Indian Arrival 2008

Indo-Caribbean Cult
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council 2008

o-Caribbean Cultural Council 2008 Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council 2008 Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council 2008
indian
arrivaL day
Trinidad & Tobago Volume 9 (a) Number 1 May 2008

http://www.geocities.com/icc_tt/
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council - Indian Arrival Day Magazine 2008
On May 30th 1845, the Fath al Razak docked near the Light House in Port
Indian Arrival
Day 2008
Trinidad &
Tobago
of Spain harbour in Trinidad and Tobago with 225 adult passengers on board.
They were immigrants from India who had come to the British colony to work
in the sugarcane plantations after the abolition of African slavery. They had
spent 103 days at sea during the long and dangerous journey that spanned
14,000 miles (36,000 km). The immigrants were contracted to work for five
to ten years in the sugarcane estates in a system 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 percent of
them stayed and settled in the New World. In many ways, they brought India
to the Caribbean. They continued with their 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. The commemoration takes the form
of prayers, speeches, songs, music, dances and plays in communal as well as
public spaces. The spirit of the day is invoked at various beaches with the reenactment of the landing of the first boat-load of pioneers who gave birth
to the Indian community in Trinidad. The historic day has been proclaimed a
national holiday since 1994.
ISSN 1683-4143 Volume 9 (a), Number 1.
Consultants: Devant Maharaj and Samaroo Siewah
Research assistants: Sarela Pustam and Sabrina Mohammed
Contributing writers: Candice Bharat and Kamsha Maharaj
Contributing editors: Amrita Mahabir and Amrita Maharaj
Photographer: Dr. Kumar Mahabir
Cover and page design: Preddie Partap
Advertising: Mera Heeralal and Renuka Ramkissoon
Editor-in-Chief and Chairman: Dr. Kumar Mahabir
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council (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://www.geocities.com/icc_tt
Copyright ICC 2008. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may
be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the written permission of the
Chairman of ICC.
editorial Indian heritage and sacred sites in Trinidad by Dr. Kumar Mahabir
The theme of this years edition of our magazine is Heritage Tourism: Indian heritage and sacred sites in Trinidad.
The magazine seeks to highlight significant places, built structures and land formations that East Indians/South
Asians consider to be particularly historical or sacred to them in multi-ethnic Trinidad. These sites include three
temples, three secular buildings, a mosque, a church, a cave, a rock, a volcano, a river, a beach, a massacre site, a
cremation ground, and Nelson Island.
In 1972, the General Conference of UNESCO adopted an international agreement with the primary mission of
defining and conserving the worlds heritage, by drawing up a list of sites whose outstanding values should be
preserved for all humanity It is hoped that in the near future UNESCO would recognise one of the sites identified
in this magazine as having outstanding universal value. The Dattatreya Yoga Centre in Carapichaima and the
Triveni Mandir in Williamsville certainly qualify as cultural monuments. Each is a masterpiece of creative genius of
exceptional beauty. The Temple in the Sea in Waterloo is another monument that can qualify as a world heritage site
on the basis of its unique history, location and aesthetics. The temple is a living testimony to a cultural tradition that
has survived against formidable challenges.
These sites stand today to re-tell the story from the pages of history of inheritance, legacy, tradition and innovation,
as well as poverty, sacrifice, courage and strength. Though these designated sites and architectural monuments bear
special meaning to Indians, they exhibit outstanding values that are universal to all mankind. They possess a rich
cultural and historical heritage which must be preserved for the generations to come. They must be treasured as
monuments to the countrys past and as gifts to the world. These sites have become popular destinations to local
visitors and can be marketed to attract tourists.
The promotion of historical and sacred sites in multi-cultural Trinidad can add a boost to heritage tourism in the
island. The country is expected to lead the rest of the Caribbean in the next few years in the number of tourist arrivals
with an 8.4 percent growth rate. According to the latest Tourism Satellite Accounting (TSA) research, the country
already ranks 13th on the world list. Minister of Tourism, Joseph Ross, has recognised the importance of heritage
tourism. He indicated: We must continue to exploit our strengths in the cultural and festival tourism niches.
references
Asson, Cecily. Mud Volcano In Penal. Newsday. Thursday March 13, 2008. Page 13.
Ali, Zafir. The Jinnah Memorial Mosque. 50th Anniversary, 1947-1997. TML 50th Anniversary. Brochure. St. Joseph:
Trinidad Muslim League Inc. 1997.
Anthony, Michael. First in Trinidad. Cascade: Paria Publishing Company. 1985, 2004.
Anthony, Michael. Towns and Villages of Trinidad and Tobago. Port of Spain: Circle Press. 1988.
Anthony, Michael. Profile Trinidad: A Historical Survey from the Discovery to 1900. London: MacMillan Caribbean. 1975.
Besson, Gerard. The Angostura Historical Digest of Trinidad and Tobago. Cascade: Paria Publishing Company. 2001.
De Verteuil, Anthony. Temples of Trinidad. Port of Spain: Self-published. 2004.
Deen, Shamshu. Nelson Island Re-visited. Patrimony: Newsletter of the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago. April-June
2007.
Forestry Division. Nariva Swamp. Brochure. Port of Spain: Ministry of Agriculture.
Herrera, Heather Dawn. The Call of the Marinne River. Express. June 17, 2006. Page 8.
Herrera, Heather Dawn. Cascadoux Trace losing resources. Express. December 30, 2006. Page 29.
Kenny, Julian. Sinking the Carbon. Express. December 19, 2006. Page 11.
Khan, Imam Amzad. History of Jinnah Memorial Mosque. 60th Anniversary 1947-2007, A Commemorative Edition. St.
Joseph: Trinidad Muslim League Inc. 2007.
Samaroo, Brinsley, Kusha Haracksingh, Ken Ramchand, Grard Besson and Dianne Quentrall-Thomas, eds. In Celebration of
150 Years of the Indian Contribution to Trinidad and Tobago. Port of Spain, Trinidad: Historical Publications Limited. 1995.
Singh, Kelvin. Bloodstained Tombs: The Muharram Massacre, 1884. London: MacMilliam Caribbean. 1988.
Sookdeo, Neil A. Freedom, Festivals and Caste in Trinidad after Slavery: A Society in Transition. Washington: Xlibris
Corporation. 2003.
Sookram, Caldeo. Pundits renew vows in public. Express. August 21, 2005. Page 7.
Environment Management Authority. Nariva Swamp. Newsday. January 30, 2007. Page 30.
Greetings from the Prime Minister of

the Republic of Trnidad & Tobago
I wish to congratulate the Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council on the publication of its Indian
Arrival Day commemorative magazine. This years edition highlights sites and structures that
are of particular historical and spiritual importance to the East Indian community in Trinidad
and Tobago. It therefore provides valuable information on an important aspect of the nations
heritage.
Every society must know its past if it is to develop a deeper understanding of the present,
and be better equipped to shape the future. The preservation of our history through records,
writings, and the retention of culture, worship, artefacts and important buildings helps us
to trace the journey of our nation from its humble beginnings. Trinidad and Tobago has
indeed come a long way, from the first encounter between Europe and the Caribbean; to
slavery and indentureship; to Colonialism; and then to Independence and the attainment of
full sovereignty.
There is so much to learn from this unique history involving people of different origins. In
addition to giving us a deeper understanding of our own society, it provides an insight into
some of the major movements of history that produced the modern world; enlightening us with
a more profound appreciation of our own position in the wider context of human civilization.
The government recognises the importance of history. In the modernisation of the school
curriculum, we have emphasised that this subject must be a foundational area in the education
of our children.
The story of our East Indian community is one of great importance in our nations history. It is
important that it be preserved for the benefit of present and future generations. This magazine
will undoubtedly add to the records and we wish the producers every success in its effective
dissemination throughout the nation.
On behalf of the Government, I extend greetings on the occasion of this publication and on the
celebration of Indian Arrival Day 2008.
The Honourable Patrick Manning

Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago
The Lighthouse
in Port of Spain
The Lighthouse in Port of Spain

is located in the capital city and
salutes anyone entering the city from
Wrightson Road. It was constructed on
a jetty, and was called the St. Vincent
Jetty Light. At that time, the seashore
reached as far as the present-day
Marine Square/Independence Square.
Using landfill from the Laventille
hills, the mudflats along the seashore
were reclaimed.
The reclamation process began in
contemporary Sea Lots in 1803, moved
to south of Independence Square in the
1840s and the 1870s, and progressed
to South Quay in the 1880s. A jetty was
constructed in the area now known as
City Gate, and the lighthouse was built
on its inner end. The land reclamation
process continued until 1906, and
again in 1935 with the construction
of Wrightson Road. The lighthouse
eventually became landlocked and is
now positioned in the median of the
waterfront street in Port of Spain.
The lighthouse is a hexagonal tower
64 feet [19.5 metres] high with a small
lantern at the top and a gallery in the
middle. Some restoration work was
done to the tower in the 1980s, but it
was noted in 2004 that it had a tilt of
about five degrees. The lighthouse is
now inactive, but it is reported that the
light was visible for up to 10 miles at
sea.
The Fath al Razak landed in Trinidad on 30th

May 1845 at the foot of the Light House in Port of
Spain. It was not until 1866 that Indian immigrant
ships docked near Nelson Island.
It is documented that that the Fath al Razak had
almost overturned by the turbulent waves in the
Bocas. Luckily, it was saved by the Royal Mail
Steamer, Sturdee, which was passing nearby at

the time. The immigrant ship was a comparatively
small vessel of 415 tons [376,488 kg] which was
uncomfortable for over 200 passengers travelling
for 137 days. It was manned by a crew of lascars
[Indian sailors] who anchored it safely in the Port
of Spain harbour.
The Fath al Razak

landed at the
Light House
The historic landing on the 30th of May was reported
the following day in the Port-of-Spain Gazette as
follows: We have much pleasure in announcing
the arrival this afternoon, of the long-looked-for
vessel, the Fatel Rozack, 96 days from Calcutta
and 41 days from the Cape of Good Hope, with
217 on board, all in good order and condition,
as the Bills of Lading usually have it. There were
five deaths on board during the passage, but the
general appearance of the people is very healthy.
She was immediately boarded by the Harbour
Master, Health Officer, and the Agent-General for
Immigrants.
According to historian Michael Anthony, Governor

Sir Henry MacLeod would have come himself to
witness this momentous occasion. He was stationed
at the Government House [now the Treasury
Building], and he could have either walked or come
in his horse-drawn coach. At Kings Wharf, he
would have met the Agent-General for Immigrants,
Henry Mitchell. The arrival of the immigrants also
drew curious onlookers and crowds of planters
who had come to collect their quota of labourers.
The Lighthouse in Port of Spain would have
been the first building in Trinidad that Indians
would have seen from the distance. Established
31,113 Indian
immigrants landed at
the Kings Wharf
in 1841, it seems as though the station was built
to guide and welcome the first shipload of Indian
immigrants in 1845. They would have been eager
to set foot on land after 137 days on sea. No doubt,
most of the ships 217 some researchers say 227
passengers would have bowed down in prayer at

the Kings Wharf. They would have thanked god
for being alive after having come half-way around
the world, across the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.
The Lighthouse represented their tower of strength,
their firm endurance, and faith in the future. It was
truly a beacon of hope for a new life in a new land
for the 31,113 Indian immigrants who landed at
the Port of Spain harbour.
Nelson
Island
Nelson Island is one of the Five Islands in Trinidad

which lie west of Port of Spain in the Gulf of Paria.
The island has historical importance for many
ethnic groups that now populate the twin islands
of Trinidad and Tobago.
It was first used by the Amerindians (Warau
tribe) as a trading post before it was discovered
by Columbus, and then by Spaniards and British
to build fortifications. The soldiers barracks were
constructed in 1802 by African slaves who were
owned by the colonial Government. It was one of
the first public buildings, and it remains one of the
oldest buildings still standing in Trinidad. During
the Second World War, all persons with Austrian or
German passports, who were mainly refugee Jews,

were interred on Nelson and Caledonia islands.
From 1866 to 1917, Nelson Island was used as
a landing, immigration and quarantine station
for Chinese and Indian indentured immigrants to
Trinidad. After having spent 103 long, torturous
days on the unsteady ship, Indians finally set foot
on solid ground. This was fertile soil on which they
could sow a new life with the hope of blossoming
into grand dreams. Nelson Island was a boat ride
away from their new Dharti Mata [Mother Earth]
that would sustain and nourish them to raise
generations of Indo-Trinidadians.
Indian immigrants, [who worked] on the sugar

estates in Trinidad as indentured labours, were first
imported in 1845. Initially they landed in Port of
Spain, but from 1866 they disembarked from the
ships into barges (just south of Nelson) which took
them to Nelson Island.
116,483 Indian
immigrants
passed through
Nelson Island
There a thorough medical examination was
conducted, and the unfit were separated from
the others. Those with contagious diseases were
transferred to Lenagan Island, and those who
merely needed to gain strength were kept in a
convalescent station north of the landing stage and
east of the main building. Those who were passed
fit for distribution to the estates also spent a few
days on the island, usually about ten, during which
time they had a chance to recover from their three
months at sea while the immigration formalities
were completed.
As the numbers arriving by the ship grew, the
buildings on the island were enlarged. Between
1866 and 1917 (51 years) about 114,000 Indian
immigrants passed through the depot at Nelson
Island which was, indeed, Trinidads Ellis

Island.
In the early years, the immigrants depot provided
accommodation for 450 people. By 1881 it was
improved and enlarged to hold 600. By 1912, there
was accommodation provided for 1,000.
- Anthony de Verteuil, Western Isles of Trinidad.
Cited in The Westerly. June 2007. Page 21. Port
of Spain.
The mountain
cave in Maraval
Millions of years ago, large caves offered both

a home and a haven for prehistoric people and
animals. Caves served as a natural protection from
enemies and predators, and they provided a shelter
from rain, snow and the cold. Caves also provided
a place for priests, shamans and medicine men to
invoke spirits and perform ceremonies. Presently in
India, sages and swamis build shrines in caves on
mountain tops. In the darkness, they seek revelation
of, and salvation from divine spirits. Indeed, many
temples in India are built to resemble large caves.
A cave is the most enduring image in Hinduism.
Lord Shiva, the Supreme Ascetic, is said to live in
a cave which is his natural abode.
Against this background, a pilgrimage to a cave

on the side of a mountain in La Platte Village,
Morne Coco Road, Maraval, was organised on
Sunday February 17, 2008. About 40 persons
participated in the tour including devotees of the
Guru Das Ashram of Cocoyea in San Fernando
and Sri Bandi Hanuman Shakti Temple of Moruga.
Photo-journalists from the Express and Guardian
newspapers, and a camera crew from Sonaris
Studios, joined the pilgrimage.
A driving road up the mountain ended into a
footpath that led to the cave. The short walk through
the quiet forest was enchanting; it represented a
spiritual ascent to experience the glory of God.
The cave is located in the wooded private property

of Yogi Ananda who has established the Sivananda
Academy of Yogic Science and Philosophy on the
same land. Swami has also built a meditation and
lecture centre, and five small huts of retreat for
persons who need peace and prayer. Under the
shadow of tall trees in the lush green mountains,
he has installed concrete murtis [statues] of both
Hindu and Christian deities. The route to the
statues is made of steep concrete staircases.
A cave in a sacred
forest with stone
murtis [statues]
A party of men headed by Khemraj Nanhu and
Vijay Hazarie had gone the day before to clear
the walkway from bushes, and the cave of bats,
rodents, reptiles and spiders. They had cleaned
the chamber, installed electricity, and prepared
essentials for the visitors.
The cave in Maraval is an underground marvel

about 25 x 35 feet large [7.6 x 10.6 metres] with
stone pendants (stalactites) hanging from the
ceiling, and columns and cones (stalagmites)
rising from the corners of the floor. Fantastic
shapes decorate the chamber including drapes
and curtains of stone on all sides, except the floor.
There is no underground river, and no water was
seen trickling from any crack or nipple. But over
the years, water had carved designs that resemble
hieroglyphics on all sides of the grotto.
A cave is considered a special place in Hindu

tradition. A cave on a mountain is held to be sacred,
but a cave on a mountain with murtis is believed to
be extraordinary. So the cave in La Platte Village
on lands owned by a Yogi [saint], on which he had
built shines and holy monuments, proved to be an
ideal place for a puja [ceremonial worship]. It was
later learnt that other yogis had spent months of
seclusion in the same cave in the past. A yogi from
India is living in the cave for a few months at the
present time.
The cave is accessible through a narrow hole the
size of a small door. The door led through a very
short tunnel through which each person had to
stoop to enter or exit in a single file.
Persons took off their shoes, sandals and slippers
and walked barefooted into the cave. The cave felt
Pilgrims journey to seek

spiritual insight
in its darkness
cool; it was neither damp nor warm. Since daylight

does not penetrate beyond the mouth of the cave,
plants do not grow there.
Once inside the cave, pilgrims were filled with
wonder and awe at the feeling of being inside a
stone chamber. The sides and roof were etched with
natural formations like coded ancient inscriptions
of Sanskrit.
The active mud

volcano in Cedros
There are about 20 mud volcanoes in Trinidad,
including the recent active formation in the sea
at Mayaro. The most visited are the active mud
volcanoes in Piparo and Devils Woodyard. The
latter is past Princes Town through Indian Walk,
and into Hindustan Road.
The volcano in Devils Woodyard erupted violently
in 1852, seven years after the first wave of Indians
came to Trinidad as indentured labourers in 1845.
The volcano in Piparo is also located in South
Trinidad near an exquisite Hindu temple that is
also a sight to behold with its superb craftsmanship,
fine details and extravagant interior. The volcano
erupted in 1996, unleashing a tidal wave of mud
that slowly submerged 15 houses.
The mud volcano in Columbia coconut estate in

Fullerton, Cedros, is revered annually with a puja
[ceremonial worship]. It is an active volcano with
constant emissions of bubbling hot water and soft
clay. Fine sediments flow through surface cracks
which form cones as they cool. For most of the
time, the cones splutter with small spurts of mud.
The cones are usually not more than three feet
[1 metres] high.
In their homes during the night, villagers hear the
sound of the mud bubbling in the belly of the earth.
They take this to mean that it is a reminder to pray
and perform puja near the volcano.
If they do not make offerings to the volcano,

villagers believe that Mother Durga will be angry
with them and blow off the top of the plateau.
Already the volcano has spread its mud, destroying
acres of valuable agricultural land. The overflow
has covered everything in its path. Mangrove
trees have began to grow on the margins of the
plateau as an adaptation to the new ecosystem. The
emissions have altered the landscape.
Though there is no immediate danger, devotees
are not taking chances. The constant swelling of
the mud domes and the increasing deposits around
the orifices are a source of worry. The escape of
methane gas from the subsurface is also a source
of concern. It is this methane gas that boils and
churns the clay and salt water and ejects them as
a slurry of fine solids. The outpourings may even
submerge nearby homes, livestock and vegetation
as in Piparo and Devils Woodyard.
Annually, during the month of April, Hindus
perform puja to placate the spirit of the volcano
from wreaking further destruction. They also
express gratitude and appreciation that it has not

done more destruction. They know that scientists
cannot accurately predict an eruption, and that
government agencies can only put plans in place
for an evacuation.
Controlling the
destructive nature
of the volcano
The Shiva
Mandir in Penal
The Shiva Mandir is located at the end of a

narrow road called Patiram Trace in Penal, about
twenty minutes drive south of San Fernando. It is
situated on a five-acre cocoa and coffee plantation
surrounded by wild tropical vegetation. Nearby is
a secluded small village enclosed by lush green
grass and tall shady trees. The gentle wind is
cool and the air is pure and clean all year round.
Needless to say, there is an abundance of animal
life in the area. This ecological paradise presents
an idealized setting for self-reflection, study,
meditation and devotion. In this unspoilt natural
environment, a feeling of relaxation and peace
envelopes and enters the visitors soul. If there is
heaven on earth, it is at this Shiva Mandir with

its sacred serenity and miraculous wishing stone
[lingam].
This temple has a fascinating history. The site of the
temple was not chosen because of its seclusion in
a natural environment, but because of its spiritual
significance. Legend has it that one day in 1901, a
labourer named Manickchand accidentally struck
a stone with his cutlass. Instantly, milk trickled
from the stone. Manickchand did not tell anyone
until he had a dream that night that the stone was a
Shiva lingam [symbol of Lord Shiva].
When Manickchand broke the news the next

morning, scores of people from neighbouring
villages converged at the site. They went not only
to see the sacred stone but also to make wishes that
are said to have come true. About 1910, during
Indian indentureship, a small thatched hut was built
over the stone by the landowner, Mr Nancoo. The
building was renovated in 1940 and later extended
with an adjoining hall made of an aluminium roof,
brick walls and concrete floors. The temple is
privately-owned and cared for by Mr. Ramlochan

Nancoo and Mrs. Sanicharie Nancoo who are often
present to greet and guide devotees and visitors.
Heaven on earth in
sacred serenity
On entering the compound, the visitor gets a view
of the first part of the temple. This is the sanctum
which houses the Shiva lingam. The one-foot
high lingam [stone] symbolises the energy of
the Creator. It has never been removed from its
original position since it was discovered in 1901,
and is literally rooted in the earth from which it
seems to grow by the natural accretion of mineral
material. Devotees claim that the lingam is a
wishing stone that bestows anything that that the
pure-hearted devotee desires. Those who seek
health and happiness, or success and good fortune,
congregate around the lingam to seek blessings and
make offerings of flowers, fruits, milk and money.
There are many who can testify that they have

received miraculous rewards through their prayers
at the Shiva Mandir.
An enchanting and
singular story
of a stone
The sanctum chamber of the temple is very small.
It can accommodate only six or seven persons at
a time. It has two narrow doors but no windows.
Its design and construction are reminiscent of the
traditional cave formation which is invariably
small and dark with no natural light. Entry into the
sanctum represents a progression from an open area
to a confined space, symbolizing the complexity of
modern life to simplicity of devotion. The sanctum
is the holiest part of the temple, inside which
devotees circumambulate the lingam which is the
focal point.
The temple also houses a kitchen, storeroom and
an assembly hall in the back of the sanctum. At
the front of the hall is another sanctum with murtis
[images] of various deities and saints depicted
in art, photography and sculpture. A large mural

of Lord Shiva and his consort, Parvati, dominate
the entire outer wall of the main sanctum. At the
front of the temple stands a revered pipal/peepar
tree around which devotees plant colourful jhandis
[flags] on bamboo poles. The dome of the roof
rises from each side to form a pyramid ending into
an apex with a trident atop.
The Marianne River

in Blanchisseuse
For the past 12 years, Marianne River in

Blanchisseuse has been the site of Ganga Dhaaraa,
a revival of the worlds oldest festival in Trinidad.
The river has been able to smoothly harmonise
a sacred relationship between man, nature and
God. Through Ganga Dhaaraa, the spirit of the
holy Ganges is invoked to take its form in the
Marianne River. In June every year, close to World
Environment Day on June 5, the river assumes
the sacred quality of the Ganges. On that day,
the river is celebrated for its pristine beauty. The
secular objective of the festival is to actively
educate people to become environment-friendly,
and to engage the community into a sustainable

relationship with ecology.
The Marianne River was chosen as a sacred site
by the Director of the Festival, Ravi-ji, who is
also President of the Hindu Prachar Kendra. He
said he had a feeling that the river was drawing
him towards its location through four recurring
dreams. When he accidentally visited the site, he
saw the landmark that he had seen over and over in
his sleep. It was a huge flat stone on the riverbank
near the water. After the sighting, Ravi-ji never
experienced that dream again.
Marianne River turned out to be an ideal pilgrimage

site. It is situated in north Trinidad just as the
Himalayas is located in north India. The river also
empties its freshwater into the Caribbean Sea in
the north coast in a virtually uninhabited beach at
Blanchisseuse. The river, where the ceremonies
take place, has shallow water to facilitate wading
on its bed. The rich vegetation nests a variety of
birds like honeycreepers, kingfishers, spotted
sandpipers, grey kingbirds and striated herons. The

bends in the river provide a feeling of privacy and
identity to individuals and groups. Downstream
are cascades, deep pools and a waterfall.
Marianne River has a history of pujas [ceremonial
worship] on its banks. Pandits [priests] in the
past have advised their devotees to go to a river
in the north of the island to collect water to avoid
or mitigate a grah [bad patch] in their lives. A
pilgrimage should entail a long, difficult journey,
and the river is located in the rocky mountain far
The river as symbolic

and sacred
from the homes of most Hindus. Blanchisseuse is
a remote, obscure area with a rugged terrain, thick
forests, narrow gorges and deep precipices. Up
to 1928, it was accessible only from the sea, and
serviced by a costal steamer plying between Port
of Spain and Toco.
Manzanilla
beach
Manzanilla has a rich historic past of Indians during

indentureship as well as Africans during slavery.
After free African soldiers were disbanded from the
West India Regiment, they were sent to Manzanilla
in 1822. After Emancipation in

1838, former slaves moved to this
eastern coast to settle. Historian
Walton Look Lai states that by
1910, 137 indentured and 150 free
Indians worked on three coconut
estates in Trinidad. Some Indians
worked on estates along the
Manzanilla-Mayaro Road. On one
side of the road is a 12-mile [20
km] long beach, and on the other
is the Nariva Swamp where their
descendants still work on coconut
estates, cultivate watermelons, and
catch cascadura fish.
Nariva Swamp is the largest
fresh-water wetland in Trinidad,
and has been designated an
environmentally sensitive area of
international importance under
the Ramsar Convention. This
wildlife preserve is home to many
rare and endangered types of flora
and fauna. Rich in biodiversity,
Nariva is home to over 594 animal
species including 175 species of
birds and 45 species of mammals.
It is the only wetland site in the
island, and one of the few waters
in the world with a manatee (seacow) population. From September
to November on full moon nights
when the tide is high, female blue crabs scurry from
the swamp across the road to the beach to wash
their eggs.
Manzanilla beach stretches along the east coast

in Trinidad, and is one of the longest beaches in
island. It is bounded on one side by the Atlantic
Ocean and on the other by the Nariva Swamp. The
12 mile- [20 kms-] long idyllic beach is blessed
with brownish grey fine sand that is ideal for
sports and relaxation. Cows and water buffaloes
roam freely under the elegant palm trees from the
nearby coconut estates and watermelon fields.
Manzanilla beach is a nesting place for hatching
leatherback turtles. On this windward coast of the
island, pilot whales are sometimes washed ashore
by the turbulent Atlantic Ocean.
The closest Trinidad

coast to the
holy Ganges
Manzanillas long and lonely coastline has become
the ideal place of pilgrimage for Hindus in Trinidad.
They converge annually on the last day of the lunar
month in October-November. They participate in
Kartik Snaan, a water-cleansing ceremony that is
observed by their counterparts in India at the same
time of the year. Since Manzanilla is Trinidads
closest coast to India, it is believed that the water
of holy Ganges merges with the Atlantic Ocean

on that day. Manzanilla is also the site where
pundits [priests] congregate to perform Shrawani
Upakarma, a ceremony in which they renew their
Brahminical vows. On the beach, Vedic mantras are
chanted, bhajans [hymns] are sung, and vegetable
offerings are made to the sea.
The Roman Catholic

Church in Siparia
Hindu worship of a Christian saint in the Roman

Catholic Church at Siparia began as early as the
l870s during indentureship. Hindus believe/d
that the dark-skinned Christian female saint in a
flowing, white sari-like gown, and long jet-black
hair is/was identified as Mother Kali. Elderly
Hindus call her Siparee Mai or Siparee Ke
Mai. Anthropologist Steven Vertovec observes
that the saint is revered by Hindus as a murti
[statue] which in fact looks remarkably like an
Indian woman.
claim that after participating in ritual worship

of Mother Kali, they experience recovery from
illnesses. Young girls would seek the help of
Sipari Mai to secure a husband, infertile women
would pray for children, and parents would ask
that their children grow strong and healthy. Hindus
attach great healing powers to the Sipari Mai.
When one has an ailment in any part of the body, a
replica is/was made out of gold and offered to the
saint. Hindu devotees touch the saint, bow to her,
and pray silently.
Kali worship in Trinidad and Guyana has attracted

an ethnically diverse following because of the
deitys power to heal the sick. Hindus in Trinidad
On Good Friday, Catholics give way to Hindus

who make offerings to Sipari Mai either in
supplication or thanksgiving.
Vertovec (1992: 20) observes: Each person

individually files past the statue/murti to
charhaway gifts (with the accompanying gesture
to their forehead) and to place a tika of sindhur on
the forehead of the Mai.
Today, women in orhanis [veils] make offerings
of flowers, raw rice, money, olive oil and candles.
Gold and silver jewellery in the form of chains,
earrings, bracelets, brooches and necklaces are
draped over the statue and on her outstretched
arms. In 1891, a Colonial official noted that the
gifts of the indentured Indian workers were so
abundant that the image of the Divine Shepherdess
may be seen covered with watches, gold chains,
silver bangles and bracelets of all kinds.
Hundreds of beggars flock to the site seeking alms
from women with bags and purses. Some of them
cry, Mai, me! Mai me!
In the past, an eternal lamp was lit with olive oil
in the Church and Hindus brought olive oil to keep
it burning. The oil burnt in the eternal lamps was
constantly refilled since it was used by Hindus
and Catholics to anoint any part of the body that
is afflicted with pain or abnormality. The Hindu
practice began as early as 1871 when the parish
priest of La Divina Pastora recorded in his diary

that no one goes away without having thrown on
their heads the oil which burns before the statue.
The same church serves

Christians and
Hindus on
separate days
The Jinnah Memorial

Mosque in St Joseph
The Jinnah Memorial Mosque is located in St.
Joseph, the first capital of Trinidad and Tobago. In
the 1870s during Indian indentureship, St Joseph
was a bustling city with telegraph communication
and railway trains. It was once the seat of the
Cabildo, and in 1797 had 13 sugar mills, seven
coffee mills, four cotton mills, and two rum
distilleries. The mosque was built in 1954 on
the compound of its affiliated Trinidad Muslim
League Headquarters. The entire structure is built
of reinforced concrete with weights and measures
designed to last generations.
It is an architectural beauty comparable to the best
of its kind in the Middle and Far East. Deservingly,
the mosque earned the distinction of being featured

twice on postage stamps issued in the 1990s.
The main dome in the centre of the roof is 40 feet
[12 metres] in diameter and 24 feet high [7 metres].
The dome has windows of glass louvers all around,
and a crescent and star adorning its crown. Four
half-domes form a cluster around the main dome
with a door leading to each. Onlookers in the halfdomes can lean against an iron railing to view the
captivating sight of the inner dome above, and the
ground floor below. Six smaller, narrow domes
capped in green and with needle-like spires, stand
at the angles of the hexagonal structure.
This top of this magnificent building has two

minarets towering over 80 feet [24 metres] high on
its eastern and western sides. Meaning beacon
Comparable with the

best in the
Middle East
or light house in Arabic, a minaret is a tower in a
mosque from which the faithful are called to prayer
five times each day by a muezzin or crier with a
loudspeaker. According to researcher Anthony de
Verteuil, the minarets in the St. Joseph mosque
are of the classical type with a hexagonal base
ascending into a circular pillar. Each minaret has
an interior staircase, and is built with two balconies

or open galleries. These watch- towers are intended
to be visible symbols of Islam designed to be seen
from afar. They are also built to claim the space
in the name of Allah, and spread the glory of his
message.
The interior of the mosque is a sight to behold. It
has a gallery on either side. The original parapet
railing three feet [.9 metres] high all around the
roof has been removed. The inner arches and
walls of the interior are decorated beautifully with
Arabic calligraphy. Visitors to the Middle East
vouch that the inscriptions on the walls of the
Jinnah Memorial Mosque are as stunning as those
of Arabian countries. The spacious interior can
easily accommodate 1,000 worshippers.
The temple in the

sea at Waterloo
The Siewdass Sadhu Shiv Mandir is located in the

sea in Waterloo, Carapichaima, in central Trinidad.
It was built by an ex-indentured immigrant
labourer named Sewdass Sadhu. He was born in
the holy city of Benares on the Ganges River in
India in 1903 and travelled with his parents to
Trinidad in 1907 at the tender age of four on the
vessel SS Mutlah. On his first return visit to India
in 1926, the sea was so dangerously turbulent that
he vowed that he would build a temple in Trinidad
upon his safe return.
Sadhu began construction of the shrine in 1947
in a swampy vacant lot close to the shore of the
Gulf of Paria. It is said that he chose this location

because the seas enchanting waters reminded him
of the holy Ganges. His wife Samdaye said that
he received verbal consent by an official of the
colonys Caroni sugar estate, Mr. Mark Millan, to
build this shrine. But conflict soon arose between
him and Caroni in 1952. This resulted in his
imprisonment for 14 days and a fine of 100 pounds
for his refusal to demolish the illegal structure
on state land. The temple, with its sweet-smelling
flowers, was demolished by the company while
Sadhu was in jail.
Sadhu used a
bicycle with
buckets for
transport
For those who are not familiar
with the extraordinary man behind
the construction of this temple, a
beautiful statue of the unassuming
Sewdass Sadhu has been erected.
The statue is built of concrete and
depicts Sadhu in traditional dhoti,
kurta and mala [loin cloth, shirt
and garland]. His hands, clasped in
reverential pranaam, greet visitors
just outside the temple.
Upon his release, Sadhu resorted to the sea to
fulfil his promise. He began building the temple
and its footpath 300 feet (90 metres) into the water
from the shoreline. He toiled single-handedly for
17 years, carrying building material in buckets on
the handlebars of his old bicycle. Empty oil steel
drums filled with boulders formed the foundation
of the structure. Eventually, the temples structure
was complete with a sanctum, kitchen, dining
room, restroom and a quaint-looking verandah
that encircled the temple. Hindus flocked to this
shrine during festivals such as Kartik Snaan and
Shiva Raatri. On these occasions, the sea rang out
with solemn hymns and reverent words uttered in
prayers. Regrettably, Sadhu died in 1971. Much
to the dismay of visitors of all faiths, the temple
became neglected and the strong waves battered
its weakened foundations. In 1995, the temple was
restored to its magnificent splendour as a tribute to
the strength, devotion, vision and perseverance of
its native designer and architect.
The Hosay Massacre

sites in San Fernando
On October 30th 1884, 22 Indians were killed and
120 others injured in a hail of police gunfire at two
Hosay processions in San Fernando. Included in the
casualties were defenceless women and children.
This event is perhaps the bloodiest event of British
rule in colonial Trinidad. Many historians who
have studied the event reveal that Hindus as well
as Africans were take part in the street processions.
Historians also believe that never before had such
a large, armed military force assembled in colonial
Trinidad, or in any other West Indian colony, at
any cultural event.
Hosay is the commemoration of the death of the
two soldier-grandsons of the Prophet Mohammed
who were killed in war in Iraq in 680 AD. The

centerpiece of Hosay is the procession of taziyas
made of cardboard and tinsel. They are symbols of
the tomb erected over the remains of Husain in the
plains of Karbala.
In 1884, the government banned Hosay processions
from entering the towns of Port of Spain and San
Fernando. This was tantamount to killing the
best part of the parade. An Indian by the name
of Sookoo, and 31 others, drew up a petition to
the governor which was rejected. Sookoo felt
that the law was unjust and discriminatory, and
consequently decided to defy the regulation with
an act of civil disobedience.
In the 1884 Hosay, each estate had its own taziya,

accompained by tassa drummers and stick fighters.
There were processions from Wellington, Picton,
Lennon, Rowbotton, Retrench, Estate, and Union
Hall estate. Other processions came from Ne Plus
Ultra, Corinth, Palmyra and St Madeline estate. It
was a dramatic parade, attracting huge crowds of
spectators annually in San Fernando.
entrance was where Point-a-Pierre Road formed a

junction with Mount Moriah Road. Through this
Police detachments were strategically deployed

with cartridges loaded with buckshots to scattershoot into the crowd. A contingent of 74 policemen
was headed by Captain Baker at Mon Repos
Junction. Twenty soldiers arrived by special train
from Port of Spain. Twenty-one British marines
were sent to Princes Town to reinforce the police
there. The British warship, H.M.S. Dido, rushed
down from Barbados to anchor in waiting outside
the San Fernando harbour.
entrance, crowds surged from estates like Vista

Bella, Marabella, Concord, Bon Accord, and
Plein Palais.
Armed forces were placed at the three main

entrances leading to San Fernando. They were
posted at the Les Efforts junction, which was a
toll gate that lay at the junction of Cipero Street
and Rushworth Street. At this point, 34 armed
men, 20 soldiers and 14 policemen were stationed.
The other entrance was at the point where Royal
Road met Mon Repos Estate. The next (northern)
at the junction
of Cipero Street and
Rushworth Street
Few Indians believed that the police would shoot

them down in cold blood. After all, they were simply
participating in a customary religious procession.
One survivor said that he did not believe that the
police would shoot people like fowls.
The massacre took place on a Thursday. On
horseback, Magistrate Arthur Child read The Riot
Act amid the thunder of tassa drumming, chanting,
singing, and stick-fighting. Few Indians could have
really heard what was being read. Even if they
had heard, few could have understood English
at that time. Child ordered the police to shoot at
the procession at Les Efforts. Two volleys were
fired into the crowd, followed by some sporadic
shooting. Those in the front of the procession were
mowed down by a hail of bullets. Taziyas fell to
the ground. The dead and wounded lay in pools
of blood in the street. There was shock and panic.
There were shrieks of terror and cries of pain.

Some ran into the canefields. Others scampered
for shelter from the bullets.
At the Mon Repos junction, the stipendiary
magistrate read the Riot Act. Shots were again
fired. Again, taziyas fell to the ground, and men,
women and children lay dead. The processions
where Royal Road

met Mon Repos Estate
on the Point-a-Pierre Road were speared gunfire
because they were persuaded to turn back. The
nation was shocked into disbelief.
The Lion House

in Chaguanas
The Lion House is located on the main road in

Chaguanas near to the police station and the open
market. Built between 1924 and 1926, it stands in
memory of the immigrants who came from India
to Trinidad to work as indentured labourers from
1845 to 1917. It was designed and built by Pundit
Capildeo who was born in Uttar Pradesh in India,
and who came to Trinidad in 1873 at the age of 21
to work as an indentured labourer. He became a
pandit [priest] and later emerged as a successful
landowner, cane farmer and businessman. He built
the house with his own hands from home-made
baked clay, modelling it after the design of buildings
in his native town of Gorakpur. After completion of

the Lion House, Pundit Capildeo named it Anand
Bhavan [Mansion of Bliss]. The house became
a meeting place for many travellers from all over
Trinidad who were passing through Chaguanas. It
was also a kind of community centre, a venue for
debates, a place for panchayats [tribubals], and
a guest house for pilgrims. The Lion House was
the birthplace of V.S. Naipaul who fictionalised
the building in his famous novel A House for Mr
Biswas. The Nobel Prize laureate for literature
was born in 1932 to Pundit Capildeos daughter,
Droapatie, and her husband Seepersad Naipaul.
According to Naipauls cousin, attorney

Surendranath Capildeo, the Lion House is the only
building of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.
Historian Anthony de Verteuil states that the ancient
architectural design mirrors the early Gupta style
of fifth century India. Pundit Capildeo envisaged
the construction as his cultural gift to Trinidad
from his ancient homeland. The Lion House was
the tallest building in central Trinidad that rose
four storeys high. Its massive foundations of thick
walls occupied every inch of the land. The first
floor opened towards the main road and was used
as a store. The second floor was divided into four
family rooms. On this floor, the life-sized concrete
statues of lions on the corners of the verandah walls
gave the house its popular name. From this floor,
narrow wooden steps led to the third floor which
was a puja [prayer] room. From here, a flight of
stairs led to the roof which really had no purpose.
Surendranath states: Pundit Capildeo had ample
opportunity to display his artistic skills. Around
all the windows and doorways, he had etched in
the concrete various designs, and he used small
circular mirrors to highlight all the openings in the
building. The entire building was decorated. Even
Fictionalised by V.S.
Naipaul in A House
for Mr Biswas
the tremendous pillars had a flower-like base. As a
final touch, he used decorative blocks to highlight
the front of the building.
Aripo River in
the Northern Range
The Aripo River is located in the lush rainforest
of the Northern Range. The river flows at the
bottom of Aripo valley at the foot of El Tucuche
and El Cerro Del Aripo, the highest mountains in
Trinidad. Near the river are caves which house
bats and Jablotehs (Oil Birds), the only bird in the
world that forages for food in the night.
His Holiness Sri Ganapati Sachidananda Swamiji

of India discovered Aripo River and consecrated
it as a sacred site. He disclosed that when he was
a young boy, he had heard the name of this river
when his grandfather was reading the Brahmanda
Purana, a sacred Hindu scripture. Aripo River was
mentioned as Saptharshi Nadi (Sararipu River).
Both he and his ascetic grandfather searched
throughout India for Saptharshi Nadi without

success. Then, through meditation, Ganapati
got a vision that the sacred river was located in
Trinidad. Ganapati came to Trinidad to search for
the Sararipu River in 1976 and discovered it in the
form of Aripo River in 1986.
Ganapati told his followers that the Northern Range
was once a part of the Himalayan mountain, and
that great rishis [sages], including himself, had
lived there about 35,000 ago. Ecological evidence
has shown that the Northern Range is indeed very
old. It is actually an eastern spur of the Andes,
and was probably joined to South America about
10,000 years ago
There are plants and animals that are native to both

the Northern Range and the Andes like the golden
tree frog, the armadillo, and the wild pig, as well
as palm, mahogany and balata trees. Ganapati
found that certain trees, like the adumbara and
peepal, flourished in El Cerro Del Aripo as well as
the Himalayas. He also revealed that Aripo River
was once a tributary of the holy Ganges in India.
He consecrated a spot where there was a merging
(sangam) of Aripo River, a narrow brook, and an
underground mystical stream. It was a spot in the
river where crystal clear water ran over slabs of
flat stone, then flowed into small pools, and finally
cascaded into short waterfalls. The sacred spot
was reminiscent of the confluence of the rivers
Krishna, Amaraja and Bheem in Ganagaapur in
India. Since Ganapatis sanctification, Aripo River
has been said to possess healing qualities for

anyone suffering from skin and physical problems.
Three rivers meet at

the sacred spot
A Shiva Temple has since been constructed on its
bank with materials quarried from the river. A
meditation room and other buildings were also
built. A concrete staircase of 108 steps descends
from the asphalt road to the sangam. The sacred
site in the lush forest has been named Aripo Datta
Kashi Nath or Aripo Datta Ganga. People of all
walks of life visit this tourist attraction to sightsee
and worship.
The Dattatreya Yoga

Centre in Carapichaima
The Dattatreya Yoga Centre is located in
Orangefield Road, Carapichaima, a few
miles from the Temple-in-the-Sea at
Waterloo. It is one of the most decorated
and picturesque mandirs in Trinidad.
This building complex of magnificent
beauty represents the culmination of the
best in art and architecture over several
generations, both here in Trinidad and in
also India. One can safely say that this
stunning masterpiece can be considered
to be the Taj Mahal of the Caribbean, if
not the Western Hemisphere. The visitor
is astonished into disbelief on seeing
the carved walls, decorated pillars, fine
statues, and colourful ceiling. To visit
this site is to discover divinity in art
through the devoted work of man who
has tried to capture the infinity of God
with the skill of his hands and the breath
of his knowledge.
The temple complex was conceived and
built by Sri Ganapathi Sachindananda
Swamiji of India. Swami Ganapathi
visited Trinidad in 1976 in search of
Sararipu River, a branch of the holy
Ganges which he discovered to be
the Aripo River. In 1988, a parcel of
five acres of land was demarcated in
Carapichaima to become the future site
of the complex. During one of Swami
Ganapathis visits in 2000, he announced
and commissioned the building which
is now a colossal structure named the
Dattatreya Yoga Centre.
The temple follows the sacred instructions of

temple design inscribed in the Vastushastras.
It is oriented so that the main entrance faces the
rising sun and a passage allows the movement of
devotees to the sanctuary of the womb-chamber
along the east-west axis. The temple was built in
classic south Indian architectural style, though
certain designs follow styles of north India.
The main shikara [tower] is generally shaped as
a bee hive with a small throat and a round finial
called an amalaka. The shikara is not shaped as
a pyramid, but consists of horizontal layers which
elevate in progressively smaller stories called
pavilions [talas]. These pavilions culminate in a
narrow throat topped by a northern-style finial. The
other shikaras are of classic southern style with a
pyramidal shape crowned by a dome-shaped finial
[stupi].
The spectacular 30-foot [9 metre] tower above

the main entrance does not house any murtis. The
tower elevates in horizontal layers. Each layer
has a facade row of detailed miniature sculptured
columns of monolithic figures. It resembles the
hundred-pillar type of design. In traditional Indian
temples, these sculptures represent dramatizations
of various battles between forces of good and evil
- which are narrated in the holy books.
The main tower, however, does not depict elaborate
stories. Instead, the sculptures are of various
representations of God.
A monument of art
and architecture
beyond belief
The tallest murti

[statue] of
Hanuman outside
of India
The proportion and balance of the parts of the
Yoga Centre adds to the beauty and sanctity
of this sacred monument. Esoterically, the
entire structure represents a man lying on
his back looking up at the heavens.
The Yoga Centre is also the site where
the gigantic Lord Hanuman murti [statue]
towers at a height of 85 feet [25 metres].
This murti is the only one of its kind and the
largest in the Caribbean, and the Western
Hemisphere. It is also the tallest murti of
Hanuman outside of India. It stands in a
field next to the main temple, and its unique
construction ensures that its base is also a
single-cell temple. India-born architect
Thangam Sabramanian led a team of
artisans and sculptors to build this towering
figure of this great monkey-god, a devotee
of Lord Shri Ram.
Swami Ganapathi instructed the team to
design the Hanuman murti according to
strict Vedic architectural dimensions with all
parts of the body being in perfect proportion
to the legendary figure. He recommended
that the murti face east, overlooking the
Caroni plains, and that his expression
should be peaceful. His right hand must be
upraised in benediction and his left should
hold his mace [gadda], on which he should
lean slightly. The Hanuman murti is richly
adorned with amulets and jewellery, and is
covered with a vivid polychrome sindoorred paint finish.
The Triveni Mandir

in Williamsville
The Triveni temple is located in the village of Hard

Bargain, Williamsville, about thirty minutes drive
from the Gasparillo turnoff on the Solomon Hochoy
Highway. The magnificent temple sits atop a hill in
Sisters Road. It is a building with multiple shrines
and remarkable ornate carvings. The magnificent
temple is nestled in a quiet countryside of tall trees
and dense bushes. Its secluded location seems to
be Trinidads best kept secret. Its individuality will
remain as a tribute to the artistic genius of all those
who have contributed to its beauty and splendour.
The name, Triveni, symbolizes the meeting of the
three neighbouring villages of St Julien, Dyers
Village and Hard Bargain. The temples name is
derived from the meeting place of three sacred

rivers in India Ganges, Jamuna and Saraswati
called Triveni. The temple is owned and managed
by the family of its main financier, Shri Rampersad
Ramrattan Ramoonsingh, who built it over an old
temple structure. It is a sublime expression of
Ramoonsinghs devotion to God and undying love
for his community. These qualities are immortalised
in a temple befitting the attendance of kings and
queens. It was his dream to build this temple in
which devotees and deities would be treated as
royalty by providing them with a sacred sanctuary
blessed with the transcendence of classical art and
architecture.
brilliantly adorned backdrops. No doubt,

these are among the finest examples of
the fusion of ancient art in India and
modern architecture in the Caribbean.
On the interior walls of some of the
domes are large colourful drawings by
Zainool, a retired schoolteacher from
Barrackpore. One of the domes features a
mural of Lord Krishna painted against the
landscape of his birthplace in Vindravan.
The artist used fluorescent bulbs and real
branches to make his mural appear like
natural scenes of a living landscape.
A royal temple of
art and
sculpture
The Aum symbol is sacred to Hindus as it
represents the single primordial sound of
creation. The finial of both domes is shaped
like an onion and culminates in an apex.
An interesting feature of the outer structure
of the temple is its bilateral symmetry;
what appears on the left also appears on the
right, and vice versa. The temples art and
architecture also feature life-size sculptures
of elephants at the foot of both sides of the
stairs, with another at the summit. These
are designed to convey the image of the
court-life of the maharajas [kings] in their
royal palaces in India.
The temple is a multi-dome structure
housing several sanctums for different
groups of deities. The murtis [statues]
imported from India are immaculate marble
creations. They are positioned against
Stucco-like floral and foliage motifs in rich gold

are found in dense profusion on the pillars and
corbels. In some of the areas of the temple, bricks
were moulded to achieve special stylistic designs.
A masterpiece of
creative genius
One of the more interesting sights of the temple
is its frosted and stained glass windows. Through
their colours and designs, they project attractive
images when sunlight passes through them. There
is a decorative fountain beside the driveway. To
behold the exterior as well as the interior of this
magnificent temple is to view a monument of
exquisite art.
There is also a mini shrine of Hanuman built
separately from the temple hall. It is open on all
four sides with a curvilinear dome crowned by an
onion-shaped finial. All of the domes are replicas
of northern Indian temple architecture. Even from
the roadway, the visitor gets a view of a work of
artistic creation never seen anywhere else in the
Caribbean. The Triveni temple is a place of worship

as well as a shrine of art. It is a national cultural
monument with aesthetics of universal appeal.
The palatial temple houses a large prayer hall, a
kitchen, washrooms, a laundry, a library, an office,
and two guest rooms. It is a popular choice for
hosting weddings.
The Indian
Caribbean Museum
Located near the famous Temple-in-the-Sea in
Waterloo, the Indian Caribbean Museum is unique
in the world. No other museum has been dedicated
to the preservation of the material history of
over one million descendants of East Indians/
South Asians in the Caribbean. The first Indian
the Angostura Museum of Trinidad and Tobago.

Indeed, the establishment of such museums is
important because they focus on specific themes
to which the National Museum cannot do justice
because of its limited size and city location.
immigrants came to the Caribbean from India to

work as indentured labourers from 1838 to 1917
after the abolition of slavery.
The museums large collection has been obtained

through field trips by administrators of the
institution. Most items have been acquired as
gifts, bequests and loans by interested individuals,
families, priests, historians, scholars and collectors
of the island community. The collections include
old items such as rare musical instruments,
agricultural objects, cooking utensils, pieces
of clothing, ancient photographs and historical
books.
There are many types of museums in the world,

and even within a country. The major types
include museums of art, science, sports and natural
history. Opened in May 2006, the Indian Museum
is a specialized museum like the Police Museum,
the Money Museum, The Maritime Museum and
Some objects of historical and aesthetic value in

the Indian Caribbean Museum include a sapat
[wooden slipper], a jata [grinding stone], a boli
[gourd bowl], a hassawa [grass knife], and an
aluminium scoop. On the museums grounds is a
huge copper (cuppa) basin used for boiling cane
syrup in the factory up to the 1930s, but afterwards
adapted as water troughs for animals and water
tanks for household use. There is also a dhekhi a
wooden contraption used for pounding cocoa and
coffee beans as well as corn and rice grains.
The Museum also houses an art gallery, a reference
library and, soon, a computerised genealogical
database. There is a large permanent screen on a
recessed wall of the museum for the showing of
historical films and documentaries. Also to be
established in the museums outdoor space is a
botanical garden with some of the rare endangered
plants of Indian origin like the satputiya (angled
loofah), poi bhaji (Indian spinach), urdi (mung
bean), and khakri (wild cucumber).
The museum is the private property of Maha
Sabha with affiliation to government agencies like
the Tourism Development Corporation (TDC) and
The National Museum and Art Gallery of Trinidad
and Tobago. It has a full-time and part-time
professional staff whose primary responsibility is

the acquisition, care and exhibition of objects for
the benefit of the public.
A national treasure and

a keeper of culture

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Indo-Caribbean Cult

Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council 2008

Trinidad & Tobago Volume 9 (a) Number 1 May 2008

Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council - Indian Arrival Day Magazine 2008

Tel: (868) 674-6008 Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707

Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council - Indian Arrival Day Magazine 2008

Greetings from the Prime Minister of

The Honourable Patrick Manning

The Lighthouse in Port of Spain

Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council - Indian Arrival Day Magazine 2008

The Fath al Razak landed in Trinidad on 30th

Steamer, Sturdee, which was passing nearby at

The Fath al Razak

Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council - Indian Arrival Day Magazine 2008

According to historian Michael Anthony, Governor

passengers would have bowed down in prayer at

Nelson Island is one of the Five Islands in Trinidad

German passports, who were mainly refugee Jews,

Indian immigrants, [who worked] on the sugar

Island which was, indeed, Trinidads Ellis

Millions of years ago, large caves offered both

Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council - Indian Arrival Day Magazine 2008

Against this background, a pilgrimage to a cave

The cave is located in the wooded private property

The cave in Maraval is an underground marvel

Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council - Indian Arrival Day Magazine 2008

A cave is considered a special place in Hindu

Pilgrims journey to seek

cool; it was neither damp nor warm. Since daylight

The active mud

Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council - Indian Arrival Day Magazine 2008

The mud volcano in Columbia coconut estate in

If they do not make offerings to the volcano,

express gratitude and appreciation that it has not

The Shiva Mandir is located at the end of a

heaven on earth, it is at this Shiva Mandir with

When Manickchand broke the news the next

Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council - Indian Arrival Day Magazine 2008

privately-owned and cared for by Mr. Ramlochan

There are many who can testify that they have

in art, photography and sculpture. A large mural

The Marianne River

For the past 12 years, Marianne River in

and to engage the community into a sustainable

Marianne River turned out to be an ideal pilgrimage

sandpipers, grey kingbirds and striated herons. The

The river as symbolic

Manzanilla has a rich historic past of Indians during

in 1822. After Emancipation in

Manzanilla beach stretches along the east coast

The closest Trinidad

of holy Ganges merges with the Atlantic Ocean

The Roman Catholic

Hindu worship of a Christian saint in the Roman

claim that after participating in ritual worship

Kali worship in Trinidad and Guyana has attracted

On Good Friday, Catholics give way to Hindus

Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council - Indian Arrival Day Magazine 2008

Vertovec (1992: 20) observes: Each person

priest of La Divina Pastora recorded in his diary

The same church serves

The Jinnah Memorial

Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council - Indian Arrival Day Magazine 2008

the mosque earned the distinction of being featured