezed between
two cylinders and the juice was
drained into a holding pit where it
was boiled for about an hour until
it thickened. When it solidifes, it
is rolled into small spheres known
as goud or jaggery. Te furnace is
fuelled by the ground cane, which
is commonly known as bagasse.
Extract from Ramesh
Ramcharans book
Where the Journey began:
A Journey to Roots (2012)
Bagasse is the fbrous matter
that remains after sugarcane or
sorghum stalks are crushed to
extract their juice. It is used as a
biofuel and in the manufacture
of pulp and building materials.
22
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
He gently whipped the bulls
with a rope tied to a long stick so
that they would understand his
commands.
In an adjacent ploughed feld, we
observed a farmer standing on
a 2.5-meter (7.5') long plank of
wood. Each end of the plank was
attached to a shaft tied to a bull.
Bulls ploughing felds
Farmers
still use the
traditional
method of
ploughing with
the help of
bulls.
As he gently whipped the bulls,
they moved forward dragging the
shafts, while the plank levelled the
ploughed feld. Te farmer whose
name was Rampiari, came from a
neighbouring village and explained
that the feld was being prepared
for vegetables such as caulifower,
carrots and radishes.
We made our way to another plot
of land cultivated by Ramsunder
[second cousin of the author] and
saw his son, Deo Kumar, working
with a hal [wooden plough]
drawn by two bulls. Deo Kumar
commanded the bulls to move
forward, while he held the top of
the hal to guide it and ensure that
a uniform depth was maintained.
Extract from Ramesh
Ramcharans book
Where the Journey began:
A Journey to Roots (2012)
24
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Cows
treading
paddy
Two cows
tread paddy
to separate
grains from
the stalk.
Further along the main road, we
met a farmer who had reaped
his rice and spread the stalks
on the ground. Two cows were
trampling over the rice stalks in
a choreographed circular fashion,
making the grains of dhan [paddy]
fall of the stalks. I recalled that in
Bejucal [in Trinidad], nana and
nanny [maternal grandparents]
would take a handful of rice stalks
and beat the top of the stalks
bearing the dhan on a machaan
[wooden stand] until the grains
fell of onto a paal [sheet made of
opened jute bags] that was spread
below. Tis process was known
as jharaying the rice. My village
friend [in India], Ramlal, told me
that this method was also applied
in the village and proceeded to
demonstrate.
Extract from Ramesh
Ramcharans book
Where the Journey began:
A Journey to Roots (2012)
26
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Te next day we visited the
primary school that is situated
just outside of the housing
area near to the felds. Several
huge mango trees in full bloom
provided immense shade and
kept the area cool. Te school
was a recently renovated, single-
storey concrete structure of three
classrooms and a head-teacher's
ofce. Te external walls were
painted white and yellow and bore
many openings that facilitated
Children in school yard
The students
stared at us in
astonishment;
possibly, they had
never before
seen visitors
from so far away.
ventilation. Te roof was also of
concrete and each classroom was
about 15 feet long (3 metres) and
12 feet wide (4 metres). About 10
feet (3 metres) from the building
was a foundation stone with the
inscription Prathmik Patshala
Karaundi [Karaundi Primary
School], engraved in Hindi.
Te compound contained two
schools - one for Beginners
(children between the ages of
fve and eight) and the other for
Advanced students (ages between
eight and twelve). Tere were
equal numbers of boys and girls.
I spoke with the Head Master,
the teacher in charge of discipline
and two other teachers - all of
whom were conducting outdoor
sessions. Te students stared at
us in astonishment; possibly, they
had never before seen visitors from
so far away.
Extract from Ramesh
Ramcharans book
Where the Journey began:
A Journey to Roots (2012)
28
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Washing dishes
The process was known traditionally in Trinidad
as manjaying the bartan [washing the dishes
and other kitchen utensils].
and rakhee [ashes from the chulha
(earthen stove)] as the cleaning
agent, with water for rinsing. Te
utensils became clean and shiny
following this cleaning process.
I was aware that, until recent
times in Trinidad, we had used
the fbre of a dried coconut and
ashes to clean kitchen utensils in
the fashion, an activity known
as manjaying the bartan
[washing the dishes and other
kitchenutensils].
We were led inside the house to
sleep on four khatia [bench/bed
made of jute strips]. Te members
of the household assembled for
dinner, but waited for us to eat,
out of respect for us.
After the meal, the utensils were
collected for washing. Tey used a
type of hard grass as a scrubber
Extract from Ramesh
Ramcharans book
Where the Journey began:
A Journey to Roots (2012)
TRINIDAD AGGREGATE PRODUCTS LIMITED
Phillip Augustus Road, Longdenville, Chaguanas
Tel: (868) 665- 8296, 3391, 4544, 2162
Fax: (868) 671-2721, 4013
Makers of Holloclay Building and Decorative Blocks,
Glazed and Unglazed Floor and Roof Tiles,
Mouldings, Trims and Inserts.
ISO 9001 2008
QMS Certified
Website: www.tapltd.net Email: tapltd.net.tt
Lifetime Creations
Clay Tile Gallery
16 Delhi Street, St. James
Tel: (868) 622-2242
30
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Performing pooja
[ceremonial worship]
They expressed joy at being
able to sing for us and felt
honoured that we visited
their temple.
Te tunes of their bhajans [hymns]
were diferent from ours, and
were in a very traditional folk
style. Some of the singers were
C. P. Pandey, Chaitulal, Ramlal,
Ramsunder and Arun Kumar
Doobey. Tey stopped for a
break about two hours later when
prashad [food oferings] - made
from white sugar in the shape of
small grains of channa [chick pea]
- was served. Tey also circulated
a lighted deya [tiny clay lamp] on
a thali [brass plate] for performing
aartee [reverential circling].
Extract from Ramesh
Ramcharans book
Where the Journey began:
A Journey to Roots (2012)
After the break, they sang songs
from old Indian flms and
Bhojpuri folk songs, mainly in the
biraha and classical style, and also
played a number of songs on their
instruments. Over time, more
villagers joined the congregation
while the singing continued until
10:30 pm. At the end of the
satsang [congregational worship],
we were embraced by individual
members of the congregation
in the traditional way, as they
expressed joy at being able to
sing for us. Tey stated that it
was their honour to have us visit
theirtemple.
Chakra Publishing House Ltd.
10 Swami Avenue, Don Miguel Road, San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies
Tel: (868) 674-6008. Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707, E-mail: dmahabir@gmail.com; mahab@tstt.net.tt
http://chakrapub.wordpress.com/
2009. xiii + 234 pp. 5 x 8 inches.
ISBN 978-81-8387-224-9
Hard cover only.
TT $260. or US $42.
(includes handling, registration and local/foreign postage)
Published by Serials Publications, India. Distributed
locally by Chakra. The collection in this volume
consists of 13 chapters written on a broad range of
themes such as indentureship, migration, racism,
violence, conversion, acculturation, music, education,
politics, identity and globalisation. Four of the chapters
are on Trinidad, four on Guyana, one each on St.
Vincent, Grenada, Suriname and Martinique, and one
on the Caribbean in general. The volume is the latest,
and one of the most comprehensive works published on
East Indians in the Caribbean.
Available
at Chakra
Publishing
Indian Diaspora in the Caribbean Edited by Kumar Mahabir
Chakra Publishing House Ltd.
10 Swami Avenue, Don Miguel Road, San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies
Tel: (868) 674-6008. Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707, E-mail: dmahabir@gmail.com; mahab@tstt.net.tt
http://chakrapub.wordpress.com/
1995. 267 pp. Paperback.
ISBN 0-9689-818-74
TT$160. or US$25.
(includes handling, registration and local/foreign postage)
This book consists of a wide range of papers on
the East Indian presence in Trinidad, and to some
extant Guyana, from a sociological, political,
historical and anthropological perspective. The
themes include migration, the influence of Madan
Mohan Malaviya, Mahatma Gandhi and Cheddi
Jagan, Political Pluralism, Hindi, Women
Laborers, Indian Culinary Dishes and the Indian
use of Marijuana.
Available
at Chakra
and major
bookstores
The Legacy of Indian Indenture: 150 Years of East Indians of Trinidad
Mahin Gosine, Dipak Malik and Kumar Mahabir
32
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Fanning wheat
The wind was used to separate
the wheat grain from the chaf
Women often do the winnowing
of wheat and rice. Using a shallow
basket flled with grains, they
steadily shake it to allow the grains
to fall to the ground in lightly
blowing wind to separate the loose
chaf. Te chaf is blown aside and
the winnowed grains fall on the
foor.
Opposite to Ram Adhar's house
were some neighbours cleaning
wheat that had recently been
harvested and brought home. Tey
had a hand-driven fan with 3-foot
(1-metre) long blades. Spinning
the handle rotated the fan blades,
producing a stream of air to fan
the wheat. Tis process separated
the stalks from the grain with
the stalks being used to mix with
gobar [cows dung] for making
khanda [cakes of dried cows
dung and wheat stalks] or fuel,
while the wheat was for domestic
consumption and for sale in the
local market.
Extract from Ramesh
Ramcharans book
Where the Journey began:
A Journey to Roots (2012)
Head Ofce
139-141 Abercromby Street,
Port of Spain
624-2688
Branch Ofce (South)
15B Carib Street,
San Fernando
657-2688
Branch Ofce (Tobago)
19 Dutch Fort, Lal Building,
Scarborough
635-2688
www.cott.org.tt
Unique stories are accompanied by unique
journeys which defines us.
Our forefathers journeyed through turmoil and
uncertainty to land unknown, bringing with them
cultural diversity and heritage.
The bonds created through the journeys taken
by our forefathers should be celebrated.
Happy Arrival Day!
34
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Strange garments
Tere appeared to be little
change in their standard of
living with what aaji had
described a century ago.
One readily noticed that the
villagers entering the yard were
stunned by our appearance. Most
of the women wore saris and had
their heads covered while the
younger girls wore shalwars and
dresses. Older men wore dhotis
[loin cloth], T-shirts and phagris
[head cover] on their heads, but
the younger boys wore shirts and
trousers. Some young children
were partially dressed, and most
had no footwear. Tey seemed
to be taking stock of our strange
garb while talking in their own
dialect. Kalika confrmed that
they were amazed at our clothing.
I was also examining their dress
and could see poverty everywhere.
Tis lifestyle was so diferent from
ours, and there appeared to have
been little change in their standard
of living when compared to what
aaji [paternal grandmother] had
described from almost a century
before. Te wheel of progress
turned slowly in this place!
Children did not attend school
regularly as the main purpose of
life was survival. A number of
women were returning from the
felds, and they stopped and paid
their respects. Tere were many
relatively young families, each
with several small children. Tese
appeared to have been caught in
a vicious cycle of early marriage,
fve to six children and a life of
poverty. I then understood why
Ramsunder did not want to bring
us here. Tere were no two-legged
dakus [bandits] in Karaundi Goan.
Te sole daku here was that of
universal, abject poverty.
Extract from Ramesh
Ramcharans book
Where the Journey began:
A Journey to Roots (2012)
This is the first book in the Caribbean which provides information on 236
successful Indian women. The 218 annotated references are accompanied
by 130 carefully chosen photographs, some of which are in colour.
Chakra Publishing House Ltd.
10 Swami Avenue, Don Miguel Road, San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies
Tel: (868) 674-6008. Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707, E-mail: dmahabir@gmail.com; mahab@tstt.net.tt
http://chakrapub.wordpress.com/
1985. 191 pp Paperback.
ISBN 0-91166-03-5
TT$100. or US$23.
(includes handling, registration and local/foreign postage)
Please confirm prices and availability before placing an order
The reports of five surviving ex-indentured immigrant
laborers are recorded verbatim to read like an epic poem.
A woman, a Madras emigrant, a Muslim, a Brahmin and a
cocoa/rubber estate worker narrate the conditions of life in
village India when they left, the trauma of crossing the Kala
Pani (Black Water), and the experience of adjusting to a new
life among strangers under a driver and overseer on the
plantation ranges in the New World.
Available
at Chakra
ONLY
Chakra Publishing House Ltd.
10 Swami Avenue, Don Miguel Road, San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies
Tel: (868) 674-6008. Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707, E-mail: dmahabir@gmail.com; mahab@tstt.net.tt
http://chakrapub.wordpress.com/
Available
at Chakra
ONLY
The Still Cry: Personal Account of the East Indians in
Trinidad and Tobago during Indentureship (1845-1917)
East Indian Women of Trinidad and Tobago: An Annotated
Bibliography with Photographs and Ephemera
by Kumar Mahabir
by Kumar Mahabir
Published by Calaloux Publications. Distributed locally by Chakra
... the book is the outcome of intensive rummaging through local national
archives, private libraries, and newspaper offices. -- Krisendaye Ramper-
sad, Trinidad Guardian, July 20, 1992
Mahabir ... has published the first book in the Caribbean on the interesting,
though neglected, subject of Indian women. -- Angela Pidduck, Express,
August 6, 1992
The information is certainly interesting; and certainly it is well classified...
-- Professor Frank Birbalsingh, Indo-Caribbean World, January 6, 1993
1992. vi + 846 pp. 5 x 8 inches. Paperback.
ISBN 976-8012-78-5
TT$100 or US$25. [soiled copies only at reduced price]
(includes handling, registration and local/foreign postage)
Please confirm prices and availability before placing an order
36
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Like Trinidad
villages in the 1960s
I was impressed by the
way they interacted with
each other; there seemed
to be so much love, freely
expressed to all.
I mentally compared poverty in
Trinidad with what I was seeing
and had a greater appreciation
of what it must have been like
94 years previously when my
grandparents had left this place.
Tears were fowing freely down
my cheeks and my throat was
painfully constricted. I concluded
that human values were more
important than social status, and
that I should not, in anyway, make
the villagers feel inferior to me.
I was impressed by the way they
interacted with each other; there
seemed to be so much love, freely
expressed to all.
Extract from Ramesh
Ramcharans book
Where the Journey began:
A Journey to Roots (2012)
A light breeze blew across and I
fnally began to relax. Lying on
the khatia [bed] gazing at the
clouds smoothly gliding across
the sky, the sun had swiftly gone
away for the day and a few stars
were emerging in the fading
light. I heard birds and loud
noises coming from monkeys
in the trees, and closed my eyes
comparing what I was witnessing
with what I had seen in Trinidad
many years ago. It was so similar
to that of Trinidad in the early
1960s, and I continued to feel a
sense of satisfaction. My memories
returned to earlier times when
aaji [paternal grandmother] was
alive. I was deep in my carefree
childhood playing around her,
when suddenly, one of the women
approached and started speaking
in Bhojpuri. I opened my eyes and
my memories fed.
38
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Visiting relatives homes
All he could do
was gaze at us,
indicating that he
could not believe
that we would
actually visit his
humble home.
Stopping at a shopkeepers
business, we were invited inside,
and after a short break, we walked
to Dhiraj Didi's [authors second
cousin] house around the corner.
Here, we were greeted by her
husband, Bideshee, and their
daughter, Malti. Te layout of
the house was similar to those we
had seen earlier and contained
familiar items such as a khatia
[jute bed], peerha [low bench],
manual water pump, jata [circular
stone mill] and charas [spinning
wheel] to cut grass. As I lay on
a khatia, they ofered water and
grapes, indicating that they were
honoured to have us visit their
home. A few villagers came by and
spoke to us in English, explaining
about the school and other
facilities in the village.We next
visited Chabba Didi and Nanga
[authors second cousin]. Both
were thrilled by our presence, and
many neighbours dropped by
simply to observe out of curiosity,
as they could not converse in
English. Nanga give me a jaap
mala [rosary], saying that it was a
precious gift. I held his hand and
thanked him in Hindi, while all he
could do was gaze at us, indicating
that he could not believe that we
would actually visit his humble
home. I entered to provide him
with additional assurance that I
was very comfortable visiting the
homes of all of my relatives.
Extract from Ramesh
Ramcharans book
Where the Journey began:
A Journey to Roots (2012)
40
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
The resemblance
was noticeable
I am very
grateful that
my great
grandfather
took the risk
to come so
we could
have a better
life here.
In India, I met Dr Divaakar (my
grandfathers cousin) who took
me in his car to Sirsa Ramnagar,
my ancestral village in Allahabad
in Uttar Pradesh. My relatives still
live in a place in India resembling
the village I used to live in
Trinidad, in my childhood in the
1950s, with bison and cows and
rice land.
My grandfathers cousin resembled
me. Te resemblance was quite
noticeable by his moustache,
nose and facial expression. In the
village, they were expecting me,
so I was ceremoniously garlanded.
I was taken to the village temple
where no one is allowed to enter
the area with the deities are
installed. Tey opened the gates
so I could go inside to do aarti
[circumambulation of lights] and
pooja [ceremonial worship].
Extract from Ramnarace
Dwarikas oral account of his
visit to meet his distant
relatives in India, 2007.
Many people started to come to
meet me, and a sort of panchayat
[village court] developed in which
they were giving oral accounts of
the extent of their relation to me.
Subsequently, they had several
meetings to verify that I was their
true relative, as well as they were
my true relatives. I wanted to be
sure, so I had to get documentary
and conclusive evidence; not just
information by word of mouth.
One of the guys in my family,
Abhayraj Singh Yadav, had built
three schools: a primary, secondary
and a tertiary level school in the
community. He was an adopted
son of my great grandfather,
Ramadhin, who came to Trinidad.
42
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Ownership of land
They wanted to share with me land inherited
from my great grandfathers father. I told them,
Look, I did not come here for that.
We call ourselves ahir [cattle
herders] in Trinidad, but they call
themselves yadav, which means
ahir. I actually spent a night in the
school. In the principals ofce,
he (Yadav) arranged a bed and
mosquito net. Te schools were
built in memory of Yadavs wife,
Shrimatee Shakuntala Devi. Te
school children were intrigued
about Trinidad, and asked many
questions, which I was happy
to answer. Communication was
easy because they were fuent in
English and I could also speak
Hindi.
two brothers were chased away,
including Dalai who was Munshes
father. Tey left and founded a
new place called Dallai Poorwa.
Munshe is like the patriarch of
Dallai Poorwa, but they (Ramsahai
and Dalais descendants) never
spoke to each other until I went.
When I went, I brought them
together to eat and talk, and I told
them to forget the bitter past.
An elder in my family said he
had inherited land from my great
grandfathers father, and he was
willing to share the land with
me. I told them, Look, I did not
come here for that.
Extract from Ramnarace
Dwarikas oral account of his
visit to meet his distant
relatives in India, 2007.
Munshe is my grandfathers
cousin. Ramadheens father was
Ramsahai, and there were four
brothers. Tere was confict
over the ownership of land, and
44
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Panchayat
[village court]
During indentureship, my great grandfather
had sent money from Trinidad to build a house
in Ramnagar in India.
In Ramnagar, everyday there was a
panchayat [village court] in which
the village elders and other people
came. Tey brought lawyers to
establish how they were related to
me. Some people brought receipts
and all kinds of documents. My
great grandfather had sent money
from Trinidad to build a house
in Ramnagar. Te house remains
unoccupied, but still stands strong
today. Imagine after 108 years,
not even knowing if my family
was alive, or if they are living, I
can now take up a phone and just
call them and say, Aye, how yuh
going? Tey all have cell phones.
My ancestors originally lived in
Jaswa Bilaari, a village from which
the heroine of the flm, Mother
India also originated. My ancestors
used to live there, but it always got
fooded, so about 300 to 400 years
ago, they moved to Ramnagar
because the ground was a little
higher.
In the village of Dallai Poorwa,
they invited me to visit. All the
ladies were hiding their faces
from me, and eventually one old
lady told them, Aye, move all
yuh orhrani [veil]; he is family.
He eh come to see all yuh to
get married. Ten they moved
their orhrani to reveal their
true identities. Te practice of
veiling the face in the presence
of an unknown male is generally
associated with women of the
Muslim faith, but I confrmed
they were all Hindus. I concluded
that it is a cultural rather than
religious practice, and is still
observed in this part of India in
the 21
st
century.
Extract from Ramnarace
Dwarikas oral account of his
visit to meet his distant
relatives in India, 2007.
Over 30 years of Service.
46
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Chewing paan
Old and young, ancient and modern, past and
present - all in one space and time.
In Allahabad, on the road
to Ramnagar, I saw bicycles,
motorbikes, cars, buses and cows.
In one place and time, you can get
a snapshot of thousands of years
of civilisation. Old and young,
ancient and modern, past and
present - all in one space.
We in Trinidad treat paan [Piper
betel] leaves and soparee [areca]
nuts as sacred objects that we
use during rituals in a pooja
[ceremonial worship]. Tey chew
Extract from Ramnarace
Dwarikas oral account of his
visit to meet his distant
relatives in India, 2007.
slices of soparee, with lime paste,
wrapped in paan leaves all the
time. It is a bad habit, just like
chewing tobacco. We in Trinidad
do not do that. Chewing the
shreds of the nut makes the teeth
and gums look red. Te lime is
not to be confused with the citrus
fruit. Other ingredients may be
included like clove, cardamom,
catechu (kattha) and other spices
for extra favouring.
I saw Phagwa [Festival of Colours]
when I visited. Tey knew I could
play the harmonium and dholak
[double-sided hand drum] and
sing chowtal and other types of
songs, so they got a few guys to
come and see how we play these
instruments and sing in Trinidad.
Tey were surprised that we have
kept the tradition alive after
such a long time and being so
far away. Tey were amazed that
we have retained the identical
pronunciation and melody.
Tere were regular meetings in the
evenings, and sometimes early in
the morning. People were coming
all the time to see me and talk to
me. I know Hindi, so it was not
difcult to communicate with
them.
48
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Touched by their lives
There was a high level of cleanliness which surprised
me, having read and seen otherwise as portrayed by the
media, and even by some fellow Trinis who had visited.
My visit to India in 2001
arose from my friendship with
genealogist Shamshu Deen,
his parents and his family. On
reading his frst book, I became
so nostalgic as I reminisced over
the stories my father had told
me about his own arrival to our
shores as an indentured worker.
Sham also obtained the arrival
documents of my nana [maternal
grandmother] Ramdohin, who
came from Bihar, and for my
nanee, Gangajalia, who had come
from Uttar Pradesh, as did my
father. Te research led him to
trace these relatives, and for me
to accompany him and his wife
to India in February, 2001, the
month he advised that the weather
would have been pleasantly cool in
northern India.
Dr. Dev Ramoutars unpublished
account of his visit in 2001
His friend, Chandra Shekhar
Tiwary, met us at the airport in
Delhi, and with a mini-van, we set
out on this journey to roots. My
meeting with my relatives was a
most overwhelmingly satisfying
experience. I was touched by their
lives in several ways that had me
introspective of what life would
have been had it not been for my
father and grandparents bold
venture into the west.
Te situation in which I met
my relatives was much diferent
from what I had heard or even
anticipated. Te houses in which
I found them were built with
corrugated roofng, and were
quite comfortable on the inside
to which they took me. Tere
was a high level of cleanliness
which surprised me, having read
and seen otherwise as portrayed
by the media, and even by some
fellow Trinis who had visited.
Teir overall standard of living was
pleasing to my eye. Te children
also impressed me as being such a
happy lot. Tey were clean, glad to
see us, and even though we were
virtual strangers, they treated us
with such love, appreciation and
courtesy. Tey were all eager and
bright-eyed, and some teenagers
were even writing notes of our
visit. None of them or their elders
was overweight; they were healthy-
looking.
50
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Contentment
They were not seeking hand-outs; they
had a certain pride in themselves and
their condition.
However, I still felt a sense of
relief from having been born in
Trinidad, and to avail myself of the
many opportunities which they
obviously did not have as children.
Te strides that India has made
in industry, education and overall
development, will redound to
greater achievement for this rural
community.
Te elderly had a higher level of
ftness than our elderly folks in
Trinidad, and they did not seem
to sufer from the many maladies
associated with our lifestyle. Tey
were up and about, did not seem
to sufer from aches and pains,
nor did they appear as sleepy-eyed
as our folks. Tey were generally
more pre-occupied with living
by the many activities they were
undertaking with the rest of their
family. I was also intrigued to have
walked right into a wedding of
one of my relatives - on my nanas
side of the family - in a village of
Baraun, Piro thana, Arrah district
of Bihar. Te people all seemed
so happy at the festivities , and
performed the Hindu rituals with
such pride and faith.
Most of all, I was impressed with
the contentment of my relatives.
Tey made do with what they
Dr. Dev Ramoutars unpublished
account of his visit in 2001
had, and although they accepted
a gift of a water pump and its
long pipes, they insisted on
transporting it to their village
three miles away on their bicycles,
rather than having me leave
money for hiring transport. Tey
were not seeking hand-outs; they
had a certain pride in themselves
and their condition. Tey seemed
to be looking after each other.
Tat perhaps is the greatest lesson
I learnt from my visit. Tere was
defnitely poverty, but that seemed
to support the adage that poverty
unites while wealth divides. It
reminded me of the bond that
was felt between my father and
his jahajees [shipmates], and how,
with the acquisition of wealth, the
afuence resulted in the loss of
some of that care.
52
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Due respect
On the way to
the village, away
from the town
and urban areas,
the scene was a
green one - felds
of rice, sugar
cane, wheat,
vegetable, pigeon
peas and fruit
trees.
I was able to locate the village and
the family from which my aajaa,
Jagmohan Singh, had come. It
was Galahia, Gopigunj, Mirzapur,
Uttar Pradesh. In this village, lived
Banaspati Singh and his brother,
Faujdar Singh, who had died
before my visit.
Te house was somewhat like a
duplex, housing two families
Banaspatis and Faujdars. Faujdar
had passed away a few years ago.
His wife, son, daughter-in-law
and their children lived in a
separate section of the homestead.
Some members of the family
were at home; others were away
in Mumbai working to support
their families. We met the men in
the yard, but had to go indoors
to meet the women. Te women
had enough time to organize
themselves to greet us. Tey gave
me a typical Indian (Hindu)
greeting washing and massaging
my feet. Tey took turns doing
Extract from Veda Marimuthus
unpublished journal (2003)
Parasan Singh
Seojor Singh
Jugmohan Singh
Seegobin Singh
Veda Marimuthu
Faujdar Banaspati
Rajendra Nazendra, Jitendra
Virendra, Vijendra
Michael, Siva
Rajni, Shoba
N/C N/C Bacha Singh
Ranjit Singh Batasi Dulma Devi
VedasTT/India Links
this; the women as well as the
children. Te women were old,
except Banaspati and Faujdars
widow who were younger than
me. Tey give me the respect due
to an elder person. I paid my
respect to my cousin, Banaspati,
who was like a big brother and to
the widow, who was like a bhaujee
[sister-in-law].
As it was getting late that day,
we had a very brief visit with the
families, Banaspati Singhs family
and Faujdar Singhs family. Tey
lived near to each other. Te next
day, we hired a taxi and returned
to the village. On the way to the
village, away from the town and
urban areas, the scene was a green
one - felds of rice, sugar cane,
wheat, vegetable, pigeon peas and
fruit trees (mango, paw-paw etc.).
We took the road to the village
hamlet in which my cousin,
Banaspati Singh, and his family
lived. On the way to Banaspatis
residence, we met a group of men
who were relaxing after a days
work. Tey graciously received us
and felt honoured that they had
foreigners visiting their village.
54
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
A granddaughters return
All were excited and thrilled by my
visit, and surprised by the fact that I had
retained my Indian culture.
Tere were many similarities in
the crops grown. Tere were also
other plants that do not grow
in Trinidad, for example wheat,
spinach, onions, garlic and amla.
It seemed everything that was
required in the kitchen was grown
in the kheyt [garden]. To the kheyt
would come pea fowls in the early
morning, and they would leave in
the evening to roost in the jangal
[forest]. Besides growing crops,
animals were reared, particularly
cows and bufaloes. Boys and
men leave the villages to go to the
cities, such as Delhi and Bombay,
to work as rickshaw-wallas [taxi
drivers] in order to provide for
their families.
On arrival at the village, we were
met by the pundit [priest], his wife
and about ten or twelve of his
friends from the village. Everyone
was dressed especially to meet us.
I paid my respects to the priest by
touching his feet (bowing to him).
He was a very pleasant person. All
were excited and thrilled by my
visit, and surprised by the fact that
I had retained my Indian culture.
After the initial meeting, the men
separated and I went indoors
with the ladies. Tey gave me a
reception beftting a special guest,
especially a blood relation from
across the seas. Tey washed my
feet in a thali [brass plate] and
all the children bowed to me.
Tey even indicated that being
Jagmohan Singhs daughter, I was
the rightful owner of the place in
which they lived.
Extract from Veda
Marimuthus unpublished
journal (2003)
Residential Development Vsep Development Improvement Community Fence-line
56
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Relatives
across the sea
It was on the roof that we were served our
meals. The chat was also used as a drying area
for grains and other farm items.
Members who were not present
the previous day took time of
from work to be with me and my
party. Teir homes was made of
bricks and covered with corrugated
iron sheets. Tere was a courtyard
in the middle with rooms around.
Tere was a fight of steps leading
to the roof - the chat. It was on
the roof that we were served our
meals. Te chat was also used as
a drying area for grains and other
farm items. It provided additional
space for the home. After the
meal, we visited the homes of
other individuals, met villagers
and saw the improvement the
sarpanch [headman] had made to
life in the village, such as a school,
kindergarten, tube-well water and
bitumen-surfaced roads. We made
a contribution to the children who
sang for us. Tey were very happy
to host us. Tis was the end of my
frst visit to Galahia in 2003.
I visited on two other occasions
in the company of my brother,
Praimchand. Tey were indeed
happy to have me visit their
home, and were thrilled to know
that their blood relatives lived
across the seas. We both enjoyed
our visits. Te men folk were
particularly happy to have a
visiting male relative. Te family
bemoaned the fact that we did not
stay overnight in their home, but
we could not as they did not have
the necessary accommodation. I
returned to the hotel. Tey said
that the next time I return, they
will have all that is necessary. I
hope to visit next year; I would be
seeing the village after six years.
Extract from Veda
Marimuthus unpublished
journal (2003)
Puja, Wedding & Cremation Material
Religious Books & Pictures
Indian Groceries & Delicacies
Brass Murtis
Household & Gift Items
Dry Goods,Sauces & Condiments
Hand Carved Wooden Items
Ornaments
Musical Instruments
Sewing Accessories
Indian Arrival Day Greetings to the people of Trinidad & Tobago
58
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
The weavers bond
My racing pulse thundered in
my temples. Thoughts of heart
attack came, but they did not
frighten me.
But the more I tried to suppress
my racing pulse, the more
it thundered in my temples.
Toughts of heart attack came,
but they did not frighten me.
Shafrudeen, grandson of Residan,
and his family were living only
about one hundred metres from
where we had completed our fnal
deliberations with the villagers.
Tey went with us - Samiullah and
others - to the house of my Jolaha
[weaver] fourth cousin. Flowers in
the yard - my mother and Preysal's
family [in Trinidad] had always
adored fowers. Tey spent much
time at tending all colours of roses,
dahlias, etc. A good sign!
Extract from Shamshu Deens
book Lineages and linkages,
solving Trinidad roots
in India (1998)
Shafrudeen was not at home. I
almost wept in despair, but his
wife, Zohora, and especially his
children were there. His eldest son,
twenty-year-old Salim, handsome
and shy, looked up from a large
hole in the foor where he (and
so many other Jolahas I had seen)
worked on the thread-mills to
produce the intricately beautiful
woven saris, bed sheets and
carpets. I must have screamed out.
Samiullah explained who I was.
When I saw my young relative's
red, dye-stained fngers, I felt a
rush of blood pounding through
my veins. I felt like grabbing and
kissing those toil-worn fngers
which displayed that symbol
of our Jolaha bond, now that
generations of separation were
reunited. Tese children, my
dear relatives, were so beautiful
to behold. Laila, the eldest girl, a
stunningly attractive face, could
enter and win any beauty contest.
She was due to be married in
March, after I left India. What
a thrill it would have been to
witness her wedding. Te family
begged that I should attend, but I
couldn't. What heartbreak.
#43 Southern Main Road Curepe,
The Great Northern Insurance Co. Ltd.
Where service begins and satisfaction never ends.
60
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
Ofered namaaz [prayer]
Though parting was such a sweet sorrow,
we were doing it with a profound sense of
satisfaction.
My return to Zahurabad and to
its tola [hamlet] of Mominpur
was one of great joy and inner
personal triumph for me. My
initial feelings of disappointment,
despair and disillusionment had
defnitely dissipated since that
frst visit in October. Now, on
this cool, January morning as the
bus hurtled towards Zahurabad, I
could not conceal the joy that was
almost ripping me apart. We had
been to Zahurabad twice before,
in October and December, but
the solution seemed so far away,
at frst, then nearer, frustratingly
nearer. Now to Zahurabad even
the passengers on the bus - from
Shekhars whispering explanations
to them - felt a sense of triumph
with me, although they did not
know me. My enthusiasm was
highly infectious, as smiles and
whispers, and even loud praises
such as Bahut Accha! [Very
Good!] came my way. We were
met with open arms by the
descendants of this dear lady.
Troughout our meetings with
these wonderful relatives of
mine, we were taking pictures,
some of the young men taking
an extraordinarily long time to
shower and adjust their grooming
for the photographs - no diferent
from young people anywhere!
I walked among the houses near
their small masjid [mosque], where
I had ofered namaaz [prayer]
on my frst visit to this area, last
October. How wonderful that
my prayers were now answered.
My relatives did not want me to
leave. I visited all their homes,
examined their Jolaha workshops,
some crude, some sophisticated.
I was particularly impressed with
the approximately one hundred
metres of coloured threads which
stretched along the pathway.
Everywhere we had to partake of
their hospitality of tea and biscuits
and lunch as well. And then it was
time to bid farewell to Zahurabad.
Tough parting was such a sweet
sorrow, we were doing it with a
profound sense of satisfaction.
We had dug deep down into
the documentation and family
stories of this area, and came up
in triumph with blood relatives
of mine- enough information to
further authenticate our research
and our fedgling but developing
methodology.
Extract from Shamshu Deens
book Lineages and linkages,
solving Trinidad roots
in India (1998)
CLASSIC TILES LIMITED.
LP# 64 Endeavour Road, Chaguanas, Trinidad.
Phone: 1-868-665-1547 Fax:1-868-665-4840
Suppliers of a wide range of Porcelain & Ceramic Tiles,
Bathroom fixtures, tools and accessories.
We also carry a line of Cleopatra and Bathroom Fixtures
CLASSIC TILES LTD. CLASSIC TILES LTD.
Floor or wall
we've got you covered
We meet your needs, Floor or wall we've got you covered
Wishing you a Happy Indian Arrival Day
Caribbean Issues in the Indian Diaspora
Edited by Kumar Mahabir
Published by Serials Publications, India.
Distributed locally by Chakra Publishing House, Trinidad and Tobago.
Chakra Publishing House Ltd.
10 Swami Avenue, Don Miguel Road,
San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies
Tel: (868) 674-6008. Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707
E-mail: dmahabir@gmail.com; mahab@tstt.net.tt
http://chakrapub.wordpress.com/
2013. xvi + 270 pp. 5 x 8 inches.
ISBN: 9788183876049
Hard cover only.
TT $260. (locally) or US $42.(foreign)
(includes handling, registration & local/foreign postage)
of the people of the Bhojpuri areas in India who
migrated to the plantation colonies in the Caribbean, and
elsewhere. The second section analyses assimilation,
mainly in the form of Christian conversion of Hindu and
Muslim migrants, which resulted in the absence of
mandirs and mosques, and the virtual lack of traditional
Indian festivals and ceremonies in Belize, Venezuela and
St. Lucia. The third section in the collection deals with
the plurality of ethnic identities, which is in fact the
opposite of assimilation. The last section discusses the
social adaptations and reproductions in forms such as
Islamic spaces in politics as well as Bollywood movies.
This compilation of scholarly work includes new areas
of study and fresh perspectives of timeworn topics.
The chapters in the book have been
classified into four sections: emotions,
assimilation, identity, and adaptations. The
first section illustrates the neglect of
emotions and feelings in the historiography
62
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
A very
emotional
welcome
There was much bowing to my
feet by the younger ones, and
by me to the older ones. The
males lifted me up.
Te trip to meet my ancestors
occurred during a planned trip to
Mumbai and Delhi in February 2007.
I made the side trip to the villages and
met both sides of the family in one
day. I few from Mumbai to Delhi
and from there to Varanasi. Te next
day, I met one family in the morning
and the other family in the evening. I
Extract from Vishnu Bisrams
diary (2007) on his visit during
Phagwa [Festival of Colours]
Source: http://chs-jccss.org/
blog/2008/05/23/tracing-our-
roots-by-vishnu-bisram/
and bowing to my feet by the younger
ones, and by me to the older ones.
Te males lifted me up. Tere were
singing and chanting. I was thrilled
and they were overjoyed with tears;
one lady cried inconsolably for over
fve minutes. I was led into their
homes and ofered tea. Tey were
humble, loving and caring. Tey
massaged my legs and feet. Tey
took me around the yard and the
little temple where they prayed and
I ofered prayers, thanking the Lord
for fnding them. I spoke with them
in my broken Hindi and through a
translator. Tey spoke with me in
Hindi and we understood each other.
Tey knew the relationship as was
told to them.
did not spend much time with either
relative because of limited time on
my hands. It was a very emotional
welcome, quite unexpected. You have
to actually experience it to know it.
Te frst encounter was an
inspirational experience. It was flled
with emotion with warm embraces
Traditional Medicine and Women Healers in Trinidad:
Postnatal Health Care Kumar Mahabir
2012. 212 pages. ISBN 978-976-95049-6-7
5 x 8 inches. Paperback.
TT $100. or US $25.
(includes handling, registration and local/foreign postage)
This book discusses the relationship between traditional
healers and modern healthcare practitioners in Trinidad
and Tobago. It focuses on folk masseuses, and the new
mothers and newborns they treat. The two medical
systems are presented in the context of racial, ethnic, class
and gender dynamics which give rise to issues of power
and control. The study is located in the political-economic
context of the Third World which has a history of
dependency on foreign goods and services which
has been rooted in the plantation economy.
Available
at Chakra
and major
bookstores
Chakra Publishing House Ltd.
10 Swami Avenue, Don Miguel Road, San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies
Tel: (868) 674-6008. Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707, E-mail: dmahabir@gmail.com; mahab@tstt.net.tt
http://chakrapub.wordpress.com/
Chakra Publishing House Ltd.
10 Swami Avenue, Don Miguel Road, San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies
Tel: (868) 674-6008. Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707, E-mail: dmahabir@gmail.com; mahab@tstt.net.tt
http://chakrapub.wordpress.com/
Available
at Chakra
and major
bookstores
1991, 2001. Third edition 2008. xx +167 pp.
5 x 8 inches. Paperback.
ISBN 976-8001-73-9
TT$100. or US$25.
(includes handling, registration and local/foreign postage)
This book contains valuable information on
sixty-three local plants, each of which is
described and given a botanical name. Their
medicinal uses include arthritis, diabetes, high
blood pressure, headaches, strokes, impotence,
sterility, ulcers and skin infections.
Kumar Mahabir
Medicinal and Edible Plants used by East Indians of Trinidad and Tobago
64
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Co. Ltd. (ICC) Finding family roots in ancestral India Indian Arrival Magazine Day 2014
A taxi in the village
It saddens me that I did not trace my roots
sooner when my father and uncles were alive.
Both sides of my family were
quite excited to meet me. Literally,
hundreds of people - a curious crowd
- came to greet me when they saw
that a car had entered into the two
separate villages; the two families did
not know each other, and I did not
introduce them to each other. It was
a dirt road not much diferent from
Ankerville [in Guyana]. I am sure
people remember the excitement of
a car coming into Ankerville when
they were little kids. Te same was
true when I went into the village with
a taxi. I carried gifts with me for my
relatives. I also gave them money.
I also took a lot of pens, pencils,
cookies and candies for the children.
Hundreds of excited kids focked
around me. People live a simple
life. Everyone was very grateful and
excited for the little I left behind.
Tere were a lot of tears when we
met, and they were overjoyed to have
found me. I was also driven with
emotions, happy to fnd them. In
searching for my relatives, there was
a mixture of anticipation and sorrow
in my heart. It was an experience
that cannot be described, but only
felt. It saddens me that I did not
Extract from Vishnu Bisrams
diary (2007) on his visit during
Phagwa [Festival of Colours]
Source: http://chs-jccss.org/
blog/2008/05/23/tracing-our-
roots-by-vishnu-bisram/
trace my roots much sooner when my
father and uncles were alive. It would
have been nice for my father to have
met his cousin. It would have been
something my father would have
appreciated. I am sure my late uncles
would have been overjoyed to know
about their distant cousins in Bharat.