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April 29, 2018

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2 Times Indian Arrival Magazine

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Celebrating 180 years of Indian Immigration

of East Indian Arrival

G

uyanese, will on Saturday, May 5, 2018 observe East Indian Arrival Day ; an occasion commemorating the 180th anniversary of their arrival, bringing with them their ancient customs, food and culture from India.

Under a system of agreement, an order in the Council of Britain was passed on July 12, 1838 making provision for indentured immigrants to travel to Guyana for a term of five years.

On January 13, 1838 the Whitby left the shores of India with 249 immigrants on board and arrived in Guyana on the 5th May 1838 after a voyage of 112 days. Five immigrants died during the voyage. The

the way. Next ship was the ‘Success’, which arrived on July 21, 1845 with 231 passengers, 14 died on the way.

Next was the ‘Nester’, which arrived on December 26, 1845 with 233 persons and brought 500 bags of rice.

On February 2, 1846 ‘Manchester’ then the ‘Thetis’ followed by the ‘Tamerlane’ the ‘Martin Luther’ and ‘Troy” in succession, then the ‘John Wickliffe’, the ‘Bussorary Merchant’, the ‘Aurora’, ‘Lady Mekennaway’ and lastly the ‘SS Ganges’, which docked in Georgetown on April 18, 1917. Bringing that period, 79 years- 238,979 indentured labourers journeyed from India to Guyana to work under colonial ad-

factor to unity was that everyone came with an inter-faith mind of mainly Hindus and Muslims and there was also a belief that the caste system has been lost through the crossing of ‘Kaala’ Pani (Black Water).

Through the years the community spirit has manifested itself in various situations-forming groups singing Ramayan, Bhajanas reading of the Holy Quran and observing the various festivals and holi days etc.

The plantation owners and the colonial administration feared the unity of the workers and used several techniques to destroy it.

By January 1830, there was evidence that the Indian labourers were being mis-

A European indentured ‘indented’ contract. The jagged indented top indicates this is the bottom half of the indenture contract

Whitby proceeded first to Berbice and landed 164 passengers at Hilbury, East Bank Berbice, nearly 12 miles from New Amsterdam.

East of the capital, the same day it returned to Vreed-en-hoop, West Demerara and landed 80 passengers. Out of the 244 immigrants that came with the Whitby they were 233 men, 5 women and 6 children. The first man to step on shore in Berbice was Anant Ram while in Demerara the first man to disembark was Nutha Khan.

On January 29, 1838, the Hesperus sailed from Calcutta sixteen days later than the Whitby, with 165 persons on board. It arrived at Port Georgetown on the night of May 5th 1838, 13 immigrants died during the voyage including two persons who fell over-board.

Out of the 152 immigrants that came on board the Hesperus, were 135 men, 6 women and 11 children.

On January 26, 1845 ‘Lord Hunger’ left Calcutta with 162 passengers on board, the ship arrived in Georgetown on May 4, 1845, and ten persons died on

ministration. They were distributed to various locations on the coastland of Guyana.

The plantation system and conditions were not favourable at all. The immigrants worked from sunrise to sunset and were so poorly paid that they were just able to exist. They slaved and provided luxurious living for their masters. They brought with them a rich culture and heritage together with a language.

The indentured immigrants were disciplined and found satisfaction in honest and productive work. They were kind, hospitable and generous and they lived contented lives. They made tremendous sacrifices so that their descendants would be able to enjoy a better standard of living.

The foremost characteristic of the struggle of the East Indian immigrants against indenture and plantation system was their unity. Their unity had been forged on shipboard. Those who came on the same ship were considered as ship brothers and sisters“Jahaji”.

A further contributing

treated. Far more significant were the uprisings, which frequently led to tragic deaths of immigrant workers protesting illegal wages, bad conditions and the exploitation of their women.

There were eight main disturbances on sugar plantations leading to shooting by colonial police from Devonshire Castle in 1872 to 1948 at Enmore. At Vreed-en-hoop, West Bank Demerara an English nurse Betsy Ann testified that

The immigrant ship Hesperus

she had witnessed the flogging of immigrants with the cat-o-nine tails, and another woman Elizabeth Caesar witnessed the flogging of immigrants under the manager’s house after which, salt pickle was rubbed on to their backs.

Figures show that one out of every five immigrants was brought before the courts; not for offences of a criminal nature but for resistance to a plantation system, which was supported by the judiciary and colonial administration.

There were no trade unions until recent times.

The East Indians have contributed in a significant way to build Guyana’s economic and social structures.

It was indeed the unity of principle and action among East Indians that brought overwhelming success to our dear land of Guyana.

(Adapted from an article by Shan Razak; 2013 Guyana Times newspaper) Origin of indentureship Most of us know that ‘Arrival Day’ is about the ‘arrival’ of ‘indentured servants’ to labour on the sugar plantations after the abolition of slavery - first the Portuguese (1935), West Indian Africans (1835), Indians (1838), and, finally, the Chinese (1853).

But exactly what is an ‘indentured servant’? It is actually one of a series of arrangements in which indi-

viduals were pressured by various devices - which were enacted into ‘law’ - to provide their labour under controlled and specified conditions.

‘Indentured labour’ was but one of various guises under which individuals across the globe were conscripted to provide labour in the development of the ‘capitalist’ mode of production that developed as Europe began to exploit the worlds it had ‘discovered’ – and more germanely, conquered – after 1492. There were indentured labourers from Europe starting from the 17th century long before the Indians from India.

Indian indentureship In India, which the British East India Company conquered between 1657 and 1818, the British passed laws that changed the rules on land taxes and crops that should be cultivated.

Consequently, millions died from famine and pushed off the land to become the excess labour that could be exported to other parts of the empire as needed.

Under the new racism, Indians were also lower intrinsically to whites.

Indentured Indian labour was first used within India in the tea plantations of Assam, and then to the newly acquired French islands of Reunion and Mauritius.

After the abolition of African slavery in the British

Empire in 1834, rather than moving to ‘free labour’, as was promised, they introduced ‘unfree’ indentured labour by law. The contracts of the indentureds were structured to keep them bound to their employer so that if they were not in the fields, they had to be either in jail or hospital. Infractions of their contract were subjected to criminal penalties, and these were applied liberally.

In Fiji, the descendants of the Indian indentureds call themselves ‘GIRMITIYA’ people of the agreement by which they were bound to the new world.

The indenture contracts formed a partnership between the traveller and the ‘master’ to exchange years of service for a promise of future compensation like acres of land, livestock, clothing, room and boarding during the time of service.

The terms of this contract were between servant Patrick Larkin and Master Thomas Blood.

The Indian Indenture contract

Below is an example from Mauritius of the indenture contract that Indians were made to sign before embarking on the ship for the colonies at the beginning of indentureship. The terms were to be copied by all the countries such as Guyana and Trinidad, which received indentured labour later. (Cover photo: On the way to work (no date)

East Indian lodgings

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3

Celebrating 180 years of Indian Immigration An Indentureship Story

By L akhram B hagirat

P

o n g a v a n u m Munsammy or w as she is lovingly known is a 91-year-old former estate worker, who even in her old age, enjoys an active life and is dependent on no one. Auntie Chalma came into the

Magazine caught up with Auntie Chalma at her Lot 21 Leonora Pasture home, she was sitting on the bridge, over the small gutter, overlooking the road and “taking breeze”.

At 91, most elderly people would complain about constant aches, pains and

Atlantic breeze, she related how different it was while growing up in the early 1900s. Taking me back to a different era, she beautifully explained how her father and mother were hardworking and respected people within the Indian community and how she and her siblings fought internal battles to

Auntie Chalma and her best friends

spotlight a few years ago when she was honoured as the oldest surviving worker of the Leonora Sugar Estate and since then, she has enjoyed national recognition.

Born on February 17, 1927 to indentured immigrants Andikan and Chinganie at Leonora Pasture, West Coast Demerara, Auntie Chalma remembers growing up in a logie with her two siblings and their parents. When the Sunday

lack of mobility but that is not the case with Auntie Chalma; she is still able to move briskly, tend to her flower garden and make meals for herself.

She lives alone and despite her daughter, Golin Singh, living in the same yard Auntie Chalma insists on doing everything for herself, as long as she is able to.

Chatting with Auntie Chalma with our backs to the setting sun and faces caressed by the soft

Auntie Chalma’s beloved garden

prove their how hardworking they were.

Auntie Chalma explained that because of her old age she is unable to hear properly and urged me to speak louder. She began sharing her story even without my prompting.

She explained that while growing up, there was the unmatched level of camaraderie among everyone within the then tiny village of Leonora.

“When me bin a lil gyal

when anybody got dead here nobody does go wuk.

Them does stay home and take care of the dead and same thing with wedding but today everybody ah do dem own thing and nah talk to mattie (one another),” she said Struggles Auntie Chalma’s life, like most people in the early 1900s, was categorized by constant struggles.

At 12 years old, during the Great Depression following the First World War, life became so tough that her parents began looking for a suitor for her. It was then she was introduced to the only man she ever loved Munsammy called Tambie. Mere months after they were married and embarked on a new chapter and moved Cane Grove on the East Coast of Demerara.

Tragedy would force Auntie Chalma and Tambie to move back to Leonora after their first born mysteriously died and they were unable to cope.

When they returned they set up their life once again and she then birthed six children and now lives to see four generations.

Taking us back to her earlier life, Auntie Chalma says she worked hard to provide for her children. Golin explains that her mother worked hard and they were able to buy cattle but as life was getting better for them, their life took an unexpected turn.

Tambie became an alcoholic and began selling out their tools and other thing just to get money for him to buy alcohol. He would soon pass away and Auntie Chalma worked tirelessly to provide for her children.

“Dem days lang time bin hard, everybody bin a wuk and plant and suh not like now.”

Golin explains that her mother enjoys the life she currently lives but adds that she is slowly losing some of the memories she had.

Auntie Chalma begins everyday by waking up at the crack of dawn, picks flowers from her bountiful garden, showers and

Auntie Chalma's 84th birthday

goes to her altar where she thanks god for every moment she gets. She enjoys practicing Hinduism and goes to Mandir every Sunday morning.

Now Auntie Chalma just takes everyday as it comes and enjoys every moment.

“Ayo young people got to live together more and nah be selfish.”

Auntie Chalma and her daughter Golin

4 Times Indian Arrival Magazine

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Celebrating 180 years of Indian Immigration

takes us back in time

W

hile growing up we heard many stories of how life on the plantations was for our fore parents; we shared with our elders the customs passed on by their parents and we listened keenly to the struggles they went through, so that we can now live a free life.

For the younger generation, that freedom is taken for granted and the struggles not really appreciated because all we did was hear about them, we never felt nor witnessed the whippings and constant abuse at the hands of the colonial masters.

In effort to educate the

younger generation and also highlight the struggles of the indentured workers, Kishore Seunarine birthed the idea of “Echos from the Plantation.” The movie came about in 2014 when, the director made a research presentation at his office as a speech and one year later he used that

speech as an opening monologue for a play staged by Nirvana Humanitarian Foundation INC USA. While performing the monologue both in NYC and Toronto, Sewnarine noticed tears in the eyes of the audience as they related to the story. After the production, many asked if he can record the monolog and post it up to YouTube.

While it caught his ears, it did not satisfy his artistic desire. He had been acting since 1977 and to slap together a YouTube video with stock footage from the internet was not sounding good to him. As such, he committed to making a movie.

He began writing the script in 2016 and the scenes were shot it in 2017.

The scenes were shot in Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo. In one of the scenes, the village of India was built from scratch in Perseverance Estate on the Essequibo coast.

The logie and slave ship were also built at Bola Sawmill in Hubu. The primary reason for this production is to celebrate/ commemorate the 180th anniversary of the arrival of Indians in Guyana.

Because of that intention, the movie focuses on the first batch of Indians only.

There are many other elements of the Indian history in Guyana, but many of

Mr. Kishore Seunarine birthed the idea of “Echos from the Plantation”

those elements happened later in the saga.

Plot

The movie is centered around a Guyanese American young lady who returns home to visit her grandfather ; the story unfolds from there . The cast of the film is primarily young people of all ethnicities.

“The young ones are the ones who are responding in a positive manner. They are inspired. Some of these traditions are family traits that came down and when they came in the 1800 they were coming with the caste

system and they (Colonial Masters) selected the workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is because these were agriculture workers and the British selected the agriculture workers to plant sugar cane,” he said.

“Echos from the plantation”- a movie that portrays the livelihood on Indians on the Sugar Plantation was released on Saturday at the Nirvana Humanitarian Foundation at Metem-Mere-Zorg, West Coast Demerara for the commemoration 180th Anniversary of the arrival of East Indians to Guyana.

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5

Celebrating 180 years of Indian Immigration

"Arrival" is not

By Ravi Dev

O

n May 5th, the nation commemorates Indian Arrival Day. The holiday is officially designated “Arrival Day”, putatively to recognize all the other immigrant groups that were brought by the planters to labour on the sugar plantations after the abolition of slavery. These groups would then include the Portuguese and Chinese as well as Indians but there has not been any noticeable participation by the descendants of these industrious and hardy pioneers since the holiday was ushered in back in 2004.

In 2016, President Granger – leader of the PNC-led coalition announced that the Arrival day of the immigrants other than Indians would also be recognized – but not as Public Holidays.

In the run-up of the ef-

Landed At Demerara, Guyana, South America, East Indian Immigrants, Engraving 1884. (Getty Images)

sion that resulted in the undercutting of the bargaining power for their labour?

Whether the group that was used as scabs were Indians or Portuguese (as I have ar-

alisation of Republican status. “Holocaust Day”, which has been proposed by ACDA as a holiday (and supported by the Select Committee on Holiday in 2004) is meant,

Group of Coolie Immigrants – British Guiana. No date (Raphael Tuck & Sons, England)

forts to have the day officially recognised, we had predicted this outcome not merely because May 5th was the specific day Indians arrived in Guyana -Portuguese landed on May 3rd and Chinese on January 12th - but because the latter two groups, especially the Portuguese, never demonstrated any collective inclination to remind themselves or the nation that they had arrived as immigrants to this nation. Whatever the reasons for this self-induced amnesia, it may be time for the government to alter the omnibus appellation that probably forcibly reminds these communities of a circumstance they would rather not deal with. Trinidad also initially ushered in an “Arrival Day” holiday but soon changed it to “Indian Arrival Day” without raising any fuss.

But whether we call the holiday “Indian Arrival Day” or “Arrival Day”, there is still the objection originally raised by ACDA and some others as to why should Africans celebrate an occa-

gued) to break their seminal 1847 strike, the argument needs to be addressed.

There are several ripostes apart from pointing out that because of the loss of preferential prices from England in 1846, if wages were not cut the entire industry would have had to be shuttered and hydrologically the Guyanese coast would have ceased to be viable. Sugar planters were not in any position to give the old wages and this was the case in all the islands and is why some many Barbadians and other small islanders migrated as indentureds to Guiana after the abolition of slavery.

Firstly, the occasion is not mandated to be “celebrated” but to be “commemorated”. This is not an idle semantic distinction.

Occasions are commemorated in a manner intended to inculcate some value into the participants, related to the occasion. It is from this perspective that we have been criticising some events in Mashramani, which we feel do not serve to promote the values necessary for the authentic re-

I am sure, to commemorate and not celebrate one of the greatest tragedies in the history of the world – the uncountable deaths of so many Africans during the Middle Passage. I believe that the way that ACDA has been commemorating the event over the past few years is most touching and appropriate and inculcating a palpable ethos of overcoming in the African Guyanese community.

The arrival of Indians – especially because of their relatively large numbers and the decision of most of them to remain - has impacted on the rest of Guyanese society in profound ways and other groups can reflect on these to commemorate Indian Arrival Day. In the economic realm, apart from the early undercutting of wages, the Indian’s immigrant drive for material accumulation has been transmitted to their descendants and has influenced how they exploit economic opportunities in the present. This is not unique: when African Guyanese emigrate to the US, they exhibit these same

immigrant values and stand out in their new communities. Maybe the same resolve and wherewithal can be reinforced right here through activities and events on Indian Arrival Day. A similar argument can be made for dealing with the political consequences of the demographic changes precipitated by Indian Arrival - about

which ACDA has been very vociferous in highlighting..

But there is a deeper level at which the whole society might deal with the question of arrival. After all, every group that now inhabits this land of many waters came from somewhere else.

It is taught to us from our earliest lessons in Primary School – but we seem to for-

get as soon as the school doors close – that even the Amerindians came across the Bering Straits. So in the most mundane geographical sense, we all arrived by merely setting foot on this land. We have posited before, however, that “arrival” can also be looked at from an aspirational perspective: arrival becomes not a “where” but a “what”. What is it that each one of us, individually, sectionally and collectively want to become? When we have achieved that, then and only then we would have “arrived”.

As a start, I believe that we all want to live in dignity and in peace. On May 5th, let us therefore at least spare a thought as to what we can do as citizens and as groups to create the conditions in this land of immense possibilities to move us closer to that goal. Arrival can thus become a notion that can bring us together rather than divide us as it does presently.

6 Times Indian Arrival Magazine

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Celebrating 180 years of Indian Immigration

by

Petamber Persaud

(excerpt of an interview with Harry Hergash, Georgetown, Guyana, September 2013.

Hergash was among the first batch of students of the University of Guyana.

He was taught Hindi by his parents then studied the language at the Hindu College, Cove and John.

Hergash’s publications include, ‘A Collection of Indian-Guyanese Words & Phrases and their meanings’) PP I’d like to start this discourse by quoting a few words of commendation

by Harry Persaud and cited in the book: ‘Words are essential symbols expressing multiple experiences, values and customs in the daily lives of a people, hence, we come to know the construct of a culture and its reality by its language usage’.

There is a whole lot being said in these few words. But I know you have your own reasons for writing this book....Let’s hear those reasons.

HH Yes, there are several reasons but the driving force to a large extent is tied up with what Dr Persaud said there in his commentary on the book. I believe language is an essential part of a people’s cultural heritage and in Guyana as far as I know the Indian ancestral language or if I may say languages because there was more than one language brought to Guyana PP Namely.

HH Like Bhojpuri, Bengali...Also if we look at the Southern languages – we have Telegu PP I hear of a Madrasi language; how does that fit into the picture, if it’s a language?

HH My feeling is that Telegu and Madrasi are southern languages which fall within Dravidian group of languages - there were called Madrasi because in those days Madras was a Presidency under the British and the people from South India came from the [state] Madrasi Presidency; today Madras is a state in South India but in those days it was a presidency - the British had three presidencies around that time so I think it was an all encompassing term for the languages.

PP Oh, here’s something of interest – my wife comes from a Madrasi lineage and she still uses some of the more colourful words HH That’s interesting, now that you mentioned this, allow me to jump ahead - I am doing something else looking at [the novel] ‘Hendree’s Cure’ with the permission of the author, Moses Nagamootoo.

To tie that with the impetus for writing this book – the words and phrases and the language have been in a decline to an extent where I have to say the Indian ancestral language is in danger of becoming extinct.

PP There are still a handful of speakers here….

HH Which you may be able to count on the fingers of one hand. But such speakers are mostly overseas. In the case of the South Indian languages, they are almost completely gone. Just a few words existing and those few words are not as well established into the Guyanese creolese

as the North Indian dialects. Incidentally several of the languages that came were grouped together and called Hindustani; it wasn’t called Hindi or Bhojpuri as we are now hearing from scholars. Bhojpuri was only one of the many dialects that came from North India Now you would know from history that the North Indians were the majority of recruits who came [to Guyana as indentured labourers] so it is not surprising that their words and phrases have dominated the scene. Now there is a danger in that although some words like mamu and cha cha have a greater usage in the wider society their usage within the Indian community is dying out.

PP Danger? I’d look at it as fortunate - if the wider society is using some of those words (and many such words are in currency in the foods and songs we consume) But let’s take a closer look at this decline.

Allow me to return to the text, page 12 ‘However, in their [Indian immigrants] struggle for survival and acceptance, they were unable to unsure the continuity of their ancestral languages/dialects’. Were there other subtle factors that caused the decline?

HH There are a number of factors and it is interesting and I am hoping in the near future to ventilate my thoughts on that.

But one of the reasons is the snobbery associated with the use of the English Language and the looking down upon the Indians who could not speak proper English – that was a major factor.

I remember when I was studying Hindi...

PP In Guyana?

HH Yes, Hindi was being taught in the temples in the evening and many people passing on the road would make noise and mockery. But there were far more compelling reasons, for instance, the language did not have currency to be accepted in society, and social mobility depended on the use of English.

PP So there was nothing to gain by retaining such a language?.....

HH Another example could be found in that the dialects that came were not literary languages, there were not written and at the time the Brahmins were the educated class and they perpetuated Sanskrit and not Bhojpuri ...

PP Let me get this right before moving on. I am under the impression that all the languages came out of Urdu.

HH Urdu is a combination of languages.

It is a beautiful language. In fact, Bollywood uses Urdu, the songs are generally Urdu.

PP We have touched on the decline of those languages and dialects. Let’s now look at the continuance or areas where language has survived.

HH The survival is in doubt except if there is an attempt to perpetuate it.

PP How can we do this?

HH I really don’t know. What I do know is that the language has survived in Suriname and to a certain extent in Trinidad. And there could be a revival in Guyana ....

PP Before we continue – is it important for the language to have a revival, is it important for the language to survive.

HH I think and I may be a bit

controversial here, I think, in the future, that India and China will be two of the major powers of the world. And I know that India is involved on many fronts in Guyana. So it would seem to me, wise, not only from a cultural heritage point of view but from an economic standpoint to perpetuate the language.

I know in Canada, in the provinces which are having a lot of trade with China, and in other parts of North America, Chinese language is gaining prominence.

So it seems to me because of the global importance of those two superpowers will play in the future, I think it is advisable to know something of those two languages.

PP Let’s focus on the book and the Hindi language. Let’s look at the more entertaining part of the book – the glossary - at some words that have gained currency in the mainstream, mindful of something you wrote under the heading ‘a historical perspective’ and I quote, ‘Some African friends of my parents and my paternal and maternal grandparents also knew and spoke Hindi’.

HH Let me start with one that is used and misused by almost everyone in Guyana – ‘aapan jaat’ which is used now to mean – voting for your own kind or race.

PP I know what ‘jaat’ means so it was puzzling to me its place in the combination.

So let’s hear what the complete phrase means.

HH I touched a bit on Bhojpuri and a bit on Standard Hindi which is the grammatical Hindi. In Hindi ‘your’ would be ‘aapan’; the difference in Bhojpuri will be ‘apan’ – so the last ‘a’ is placed before the ‘n’ while in Hindi, it goes to the end. ‘Apna’ is Hindi, ‘apan’ is Bhojpuri. Now that is ‘your’. ‘Jaat’ refers to your community, loosely it has becomes race. Although that is not the strict translation of ‘jaat’; a whole lot of people will take objection to the use of ‘jaat’. The problem with the word ‘jaat’ in particular is that if it is not pronounced correctly, then it has an indelicate meaning which I would not want to use publicly.

Now this is an interesting piece because very often people would say it doesn’t really matter how you transliterate a word when you write the Hindi version in English but it does matter...for instance, in Creolese, there is a tendency to drop the ‘h’...now if you add the ‘h’ to ‘jaat’, it gives a completely different meaning than ‘community’ or if you want to say ‘race’.....

There is also the difference between the short ‘a’ and the long ‘a’. Let’s look at ‘bal’ as oppose to ‘baal’. If your say ‘bal’, it comes out as ‘strength’ but if we say ‘baal’, it’s ‘hair’. In the Hanuman Chalisa, which is one of the religious books, there is a request: give knowledge, strength; now if you change ‘bal’ to ‘baal’, then you’d be asking the Lord or Deity for ‘hair’ .....

Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@ yahoo.com What’s happening: Check out the Guyana Book Foundation, 66 New Garden & Anaira Streets, ‘Matching Fund Project’ between May 2 and July 20, 2018, for all levels of books at concessionary price. For further information, please call 227-4942.

Notice to Readers

From across the seas, they came.

Britain colonising India, transporting her chains from Chota Nagpur and the Ganges Plain.

Westwards came the Whitby, The Hesperus, the Island-bound Fatel Rozack.

Wooden missions of imperialist design.

Human victims of her Majesty's victory.

They came in fleets.

They came in droves like cattle brown like cattle, eyes limpid, like cattle.

Some came with dreams of milk-and-honey riches, fleeing famine and death: dancing girls, Rajput soldiers, determined, tall, escaping penalty of pride.

Stolen wives, afraid and despondent, crossing black waters, Brahmin, Chammar, alike, hearts brimful of hope.

I saw them dying at streetcorners, alone, hungry for a crumb of British bread, and a healing hand's mighty touch.

I recall my grandfather' s haunting gaze; my eye sweeps over history to my children, unborn I recall the piracy of innocence, light snuffed like a candle in their eyes.

I alone today am alive.

I remember logies, barrackrooms, ranges, nigga-yards. My grandmother worked in the field.

Honourable mention.

Creole gang, child labour.

Second prize.

I recall Lallabhagie, Leonora's strong children, and Enmore, bitter, determined.

Remember one-third quota, coolie woman.

Was your blood spilled so I might reject my history?“ forget tears among the paddy fields.

At the horizon's edge, I hear voices crying in the wind. Cuffy shouting: "Remember 1763!" John Smith "If I am a man of God, let me join with suffering."

Akkarra "I too had a vision."

Des Voeux cried, "I wrote the queen a letter, for the whimpering of coolies in logies would not let me rest."

The cry of coolies echoed round the land.

They came, in droves, at his office door beseeching him to ease their yoke.

Crosby struck in rage against planters, in vain. Stripped of rights, he heard the cry of coolies continue.

Commissioners came, capital spectacles in British frames consulting managers about costs of immigration.

The commissioners left, fifty-dollar bounty remained.

Dreams of a cow and endless calves, and endless reality in chains.

Mahadai Das

If you have a poem and/or short story you would like to publish on our Literary Corner page, please email to timessundaymag@gmail.com. Kindly include your correct name and a contact number in your email. If you have any questions, please call 223-7230 or 223-7231.

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7

Celebrating 180 years of Indian Immigration

Kavita with her brothers

By Akeem Greene

W

e are quite certain that most persons are aware of the correlation between the Yadram name and cricket in Guyana, and now at the Windies youth level. However, many may not be unaware of the contributions of Kavita Yadram towards the development of the sport.

According to Kavita, “cricket runs in the blood” as grandfathers Shaeed and Jaimangal all played for Enterprise- the community of residence- and then followed her father Seemangal and his brothers Khandi and Latchman, who is now a National Under-15 coach. Her mother Shameiza is also an avid supporter of the game.

Her younger brothers Kamesh and Bhaskar both went unto play for Guyana at the youth level, with the 18 year-old Bhaskar going even further, by playing at the First-Class level and also for the

ed to try bowling to them then I started to ask for my batting”, Kavita recollected.

“Kamesh, I think he is more technically correct when playing his shots and playing his game in general but Bhaskar Yadram is more of the power hitter”, she added.

The big turning point came when the wrote the National Grade Six Assessment Examination and gained a spot at Bladen Hall Multilateral, which had a female team ; Kavita was soon appointed captain and won numerous wind ball competitions.

Making the bold step to play with the leather ball, the all-rounder joined the Police Sports Club and it was no looking back. Called to play for her East Coast Association team, she secured a spot on Demerara Under-19 and the national team as the Vice-captain in 2011 and the senior team two years later.

“I think there are only a few words that can describe the feeling of playing for Guyana and those words are amaz-

Winning takes a team effort

Windies Youth team at the ICC World Cup, earlier this year.

It was clearly not surprising that the 24 year-old had a genetic fondness for the sport, for which she represented the country at both youth and senior level.

“It started as my brothers trained in our yard and had little or no one to field and throw back the ball which they would ask me to do for them. From that I start-

ing, proud, special and fantastic”, she conveyed.

Sailing on the high of playing regional cricket, which allowed her to be imprinted with the picturesque views of Caribbean neighbours and which exposed her to different cultures, she also managed to earn player-of-the match in 2014 , with a top score of 55 against St Lucia in Dominica.

However, it was not always high-fives and smiles. “2016 was not my best year. I

was training and putting in so much work but was just not getting the result I was looking for”.

When moments of defeat loomed, Kavita said it was her parents who kept her and brothers afloat.

“I must say thanks to God for giving us such loving, caring and humble parents. They played a big part in our game where they will leave their jobs to come out and support us whenever we are playing and always try their best to get whatever gears we need”.

“They would always sit with us at home and talk to us on discipline towards the game and other people, also my dad would sit and draw out the field, showing us how to set the field when bowling or when we would be the captain of a side. We always look at our parents as our first role model. My parents are one in a million God has given to us and we love them dearly.”

Jovial Enterprise

The Enterprise Busta Sports Club is always an electric atmosphere when cricket is being played, it could be simple as softball but the community comes out in full support.

“Life in enterprise is just cheerful, joyous and very welcoming. Enterprise is a cricketing community where every corner in the village you go you will see someone with a bat and ball playing cricket in the streets. We love cricket in Enterprise and we are very proud of our cricketers that came out from our village.”

Off Field action

After playing her last regional tour-

nament in 2016 on home soil, a new chapter, which is still being written, started .

She got married to Hansraj Sookdeo and soon after brought into the world, Vihaan Sookdeo, what is hoped to be another cricket star.

Instead of suiting up with bat and pad, her new tool, is a pen, inking the future of country’s cricket in her role as the Technical Development Officer of the Guyana Cricket Board, a job she fully enjoys.

Kavita Yadram

“I enjoy administrating cricket and getting involved with the youths in primary and secondary schools and dealing with the players. I always tell myself after playing cricket I want to do or be something within cricket, which I am grateful I got that opportunity to do so and I grabbed it with both hands.”

The Administrator ended by giving a word of advice to other females who may want pilot a similar path.

“I would like to say to all you women out there who may or may not want to be involved in sports is go for what you want to achieve in your life and always remember the sky is the limit. You must work hard to achieve your goals in life no matter what your choice may be”.

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Celebrating 180 years of Indian Immigration

T

wo hundred and fifty labourers had sailed from Kolkata (then Calcutta) India on The Whitby to arrive in British Guiana on May 5, 1838. Four died along the 96-day journey. Highbury, their first point of entry, is a small village at the culmination of an annual trek by those commemorating the arrival of East Indians in Guyana.

According to some accounts, many of those who returned to India after their indentureship period at Highbury had ended, returned with substantial wealth; paving the way for the Indian indentureship era in Guyanese history, and, according to most scholars, saving the colony from ruin and abandonment.

After the labour vacuum left by freed slaves began to have a disastrous effect on colonial industry, particularly the sugar industry, the owners of Plantation Highbury along with a few others including John Gladstone, from Liverpool, England, sent to India for workers to tend their investments.

Henry Davidson, Aeneas Barkly, whose only surviving son Henry Barkly would become the 4th governor of British Guiana

(1849-1853), and D.C. Cameron, were the British owners of the plantation. Aeneas Barkly died during the apprenticeship period, and his son Henry took over his father’s affairs.

One hundred and seventeen labourers, including 11 females, arrived at Plantation Highbury on the East bank of the Berbice River to begin their period of indenture on the colony. Their indentures were dated from Dec. 29, 1837.

According to some accounts, by January 1839, a visit by a Justice Macleod to Plantation Highbury found that 15 males and two females had since died, and some 10-15 were on the “sick list”. The surviving labourers were described as “cheerful and contented”. By November 1839, mortality rates at the plantation included 17 males and one female, with 12 on the sick list.

Others had run away several times, despite reports of the good treatment of coolies on the plantation.

Official colony records stated that 22 persons from the original first batch had died on Plantation Highbury, either from drowning, excessive drinking, dysentery or gangrene, to name a few, while two had run away.

Colony records also note that the Highbury Pln labourers reared the most livestock than anywhere else on the colony; both for their own food and to sell.

In January 1843, Davidson wrote to Lord Stanley that “the first-class ship “Louisa

Baille”” was returning to India with a batch of former indentured workers from Highbury estate. This was after a flurry of letters from colony governor Henry Light to Lord Stanley in England, conveying the increasing uneasiness of the workers who were still in the colony awaiting their journey back home after serving out their contracts.

Colony records estimate that 81 Highbury labourers returned to India on the “Louisa Baille”, while nine chose to remain on the colony. There were also eight women, seven boys and two girls on the return trip, of which all but two children were born on the colony. Between the 81 labourers, the group was returning with some $8,536, while four of the nine remaining had no savings at the time.

But Plantation Highbury was not the original name of the estate, nor were its British owners its original landlords. The estate initially belonged to the Berbice Association, a Dutch association formed in 1720 similar to the East India Company (of Hindustan) to expand cultivation within the colony and which was a substantial slave owner on the colony.

The Berbice Association, though with allegiance to Holland, were proprietors who governed the territory and could sell lands, described as lots or grants, to private owners willing to establish plantations. The association also retained lands on which they established what they called “model estates”.

These model estates, known as “Society’s ground” or “Society’s Plantations”, are also referred to as “Colony Estates” on some maps.

When the colony was captured by the British, there were four such estates under the association, and an agreement was made between the two sides that these were to be treated as private rather than government property.

These four estates were called Dageraad, St Jan, Dankbaarheid and Sandvoort, and remained association property until November 1818 when they were sold to Cameron, Davidson and Barkly, partners of the English company Davidson’s, Barkly & Co. The partners in this purchase then divided the properties among themselves. Cameron, along with a friend, took Sandvoort, then a large coffee estate in Canje. Sandvoort would later be divided into two; of which one half was converted into a sugar estate named “Lochaber” after the Scottish headquarters of the Camerons.

The other three plantations remained with Barkly and Davidson, though

Dageraad, a sugar plantation, after a period was handed over to the government as a leper asylum or colony.

St Jan, originally a coffee plantation, and Dankbaarheid , a sugar estate, were united and renamed Highbury, after Barkly’s place, Highbury Grove, in Middlesex (then an English county) near London.

In addition, according to the book

slaves. Between 1853 and 1880, writes Walton Look Lai in his book “The Chinese in the West Indies, 1806-1995: A Documentary History”, Highbury Plantation also indentured Chinese workers.

“Frustrated Peasants, Marginalized Workers: Free African Villages in Guyana”

by Wazir Mohamed, sometime between 1847 -1848, 100 acres of Crown Land in Highbury were communally purchased by former

that the construction of the Indian Arrival Day monument, in the pipeline, should be sited at Highbury, where the first batch of Indian immigrants actually arrived, instead of Palmyra.

Position of Arrival Day monument

One note of unease from some members of the East Indian Community is the fact

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9

Celebrating 180 years of Indian Immigration Labour Movement

Establishment and early years of Man Power Citizens’ Association

I

n the sugar belt of colonial Guyana, the Man Power Citizens' Association (MPCA) was formed under the leadership of Ayube Edun, a goldsmith and publisher of the Guiana Review newspaper, and Mr C.R. Jacob, a successful merchant and member of the existing Legislative Council. Its general secretary was Harri Barron. All three of these people had certain prominence in the struggle for greater political rights for East Indians, and Jacob was not only a merchant but also president of the East Indian Association.

The MPCA was officially registered on November 5, 1937, and it concentrated its energies on organizing primarily among workers in the sugar industry. At the same time, the British Guiana Workers League also solicited members within the industry with emphasis on factory and clerical workers.

The sugar strikes of the early and middle 1930s occurred without there being in existence any organized union to direct them. Although, as we have seen, the British Guiana Labour Union had some influence, it had little formal organization outside the city of Georgetown.

Not until 1936 was the Man Power Citizens’ Association (MPCA), which concentrated its principal attention, at least in the beginning, on organizing the sugar workers, established. The MPCA grew rapidly. By 1939, it claimed 10,000 members and 20,000 by 1943. When a new wave of strikes broke out in 1938, the MPCA became involved in negotiating an end to them, although it had not formally called any of the walkouts. The Sugar Producers’ Association denounced the MPCA for making the workers “more and more truculent."58 Ashton Chase wrote of the MPCA: "The brilliant start was due to the absolute confidence which the sugar workers reposed in the inspiring leadership of Mr. Ayube M. Edun, the founder/president. . . . Previous to its formation, Mr. Edun had established himself as an undoubted champion of the rights of sugar workers by pungent articles in the ‘Guyana Review’ and later in the ‘Labour Advocate’ of which he was the editor and pro¬prietor.”59 Chase also noted: The Sugar Workers saw in the MPCA their long awaited saviour. ... In comparison with the other Unions it was a giant among pygmies. . . . Two contributing factors to this were firstly, the fact that it was operating in an industry that then and even now is the mainstay of the economy. ...

Secondly, the rate of subscription was nominal. . . . This reflected a poor financial status and the Union's inability to even make a pretense at servicing branches.

With all its large membership it was not until 1953 that its bank balance reached the $ 1,000 mark and then only after overseas assistance had been received.60

The Turbulent History of Organized Labor in Guyana—Part I

The most important strike in this period was that on Plantation Leonora, which broke out in February 1939.

Although the MPCA leaders sought to intervene, the plantation management refused to allow them to come on-to the plantation grounds. Police who were called to “protect" the plantation ended up firing on the crowd, killing four and wounding several others. Finally, Ayube Edun was able to talk with the strikers at a nearby Hindu temple, and the following day the workers returned to their jobs.

The tragic results of the Leonora strike perhaps helped convince the Sugar Producers’ Association to change its strategy. On May 2, 1939, the SPA agreed to recognize the MPCA “for purposes of collective bargain-ing, giving it the right to negotiate in any case of dispute, and to hold meetings on the plantations." After this decision, the Man Power Citizens’ Association grew rapidly and for several years was the genuine representative of the country’s sugar workers.

Pay day on Sugar Estate, Demerara.

No date. (R.P. Kaps Jeweller, Georgetown)

a virtually closed shop arrangement with the former. It also had a collective agreement with the Board of Control of the Mahaicony Abery Development Scheme, a semiofficial government rice growing enterprise. It like-wise had union members in the government’s Public Works Department, although those workers had recently established their own un-ion, and the MPCA members had been transferred

for a wage increase and improvements in working conditions.

Subsequently, without any major conflict, the second bauxite company, the Berbice Bauxite Company, also recognized the MPCA as the bargaining agent for its employees. Some time later, through a friendly arrangement with the national leadership of the MPCA, its bauxite miners’ locals broke away to form their own

Cultivating sugar cane circa 1900

Ashton Chase observed. “The MPCA started off on the same plane as its predecessors. Its first objects showed that it was established to represent the cause of its members and endeavour to obtain their just, equitable, economic, political and social rights from the state and their employers.”62 Although the membership of the MPCA was concentrated to a large degree among the East Indian sugar workers, in its early years it also organized a number of other groups. By 1949 it had collective contracts with both the Demerara and Berbice bauxite firms, most of whose employees were of African descent—and had

Plantation Barracks for the East IndianDemerara American Caribbean Line Cruise

to a new Sawmill Workers Union, headed

by Theophilus Lee.63 The MPCA's penetration of the two bauxite companies came as the culmination of a struggle of the workers in the Demerara Company to establish a union.

Starting in 1942, the British Guiana Labour Union had sought to establish a branch there but faced strong resistance from the employer, and. as a result of a strike in 1944, its local there had disappeared.

The bauxite workers then turned to the Man Power Citizens’ Association to help them establish a local union. It also met strong employer resistance, but after a partial strike in December 1946 and the intervention of the government Labour Department, an agreement was signed between the Demerara Company and the MPCA in December 1946.

However, this did not end company resistance to the union. Several local union leaders were dismissed by the company, precipitating a further strike in April 1947, which was not finally settled until October of that year, when a new collective agreement was signed between the MPCA and the company, providing

independent union.

As the country’s largest union, the MPCA in its early years won the friendly attention of many middle-class people who had sympathy for organized labor. These included Cheddi Jagan, who joined the union soon after returning home from studying in the United States and who in 1945 became treasurer of the MPCA. However, he was removed from that post within a year, for reasons that we shall note subsequently. ( Excerpts from A History of Organized Labor in the English-speaking West IndiesBy Robert J. Alexander, Eldon M. Parker, The Leonora Incident of 1939 by Tota Mangar) Logies at Leonora Estate

(Photo credit- National Trust Guyana)

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Times Indian Arrival Magazine 11

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Celebrating 180 years of Indian Immigration

Ingredients

Masala Chicken Recipe

M

asala Chicken is a traditional non-vegetarian recipe, which is a delectable blend of aromatic spices and tender chicken. This North Indian chicken recipe is perfect for special occasions and can be served with rice, butter or naan .

1 1/4 kilograms washed & dried chicken 3 cup sliced onion 2 cup minced tomato 1 cup finely chopped coriander leaves 1 tablespoon garlic flakes 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 tablespoon chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon powdered turmeric 1/2 cup grated coconut 5 tablespoon refined oil 1/2 cup curry leaves 1 teaspoon salt 2 inches ginger 3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 teaspoon peppercorns 3 tablespoon coriander powder 3/4 cup water 1 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds

C

Keep this cleaned chicken aside and make a paste of 2 pieces of ginger, garlic, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and black peppercorn. Then take chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and a quarter cup of water. Grind them all and make a paste of it. Now grind together grated fresh coconut and poppy seeds and make a fine paste of them.

Step 1 Masala Chicken is one of the most delicious non-veg preparations. Made with some easily available ingredients. It might look difficult to prepare, but we have found the easiest recipe to prepare this amazing delicacy. Here’s how you can cook it, in the restaurant style at the convenience of your home. Soak the chicken pieces in some lukewarm water with a small pinch of salt, this will reduce the time required to cook the chicken and will make the pieces soft & tender.

Step 2 Then clean and rinse the pieces properly.

Step 3 Heat oil in a pressure cooker, fry onions till they turn golden brown. Then add curry leaves and salt, mix in the ginger-garlic spice paste and fry for three minutes. Now add chilli-corianderturmeric powder paste. Mix thoroughly and add the chicken pieces. Fry for five minutes.

Step 4 Add tomatoes and fry for another five minutes with one and a half cups of water and cook for about 10-15 minutes. When the chicken is tender, mix in the coconut-poppy seed paste and cook over medium heat for five minutes.Finally, add coriander leaves, mix well and remove from heat.

Serve it hot with butter naan and raita. (recipes.

timesofindia.com)

ommon in Bangladesh, Indian and Pakistan cuisines, Garam Masala is a general purpose, spicy warm (but not necessarily hot) Indian seasoning. It is a traditional ingredient in Indian dahl, kormas, curries, flavouring meat, samosas and tandoori.

The warm spice originated in Northern India and is also known as ‘masala curry’ or ‘masala curry powder’.

Garam Masala is a very popular Indian spice blend. The Hindi garam – meaning “hot” – and masala – meaning “spice” – is a blend of fragrant spices. Garam does not refer to the spiciness of the blend, but instead to the intensity of the spices and the warming properties in raising the metabolism.

Spices used in garam masala recipes vary from region to region. Personal taste also plays a huge part in how it is made. The most common ingredients include white and black peppercorns, malibar leaves, cloves, cumin seeds, black cumin, green, brown and black cardamom, star anise, nutmeg, long pepper (referred to as pippali) and coriander seeds.

There are many versions of garam masala, but no combination is considered “more

authentic” than another.

In Northwest India, garam masala normally includes cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, mace, cassia and nutmeg. Sometimes black pepper is added if the blend is going to be used straight away; adding black pepper will affect the flavour of the garam masala if it is stored.

The blend is made simply by combining and grinding all the spices together, but not roasting them.

Some regions grind the spices with vinegar, water or coconut milk to make a paste. Some blend the spices with herbs, while others add onion, garlic or even nuts. In some instances, one single flavour is emphasised if it is going to be used in a certain dish. Garam masala is sometimes roasted before it is used, as this releases the aromas and flavours of the spices.

Although not a huge amount is known about the history of garam masala, it is a spice that is widely used and appreciated. In Guyana, it is no different. Based on tradition we inherited from our Indian ancestors that curry without masala is no curry at all, the garam masala has been a ‘must’ item for every Guyanese spice rack.

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Celebrating 180 years of Indian Immigration ACROSS Peru's capital Leaped Free-floating -- -splicing Yemen's gulf Latin dance (hyph.)

-- del Fuego Luau strings Teen outcast Package tour features Microscope parts Office fill-in He had a locker (2 wds.)

Take the podium J.R. attire Flounder cousins Dentist's advice Panorama GP group Like some excuses Tackle Military addr.

Mouse catchers Planks "Stormy Weather" singer Big green parrot Gore or Nielsen Evidence Style More jolly Wk. day Famous last word Lady's title Double-deck game Kind of muffin Young wolf Driver's choice Faced on Minotaur's island Spider Spinks' defeater Always, to Byron Blows away Frau's abode Devious Hwys.

Get lumpy Kilt patterns Film director Spike -Fork over In a -- (briefly) Humble Make rough Gas guzzlers Senorita's aunt And others (abbr.)

Sirius (2 wds.)

Full of cargo -- shui 502, in Rome Bedding plants More desolate -- blanche Batman's -- City Peculiar Small combos Temporary wheels Come afterward Owed right now Butter maker

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120 Lost traction

121 Open wide 123 Prosper

125 Lumpy fruit

126 In -- veritas

127 Desk drawer item

128 Ribs or needles

129 Do a kitchen chore

130 Squint at 131 Nostrum

132 One of the Gallos

133 Mayberry kid

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1 Terra firma 2 Inkling

3 Griffin of game shows

4 Gump and Rooney

5 Erudite person 6 Called

7 Hourly fees 8 Experts

9 Boston Bruins' org.

10 Pit stop buy

11 Finally (2 wds.)

12 Counts calories

13 Descartes' name

14 Form 1040 sender

15 Pompeii art

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45 Hitchcock or Nobel 86

46 Long John Silver

47 Trawler nets

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50 Surfer slang

51 Famous Teddy

52 Grassy field

54 "Quo --?"

55 Beijing name

56 "-- take forever!"

59 Waiters' offerings

60 Dernier - 61 Stock

63 Not legit

64 Pass by quickly 65 Traverse

67 Treat a muscle pull 68 Warned

70 Rocker -- John

87 Tori Spelling's dad Beach

90 Equine mother Bled, as a color

91 Refuges More appealing

92 JFK regulators Solemn promise

94 Hymn of praise Skin soother 95 Dark Holds off for 96 -- Rica Ends a PC session (2 wds.)

98 Cigar box Apiece

100 Siamese, now Renoir models

101 Most spacious Forever, to Keats 103 Wish Threshold

104 Appetizer stick Tavern brews

105 Drives dangerously Scam

108 Consumer voice Stockholm carrier

KATHLEEN SAXE

WORD GAME TODAY'S WORD -- DECIMAL (DECIMAL: DES-ih-mul: Numbered or proceeding by tens.)

Average mark 45 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 59 or more words in DECIMAL? TODAY'S WORD -- DECIMAL dace dale dame deal decal declaim deli dial dice diel

dime email calm came camel clad claim clam clime iced

idea ideal idle mace made maid mail male malice mead

meal medal media medial medic medical meld melic mica mice

mild mile aced acid acme aide ailed aimed amice amid

lace lade laic laid lame lead lice lied lime

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of "s," such as "bats" or "dies," are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a "d" or an "s" may not be used. For example, if "bake" is used, "baked" or "bakes" are not allowed, but "bake" and "baking" are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

109 Gave out sparingly

110 Oregon Trail town

111 Safari sight

112 Party-thrower's plea

113 Newsman -- Abel

114 Fork feature 115 Pedestal

116 Part of GTO

117 Tide type

118 Bombay attire

119 Squirrel's abode

122 Go on the - 124 Yonder damsel See Solution on Pg 13

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Celebrating 180 years of Indian Immigration

“Mohammedan priest” in British Guiana circa 1900s dressed in what appears to be the Patiala salwar kameez (Photo: Stark’s Guide and History of British Guiana)

East Indian women (no date) (From an article by Gaiutra Bahadur, “Coolie Women Are in Demand Here”, vqronline. org; Spring 2011 issue)

B

y the time East Indian indentured labourers arrived in British Guiana in the 19th century, Indian fashion had already begun to be influenced by the-then British rulers of India.

According to fashion historian Toolika Gupta, writing for the BBC News, the outward propriety of Victorian England,uncomfortable with the bare-breasted look of Hindu women in their saris of earlier times, led to a blouse being worn underneath, though in southern India, even in colonial times, some did not cover their upper body.

In fact, she writes, it was the wife of Satyendranath Tagore (the famous Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore’s brother) who popularised the modern sari [with its draping and inner piece, called a “choli” or “ravika”], after she was reportedly refused entry to clubs for wearing the sari fabric over her breasts.

It is this British enforced design and draping that remains an emblem of Indian sari culture both in the north and south of India

East Indian girl (no date) (From an article by Gaiutra Bahadur, “Coolie Women Are in Demand Here”, vqronline.org; Spring 2011 issue)

Guiana indentured immigrants began wearing western/British clothing altogether.

Among Indian men, the dhoti was at the time the traditional mode of dress. About four to six feet long, white or in colour, the dhoti was worn long or short.

It was worn for centuries among Indian men, with many regional variations. In the southern part of India, men would pull up the dhoti

shalwar) is said to come from the Persian word for “pants”, while the kameez may have derived from the Latin word camisia, which in turn became Arabic qamīs (Urdu kamis) then “chemise” in English.

The salwar kameez also comes with the dupatta (often loosely worn scarf or shawl) which today, Hindu women view either as necessary to cover their heads when at a temple or among

traditional outfit but with more pleats and a “big fall” at the back.

The other type of salwar kameez is called the Anarkali, which for women, is a kurti or kurta (a loose fitting dress, shirt or tunic that falls just above or somewhere below the knee) worn with the slim fitting spiral-bottomed pants of the Churidar.

In older times, kurtas were first designed for

Portrait of a young woman in traditional Indian clothing. British Guiana 1921

Crossword Solution

today,which was brought over to British Guiana during indentureship.

It would be hard to imagine the British freely allowing women without the undershirt of their sari to make the journey and arrive in British Guiana in such ‘impropriety’.

Anglicizing, which included discarding the caste system by rounding up all women, children and men regardless of caste, had begun from the time they arrived at the British Guiana immigration depot at Garden Reach, Kolkata.

Gupta observes also that, “At the height of the Victorian era the British and Indian fashions rather resemble each other…”

It would not be long after, with the Christianisation of many Hindus and Muslims, that many other British

Indentured East Indians in various apparel (no date) (From the Asian American Writers’ Workshop website)

and pleat the top around the waist, where it ended just below the knees.

Among the Muslims, it was the influence of the 16th and 17th century Mughal empire that “gave birth to garments like the salwar kameez ” today, Gupta notes, as Muslim women covered themselves and often wore divided garments.

The salwar kameez also spelled shalwar kameez has also become emblematic of India, especially the North of India, in the region of Punjab where it is known also as the “Punjabi suit”.

The word salwar (or

elders, or simply a fashion accessory. Muslim women may wear their hijab with the outfit.

There are several kinds of salwar kameez: the traditional salwar kameez is the baggy style pants and full sleeve tunic, while the Churidar salwar kameez is more shape-fitting in the legs, with an ankle closing and a longer length to create a “spiral shape look” at the bottom.

The Patiala salwar kameez began as a male garment for the Patiala maharaja but was later copied by women. It is similar to the

men to wear with pyjamas (a loose trouser tied at the waist) and kurtis were designed for women to wear with loose pants. Nowadays ladies also wear kurtas.

Today, the kurta is considered longer, and usually falls below the knees, while the kurti is short, the length ranging from below the waist to the thigh.

Guyanese Hindus and Muslims especially, have continued wearing these traditional fashions over the centuries, while also taking their cue from international contemporary Hindu and Muslim fashions.

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Celebrating 180 years of Indian Immigration

Prince Louis: Surprise choice for royal baby name

T

B

ollywood actor Shakti Kapoor says his daughter and actress Shraddha Kapoor will marry a man of her own choice. Shakti spoke at the teaser launch of his film The Journey of Karma on Thursday.

Asked about Shraddha’s wedding plans, Shakti said, “Every father wants that his daughter to get married in a good and respected family. I wish that she grows in her personal and professional life, but I think as a parent, you have to give some kind of liberty to your children because now that period is gone when parents used to marry their children (to a person) of their choice. Now, we have to ask them about their choices in terms of everything, including their life partners. She is right now very busy in her career, but whenever she will tell us about her marriage plans, she will marry a man of her own choice and we don’t have any objection with that.”

As a father, Shakti is happy that Shraddha, who will next be seen in Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal’s biopic, is working hard to take on challenging roles. “In today’s time, every actor is taking challenges in his career. If you see actors right from Ranbir Kapoor and Farhan Akhtar, all are doing really good in biopics in which they have worked. Every actor is working hard in the film industry. Now Shraddha will play the character of Saina Nehwal. She has trained with Saina in Hyderabad and now, she is continuing her training. Apart from that, she will also head to Abu Dhabi to shoot for Saaho along with Prabhas. She

is also working with Rajkummar Rao in Stree a n d Batti Gul Meter Chalu... So, I am really happy that she is working in every genre of films at this point in her career.”

On his own journey in the film industry, Shakti said, “My journey in film industry has been really good and children are also doing really well in their life. I think God has been really kind and it is also blessing of the audience.”

Shakti, who is also close to the Dutt family, is happy to see the teaser of Rajkumar Hirani’s Sanju, starring Ranbir. He said, “I think the teaser of ‘Sanju’ is extraordinary.

I think it’s one of the finest teasers that I have seen. Ranbir Kapoor is looking and acting crazily close to Sanjay Dutt in the teaser. My real name is Sunil Kapoor but Mr. Sunil Dutt named me Shakti Kapoor. So, I am close to Dutt family.” (Hindustantimes)

he Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have named their third child Louis Arthur Charles, a choice that confounded expectations.

Prince Louis (pronounced Loo-ee) is fifth in line to the British throne, after grandfather Prince Charles, father Prince William and his two older siblings.

"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their son Louis Arthur Charles," Kensington Palace said in a statement. "The baby will be known as His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge.

The name does not have a strong British royal pedigree, being more commonly associated with kings of France.

But there is a significant family connection -- and one that is tinged with tragedy.

Louis was the name of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, the uncle of Queen Elizabeth's husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. After serving with distinction in World War II, Louis Mountbatten became the last Viceroy of India, the head of the British colonial administration in India. He was killed by a bomb placed in his fishing boat by the Irish Republican Army in 1979.

The newest arrival to the royal fami-

ly was born on Monday and weighed eight pounds and seven ounces (3.8 kilograms).

Britain's Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, with their newborn baby son .

Louis is a younger brother to Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, 2, and is

Queen Elizabeth II's sixth great-grandchild.

His birth was also a significant moment for Charlotte, the first princess who will not be overtaken in the line of succession by her younger brother. Before the 2013 Succession to the Crown Act, the newborn prince would have jumped above his older sister in the line for the throne.

But the act means that a female's claim to the royal throne can no longer be diminished by a younger brother.(CNN)

B

A

kshay Kumar is indeed the master of the number game. After keeping his box office charm intact, the actor has achieved a milestone in online auction as well for used clothes or memorabilia.

Actually, Akshay is raising money for an NGO called Janice’s Trust that works for animal rescue, and for that he put up the naval uniform he wore in the film Rustom for online auction.

The bidding started at Rs 20,000, but soon gathered pace as bidders from many cities began taking interest in the product.

The super-stardom of Akshay Kumar also came handy because the auction saw a shoot-up in offered price after tweets by the 50-year-old actor and his wife, Twinkle Khanna.

At the time of the publishing of this report, the highest bid has already crossed the Rs 30 lakh mark.

Moneycontrol.com quoted Komal Hiranandani, founder of the site SaltScout. com as saying, “Interestingly most queries and highest bids came from smaller cities like Bharatpur and others.” The bidding will close at 9:30 PM on May 26.

Rustom, which was loosely based on a true story, released on August 12, 2016, and went on to win the box office with a kitty of more than Rs 124 crore.

However, this isn’t the only item on offer.

The site also offers Hrithik Roshan’s Krrish jacket and Anushka Sharma’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil kurta. (Hindustantimes)

ollywood actor Priyanka Chopra has confirmed that she won’t be the bridesmaid for her dear friend and actor Meghan Markle’s wedding to Britain’s Prince Harry.

However, she will be attending the royal wedding; Prince Harry is sixth-in-line to British throne.

During an interview to People magazine, she said, “No, I am not the bridesmaid. Four of my friends are getting married in a span of a year... I’m very upset.”

Recently, it was confirmed that she figures on Meghan’s guest list for her royal wedding scheduled for May 11.

The wedding ceremony will take place in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Further talking about her friend, she said, “ I’m super excited about her and her big day. It’s not just going to be life-changing for both of them, it’s life-changing for the world that needs to see strong women as icons, and I think Meghan has the potential to be that.”

Later, when she was

asked about her wedding gift for Markle on Good Morning America, Priyanka said, “Can I tell you? I’ve been struggling with that myself.

You just have to think about the person you’re getting a gift for because really, what do give a princess? I’m stuck with that.”

Recently, Priyanka Chopra penned an essay on Markle in the Time magazine as she featured in the Time’s 100 Most Influential People list. She wrote, “With her, what you see is real, and what you get is a relat-

able young woman with her heart and mind in the right place. Her compassion, evident in the causes she supports, and her drive to break down stereotypes — obvious in her actions — will connect her to a generation in much need of kindness.”

Meghan will be the second American to join the British monarchy after socialite Wallis Simpson -who married King Edward VIII after he abdicated, and like Markle had once divorced prior to marrying royalty. (Hindustantimes)

Madhuri Dixit to start shooting with Alia Bhatt , Varun Dhawan for Kalank

M

adhuri Dixit-Nene is excited to start working on Karan Johar-produced Kalank. She will start shooting for the film on Friday. Kalank will see an ensemble cast that also includes Sanjay Dutt, Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Sonakshi Sinha and Aditya Roy Kapur.

“I am excited to start the shoot for Kalank today. It’s my second association with Karan Johar after Bucket List and it’s been a lovely journey so far. Can’t wait to begin this one,”

Madhuri said in a statement to IANS. Abhishek Varman will direct the “epic drama”, which will hit the screens on April 19, 2019.

The announcement of the project was made by all the stars on social media.

Alia and Varun are also shooting for the film.

Alia too shared a picture on her Instagram story which read ‘Day 5 #Kalank’. Varun too has have been sharing his training g videos for the very film.

Madhuri is also busy with her maiden

Marathi film Bucket List, shooting for Indra Kumar’s Total Dhamaal opposite Anil Kapoor and looking into her first production “15th August”.

Kalank is said to be a dream project of Karan Johar which was conceptualised by him and his late father Yash Johar fifteen years ago. The film is being produced by Karan, Sajid Nadiadwala, Hiroo Yash Johar and Apoorva Mehta. It has been co-produced by Fox Star Studios.

Helmed by 2 States fame Abhishek Varman,

the movie is an epic drama set in the period of 1940s. Talking about it, Karan earlier shared, “Kalank has been an emotional journey for me.

It is a gem of an idea that I had nearly 15 years ago and a film that was in a pre-production stage helmed by my father. I am now proud to pass it onto the extremely capable and visionary hands of director Abhishek Varman. Kalank has a beautifully structured story by Shibani Bathija and an exceptionally fluid narrative and screenplay by Abhishek.”(Indian Express)

guyanatimesgy.com

Times Indian Arrival Magazine 15

16 Times Indian Arrival Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

Celebrating 180 years of Indian Immigration

Archie

A little romance, a change of heart and new beginnings (March 21- look promising. Distance yourApril 19) self from anyone who is too controlling or possessive. A fresh start will boost your morale.

ARIES

Taking a short trip or atTAURUS tending a trade show or semi(April 20- nar will be uplifting and will May 20) help you decide what sort of changes you can make to improve your life.

Spend time nurturing im-

GEMINI portant relationships or taking (MAY 28- better care of your health or June 20) physical appearance. A change will give you the boost you need to try something new.

Engaging in some family fun or getting involved in an (June 21- event that you feel passionate July 22) about should be on the docket. Share your intentions and enjoy doing something special with a loved one.

CANCER

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Dilbert

Emotions will take control if you or someone close to you is indulgent. Don't get involved, meddle in someone else's affairs or be too open about your personal secrets.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

You can make a difference if you follow your heart and initiate conversations with loved ones and people who need your help. Your insight and reflection will lead to a workable solution

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Something will bring back memories that can help you avoid making the same mistake twice. Be open to suggestions, but not willing to hand control over to someone you don't fully trust.

Put more energy into your SCORPIO personal relationships. Make (Oct. 24plans to do something enjoyNov. 22)

Peanuts

able with the one you love. A day trip or family gathering is encouraged.

Take care of unfinished SAGITTARIUS business, responsibilities or (Nov. 23promises you made to someone Dec. 21) who depends on you. Staying on top of your bills, investments and any legal matters is a must.

Calvin and Hobbes

Walk away from unpreCAPRICORN dictable people and situations.

(Dec. 22- Don't get involved in someJan. 19) thing that can label you or put you in harm's way. Only trust what you know to be factual.

Money will come from an AQUARIUS unexpected source. An in(Jan. 20- heritance, windfall or gift Feb. 19) must be handled carefully, or a penalty will be inflicted.

Don't accept a gift that has strings attached.

PISCES Discuss your feelings.

(Feb. 20- A kind or romantic gesture Mar. 20) will help you get your way. A change of heart will lead to a new beginning and added benefits.