Dwitiya
Jyestha Krishna 3, Vik.Samvat 2075, Yugabda 5120: 1
June 2018
1. FESTIVALS:
Mela Kheer Bhawani: Mata Ragnya Devi is symbolised as a sacred spring at
Tula Mula village, near (27 kms) Srinagar, Kashmir.
The Temple, dedicated to Mata Kheer Bhawani (originally Bhawani Mata), has been constructed over a Sacred Spring. Within the spring is a marble temple. The temple-spring complex is affectionately known as Kheer Bhawani as thousands of devotees offer milk and 'kheer' to the Sacred Spring. The devotees of Mata Kheer Bhawani fast and gather here on Jyeshtha Shukla Ashtami (June 26 this year). Kheer Bhawani is considered to be the Presiding Deity of most of the Kashmiri Brahmans.
The Temple, dedicated to Mata Kheer Bhawani (originally Bhawani Mata), has been constructed over a Sacred Spring. Within the spring is a marble temple. The temple-spring complex is affectionately known as Kheer Bhawani as thousands of devotees offer milk and 'kheer' to the Sacred Spring. The devotees of Mata Kheer Bhawani fast and gather here on Jyeshtha Shukla Ashtami (June 26 this year). Kheer Bhawani is considered to be the Presiding Deity of most of the Kashmiri Brahmans.
Swami Vivekananda's
Experience: Swamiji visited Kashmir. During this stay, while ritually
worshiping Kheer Bhavani, he had the thought: "Mata Bhavani has been manifesting
Her Presence here for untold years. The Mohammedans came and destroyed Her
temple, yet the people of the place did nothing to protect Her. Alas, if only I
were then living, I would not have borne it, I would have protected the temple
from the invaders." He, then, distinctly heard the voice of the goddess saying:
"It was my desire that the Mohammedans destroy the temple. It is my desire that
I should live in [a] dilapidated temple, otherwise, can I not immediately erect
a seven-storied temple of gold here if I like? What can you do? Do I protect you
or do you protect me?"
Narasimha Chaturdashi
celebrated with grace and devotion in Pakistan: Karachi celebrated Narasimha
Chaturdashi on April 28 with around 10,000 Gujarati, Marwari, Kathiawar, Lassi,
Meghwar etc., from different parts of the area gracefully participating in it
with different kinds of Prasad to Narasimha Bhagwan.
This made it one of the
biggest festivals of Hinduism in Pakistan. Bhajans, Kirtans, Parvachan, Yagna
all made the environment devotional and sacred. Yogi Wajahat, Hindu priest and
Salman Shaik were the special guests who gave the message of peace and harmony
to the community saying that “humanity is the best religion in the world. ”The
festival is celebrated annually at Narshinga Shiv Mandir which is a historical
monument in Karachi old city area. Narasimha Bhagwan rescued the child devotee
of Vishnu, named Prahlad, from his own evil demon father Hiranyakashipu.
-GoToTop
2. PRANAB TO ADDRESS RSS SHIKSHARTHIS IN NAGPUR: Former
Rashtrapati Pranab Mukherjee will address the trainees of the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the concluding session of the 25-day Truteeya Varsh
Shiksha Varg at Nagpur on June 7.-GoToTop
Shri Mukherjee and Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, the RSS
Sarasanghachalak will speak to over 600 trainees who will also demonstrate what
they learned at the varg.
3. Kushok Bakula's
vision relevant even today:
RSS Sah Sarkaryavaha Dattatreya Hosabale
on May 19 paid his tributes to the 18th Kushok Bakula Lobzang Thupten Chognor
Rinpoche at the closing ceremony of his birth centenary celebrations at the
Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS) in Leh, Ladakh. Jammu Kashmir Study
Centre (JKSC) and India Foundation had jointly organized a National Scholars'
Confluence in Leh from 16th to 18th May to commemorate the year-long centenary
celebrations.12-year-old Nashtan, ordained as the 20th Kushok Bakula, also
participated in the celebrations. "Kushok Bakula Rinpoche was a Buddhist monk, a
spiritual leader, a statesman and an outstanding diplomat who worked with an all
-encompassing vision of human welfare," Hosabale said. "Kushok Bakula always
took the unambiguous stand that Ladakh is an unquestionable part of Bharat along
with the rest of Jammu Kashmir," he added. Jammu and Kashmir Upa Mukhya Mantri
Kavinder Gupta was the chief guest at the ceremony, which was presided by Indian
Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR) chairman Prof S.R. Bhatt.
-GoToTop
4. HINDU SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH AUSTRALIA - Sangh SikshaVarga (SSV):
Annual 8-day camp, Sangh SikshaVarg (SSV) was conducted in Sydney 17th-25th
of April. The camp was designed to cater - all the three levels Prathamik (first
year), Pravesh (second year) and Praveen (third year). The program witnessed 100
students (Siksharthis) across Australia. More than 100 volunteers took part in
training (sikshaks), administration, transportation, cooking and organising the
event. Surendra Reddy of Sree Rama Krishna mission, Sydney stayed in the camp as
Shibiradhikari (camp supervisor).-GoToTop
5. Modi invites
bharatiya diaspora for Kumbh: “We will grant free of cost visas for
Indonesian citizens for travel of up to 30 days,” said Pradhan Mantri Narendra
Modi during an address at the Jakarta Convention Center on May 30. “Not only do
the names of our nations rhyme but also there is a distinct rhythm in the Bharat-Indonesia
friendship,” he added.
-GoToTop
“Many of you may never have been to Bharat. I invite you
all to come to India for the Kumbh Mela in Prayag next year,” Modi told the
gathering. "I am very proud of the fact that you (the Bharatiya diaspora in
Indonesia) have been contributing a lot to Indonesia's development," Modi added.
"For our government, corruption-free, citizen-friendly and development-friendly
ecosystem is the biggest priority," he said.
6.
father-daughter team scale up Mount Everest: On 16 May, just as the
sun was rising in the eastern hemisphere, Deeya Bajaj was taking her final steps
towards the highest point on earth, and her father, Ajeet Bajaj, was right
behind her. The invincible duo has become the first Bharatiya father-daughter
team to scale Mount Everest. Sardar Nima Nuru, who has climbed Everest 20 times,
was their Sherpa. Ajeet Bajaj was the first Bharatiya to ski to the North Pole,
the South Pole and across the Greenland Ice Cap completing the ‘Polar Trilogy’.
At the age of 17, Deeya became
the youngest person to undertake the Trans-Greenland Skiing expedition in May
2011. In the following year, Ajeet and Deeya became the first Bharatiyas to ski
across the Greenland Ice Cap. -GoToTop
7.
Heroic Tarinis touches its homeland
after conquering waves of whole globe in 254 days: Raksha Mantri
Nirmala Sitharaman and Admiral Sunil Lamba were standing with pride to welcome
our brave Tarinis who completed their mission to circumnavigate the globe named
‘Navika Sagar Parikrama.’ Brave Heroic Tarinis sailed over 21600nm, visited 5
countries, sailed across 4 continents and across 3 Oceans, passed south of three
Capes, crossed the Equator twice. This was the first-ever Indian
circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew. They had begun their voyage
in September last year from Goa.
The Navika Sagar Parikrama was
covered in five legs, with stop-overs at 4 ports: Fremantle (Australia),
Lyttleton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands), and Cape Town (South
Africa).The all-women crew consisted Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi, Lt
Commander Pratibha Jamwal, Lt Commander P Swati, Lt Vijaya Devi, Lt B Aishwarya
and Lt Payal Guptastarted their journey on a 55-foot yacht. INVS Tarini was one
of the operating four sailing vessels capable of open ocean deployments. INSV
Tarini is 55 feet in length and built in Bharat in line with the ‘Make in Bharat’
initiative of the Bharatiya Nausena, fructified by Aquarius Shipyard, Goa.
-GoToTop
8. Pakistan seeks
Bharat’s help for conservation, excavation of Mohenjo Daro: Pakistani
archaeologists excavating the Harappan site of Mohenjo Daro have sought help
from their Bharatiya counterparts for carrying out conservation works and
planning future excavations at the site. The site, in present-day Sindh,
Pakistan, was likely the world’s largest settlement between 2600 and 1900 BC.
Vice-Chancellor of Pune’s Deccan College and a leading scholar on Harappan
civilization, Vasant Shinde was among the few foreign archaeologists who were
recently invited to visit Mohenjo Daro. “I was the only Bharatiya invitee to
Mohenjo Daro. We have realised that we need to work hand-in-hand. The Pakistani
side is very keen and we also want that the two countries must come
together…because, the remaining half of the Harappan sites lie on the other side
of the Bharatiya border and without understanding the entire region, we cannot
really get a holistic picture about the civilization,” Vasant Shinde said.
-GoToTop
9.
bharatiya-American brain behind key Nasa
project: Anita Sengupta, a Bharatiya American is behind NASA’s latest
physics experiment to create the soldest spot in the universe. The spot created
by Cold Atom Laboratory (CAL) is expected to be 10 billion times colder than the
vacuum of space.CAL, flown to the International Space Station (ISS) on May 22 by
an Antares rocket from Nasa’s Wallops facility at Virginia, United States, could
potentially lead to a number of technologies, including sensors, quantum
computers and atomic clocks used in spacecraft navigation, said NASA. “CAL will
make it possible to observe these ultra-cold atoms much longer in the
microgravity environment,” the space agency stated. Sengupta, who said she
proposed the mission, had played a key role in the successful landing of Nasa’s
Curiosity rover on Mars on August 6, 2012. Sengupta said that CAL will
investigate the properties of “Bose Einstein Condensate, a state of matter that
only occurs just above absolute zero”. She is currently the V-P of Hyperloop One
and had visited Mumbai in 2013. -GoToTop
10. Angkor Wat named
as the top landmark for the second year:
Travel website Trip Advisor
has named Cambodia’s ancient wonder Angkor Wat as the top landmark in the world
for the second year running in their Travelers’ Choice Award 2018, an
achievement Cambodian tourism operators expect will attract more tourists to the
Kingdom. The website uses traveller reviews to choose its winner each year.
Angkor Wat received a five-out-of-five ‘bubble rating’, with the majority of the
more than 40,000 visitor reviews highly favourable. From January to March this
year, the Angkor Archaeological Park attracted 858,580 foreign tourists, a 12
percent increase over the same period in 2017, according to the state-owned
Angkor Enterprise.
Five Bharatiya landmarks made it
to the Asia list — Taj Mahal (#2), Amber Fort (#9), Harmandir Sahib (#10),
Swaminarayan Akshardham (#13) and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib (#14).
-GoToTop
11. Renowned Physicist EC George Sudarshan Dies At 86:
12. Two bharatiya Americans Take Top Awards at Intel ISEF 2018 Competition: The Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award of $50,000 has been won by Meghana Bollimpalli, of Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas; as well as by Dhruvik Parikh, of Henry M. Jackson High School in Washington. The Society for Science & the Public, in partnership with the Intel Foundation, announced May 19. Student winners are ninth through twelfth graders who earned the right to compete at Intel ISEF 2018 by winning a top prize at a local, regional, state, or national science fair. Bollimpalli’s winning project was titled, “Green Synthesis of Phosphorous, Nitrogen Co-Doped Carbon Materials from Renewable Resources for Supercapacitor Applications via Microwave Assisted Technique.” Parikh’s project was titled, “A Novel Sol-Gel Derived SPEEK/Silicon Dioxide Composite Membrane for the Vanadium Redox Flow Battery.” -GoToTop
13. BHARAT
sixth wealthiest country with total wealth of $8,230 billion:
According to the AfrAsia Bank Global Wealth Migration Review, the US is the
wealthiest country in the world with a total wealth of $62,584 billion, followed
by China ($24,803 billion) in the second place and Japan ($19,522 billion) in
third. Other countries in the top 10 wealthiest list includes the United Kingdom
($9,919 billion), Germany ($9,660 billion), India ($8,230 billion), Australia
($6,142 billion), Canada ($6,393 billion), France ($6,649 billion) and Italy
($4,276 billion). -GoToTop
14.
Crater on Pluto’s Largest Moon Named
revati: The International Astronomical Union, the internationally
recognized authority for naming celestial bodies and their surface features,
recently approved a dozen names, including the name of Revati Crater on Charon,
which was proposed by NASA’s New Horizons team. Charon, according to the
organization, is one of the larger bodies in the Kuiper Belt, and has a wealth
of geological features, as well as a collection of craters similar to those seen
on most moons. These features and some of Charon’s craters have now been
assigned official names. “Revati Crater is named for the main character in the
Hindu epic narrative Mahabharata — widely regarded as the first in history
(circa 400 BC) to include the concept of time travel,” stated the International
Astronomical Union, adding that the names approved by the IAU “encompass the
diverse range of recommendations the team received from around the world during
the Our Pluto campaign.” -GoToTop
15. University of
Virginia offers “Medical Yoga for Health Professionals” course: The
University of Virginia in Charlottesville, public research university and
tier-one research institution with a nationally renowned health system, is
offering “Foundations of Medical Yoga for Health Professionals” in Fall this
year. This three-credits course “will provide graduate students, medical
students, and practicing health professionals with a foundational understanding
of medical yoga to improve health and wellness from a historical, theoretical,
and research perspective.” Dr. Maureen Mala Cunningham, Clinical Assistant
Professor of Nursing, is the instructor. Highly selective University of
Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, which claims to be nation’s #2
public university, has about 22,800 students and one of its “purposes” is
“providing world-class patient care”. -GoToTop
16. bharatiya American
Teens Sweep Up Top Three Prizes in National Geographic Bee Competition:
In the 2018 National Geographic Bee held May 23, Venkat Ranjan, 13, of
California correctly answered the question, “Which South American country has a
population size most similar to Lebanon?” with his response of Paraguay, while
Anoushka Buddhikot, 13, of New Jersey, answered Guyana, securing second place in
the annual competition. Vishal Sareddy, 14, of Georgia came in third place.
Ranjan bested 10 finalists in the
nail-biting competition at National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The 2018 champion was awarded a $50,000 college scholarship, a lifetime
membership to the National Geographic Society, including a subscription to
National Geographic magazine and an all-expenses-paid Lindblad expedition to the
Galapagos Islands. Second- and third-place finishers received $25,000 and
$10,000 college scholarships, respectively.
-GoToTop
17. Visionary
bharatiya Americans Honored With Prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor:
Four visionary Bharatiya Americans and one Indo-Canadian were among the 84
prominent immigrants who received the 2018 Ellis Island Medal of Honor at a
ceremony in New York May 12. This year’s Bharatiya American honorees were
software pioneer Vanu Bose, who was honored posthumously after succumbing to a
sudden pulmonary embolism last year; Moon Express founder Naveen Jain; Ethan
Allen chairman and Kashmiri activist Farooq Kathwari; and Sikh activist Bhai
Sahiba Inderjit Kaur Khalsa. Peter Dhillon, the ‘cranberry king’ of Canada, was
one of three recipients of the International Ellis Island Medal.
-GoToTop
18.
bharatiya-origin Sikh man becomes Malaysia's first cabinet minister:
Gobind Singh Deo, a Bharatiya-origin Sikh politician in Malaysia, has become a
cabinet minister, the first member of the minority community in the country's
history to be appointed as a minister. Deo, 45, who has been given the
communications and multimedia portfolio, is among the two politicians of
Bharatiya descent included in the Pakatan Harapan coalition's Cabinet. The other
Bharatiya-origin lawmaker is M Kulasegaran from the Democratic Action Party,
who has been made the human resource minister. The Punjabi community in the
country has hailed the appointment of Deo as the minister. "It is a proud and
happy occasion for our community. Other than being a recognition of his
abilities, it is also a recognition for the long established Punjabi community
in Malaysia," Miri Indian Association president, Councillor Karambir Singh was
quoted as saying by the Borneo Post. Malaysia has nearly 1,00,000 Sikh
population. -GoToTop
19. bharat Emerges as
Cultural Tourism Hotspot: Cultural tourism is growing in the country,
as more and more Bharatiyas are going to popular pilgrimages, like Varanasi in
UP and Puri in Odisha, according to a report of Travel Company Ixigo. The
company officials say that there has been a month-on-month growth in hotel
bookings of 60 per cent for Puri, 48 per cent for Varanasi, 34 per cent for
Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh and 19 per cent growth for Shirdi in Maharashtra. The
report is based on actual hotel searches and bookings on ixigo this summer.
-GoToTop
20. FLOATING
VARANASI MUSEUM TO REVIVIFY GANGA:
A first-of-its kind floating museum will
soon sail on the river Ganga in Varanasi, moving from ghats to ghats to create
awareness about the importance and need for conservation of the water body — one
of the most revered rivers in the world and also one of the most polluted. An
exhibition has been proposed on bajras — the magnificent boats meant to be
floating on river waters — showcasing detailed information on Ganga’s pristine
history, ecology and riverine ecosystem, its route — from origin to destination
— biodiversity like wild animals and plant species found in and around the
river. The museum will also highlight threats and possible solutions to overcome
the threats to the river. Another important feature of the museum will be focus
on climate change and how it is affecting the river.
-GoToTop
21. bharatiya American
Rajputs of Rajasthan Celebrate Grandeur of Rajputana Culture:
Bharatiya American members of the newly-founded Rajputana Rawla of America
congregated in large numbers in the San Francisco Bay Area, Calif., April 26-28
to attend the historic celebration of the Rajputana culture of Rajasthan. “Me’l
was celebrated in traditional manner to bring Rajputs together to network,
celebrate and nurture high values standards of Rajputana life in the next
generation, and help under privileged societies to get guidance and financial
help to achieve path for progress,” said Raj Nathawat, convener of the event.
After a grand traditional
welcome, guests enjoyed a host of activities including a visit to the Livermore
wineries, career counseling sessions, a presentation on the history of Rajputs,
cultural performances, including a special performance, “Dance of the Desert,”
by Antara Bhardwaj, disciple of renowned Kathak master Pandit Chitresh Das, and
an elaborate photo session. -GoToTop
22.
'Maa ki Rasoi' - BHU students’ humane
initiative launched in Varanasi: RSS Akhil Bharatiya Karyakarini
Sadasya Indresh Kumar on May 19 inaugurated this unique initiative at this
historical and religious city. ‘Maa ki Rasoi’ will provide homely meals to the
students coming from all parts of the country. On initiative of Dr Rajiv
Shrivastava, a social scientist, a group of five students of the BHU talked to
some women and decided to launch ‘Maa ki Rasoi’ project. The BHU students will
now get the tasty, home cooked food with a touch of motherly affection.
Inaugurating this unique initiative, Indresh Kumar said ‘Maa ki Rasoi’ is the
big step forward in making women self-reliant and at the same time providing
homely food to the students. This is a journey of a mother from ‘roti’ to ‘roji’,
that will make her self-reliant and independent.
-GoToTop
23.
English welcomes its new guest word
‘AYUSH’ in it: The word ‘AYUSH’ has got a place in Hindi and English
languages for scientific and technical purposes. The Commission for Scientific
and Technical Terminology has decided to adopt the word. The “AYUSH” became
popular as the acronym for five traditional and complementary systems of
medicine, namely Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy and
successfully adopted and used in all Government communications. Hailing this
decision, Shripad Naik, the Union AYUSH Minister said that it would underline
the essential unity of all holistic systems of healing. This decision will also
give a boost to Bharat’s efforts to find a place for the Indian Systems of
Healthcare in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) of the World
Health Organization
-GoToTop
24. Maharashtra
govt awards tourism status to RSS memorial in Nagpur:
The Maharashtra
government has accorded the C-grade tourism status to the memorial of Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) founder Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, popularly known as
the Smruti Mandir, at Nagpur. Dr. Hedgewar, who founded the RSS along with four
others at Mahal in 1925, died on June 21, 1940. His last rites were performed at
Reshimbagh, where the last rites of his successor – Guru Golwalkar – were also
performed. -GoToTop
25. SHRI
VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravaas: Shri Saumitra Gokhale ji, Samyojak Vishwa Vibhag is
on a short tour to Japan. Visitors: Ma. Ramesh Babu, Uganda,
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Shivaji
is one of the greatest national saviours who emancipated our society and our
Dharma when they were faced with the threat of total destruction. He was a
peerless hero, a pious and God-fearing king and verily a manifestation of all
the virtues of a born leader of men described in our ancient scriptures. He also
embodied the deathless spirit of our land and stood as the light of hope for our
future.—Jadunath Sarkar, the famous historian.
-GoToTop
JAI SHREE RAM
Genesis of Indian
Arrival Day as a national holiday in Trinidad and Tobago
Paras Ramoutar
After 150 years of Indian
Arrival, it was only in 1995, that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago opted
to announce a day marking the first arrival of over East Indians here, May 30,
1845.
The Patrick Manning Government
had announced that May 30, 1995 would be called Arrival Day, which was a one all
day. In 1996, when Basdeo Panday came to the political throne he feverishly
announced that May 30 will be Indian Arrival Day which was to be etched in our
national calendar.
Despite earlier attempts by the
Indian Revival and Reform Committee led by Ramdath Jagessar, the
Hindu Seva Sangh with Dool
Hanooman Singh and others, the Indian Review Committee led by Kamal Persad and
Ashram Maharaj, the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, it was former Member of
Parliament for Oropouche, Trevor Sudama who moved a motion in Parliament on
October 28, 1994 to have Indian Arrival Day declared a national holiday
annually.
And despite stiff opposition
within the corridors of Parliament and in public opinion, Sudama successfully
move the motion which was ably seconded by then MP for Caroni Central, Raymond
Pallackdharry Singh.
Sudama in his presentation made a
strong plea which was buttressed by philosophical and sociological data and
facts so that he would have left no stone unturned. This he did with great
clarity and maturity, and it was passed with contributions from Members of
Parliament. One would imagine that the debate was a very emotional issue, and
one had to look at the historical antecedents of the whole question of
Indian Arrival, as was the case
of the Chinese. Syrians, Africans and Europeans coming here, that each group
singularly would have called for similar treatment. Sudama moaned that the
Motion to declare Indian Arrival Day a national holiday was on the Order Paper
since 1989, but was only afforded the light of the day on October 28, 1994.
Notwithstanding the fact the then Prime Minister Dr Eric Williams had announced
that both Divali and Eid would be public holidays from 1966, which was an
election year. Later, then Prime Minister George Chambers announced in 1982 that
Discovery Day, which was celebrated on the first Monday in August, was to be
replaced by Emancipation Day August 1. Both Prime Ministers had ignored the
presence of the East Indians in Trinidad and Tobago. It is worth remembering
spirited tone of Sudama when he piloted the motion saying that it must be
accepted in the, “spirit of light, in that spirit of seeking what is best for
the nation, what is best for the people of Trinidad and Tobago, and indeed, of
acknowledging the cultural and plural diversity of our society and where are as
a nation today”. “Madam Speaker(OccahSeepaul) we do not want to put the systems
of indentureship and African
slavery as counterposed; they are
different systems; they are different historical experiences. The conditions
under which the African slaves were brought in.” Sudama must be congratulated
for his incisive and straight forward presentation, which would serve as a
reference point for any dialogue today or in the coming decades about the
relevance of a public holiday to mark Indian Arrival Day in Trinidad and Tobago.
Just in March 2017, the world
community observed the centenary of the abolition of Indian indentureship, and
Trinidad and Tobago was the venue for this historical observance as scores of
notably former Prime Ministers, Presidents, Government Ministers, legislators,
East Indian leaders, professionals among others gathered to discuss the past and
the future role of the 33 million Indian diaspora membership in over 100
countries. A nation is marked as to how it shows respects for it ethnic groups,
and this means equal treatment for everyone, and one is reminded to paraphrase
Dr Williams’ address to the nation on Independence Day August 1962 that there is
No Mother India, No Mother Africa, No Mother China, No Mother Lebanon, but the
only Mother is Mother Trinidad and Tobago. And that a Mother cannot discriminate
among its children. I think that it was in this vein that Sudama so brilliantly
proposed that Indian Arrival Day becomes a national holiday.
The East Indians were brought
here between the period 1845 to 1917, when in excess of 347,000, most of whom
were devout Hindus who brought with the Ramayana, Gita, Mahabharat, the Puranas,
Hanuman Chalisa, among several others, principally from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar,
to rescue a dying agricultural economy, and their presence brought new hope and
aspirations for the planters, and by extension the national economy. They
brought with them new cuisine, jewelry, customs, habits, religion, culture,
thought and way of life.
Today, the East Indian community
has contributed significantly to the national well-being, prosperity as they are
remain leaders in the professions, corporate sector, business, culture and
politics. And the rest is history for we have had two Prime Ministers of East
Indian extraction, namely Basdeo Panday and Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
The East Indian labourers ignited
friendship between India and Trinidad and Tobago, despite their geographical
distance. The East Indian labourers were brought here to contribute to British
capitalism, and they worked hard, very hard and struggled with other ethnic
groups for this country’s prosperity, and as well for political freedom and
independence. Independence was not a one-party or one ethnic group affair, but
rather it was a people’s consciousness blended with the different ethnic groups
and peoples that made it happen.
Today friendship between India
and Trinidad and Tobago continues to escalate to greater heights a the clock
ticks, and one could decipher that it would continue to escalate in the coming
years and decades, and even centuries. As we observe the 173 rd anniversary of
Indian Arrival Day, 71 st anniversary of India’s Independence, and our own 56 th
anniversary of our Independence, all of these factors make it compulsory for our
both countries to continue in this trend of friendship, of growth, and support
in all the councils of the world’s geopolitical and economic groups.
Trinidad and Tobago have
benefitted from India’s graciousness in terms of ITEC, consultancies in various
endeavours of economic, agricultural, cultural co-operation. Aside to these
initiatives, religion and culture continue to dominate the calendar of both
countries. The Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Cultural Co-operation which was inked
when India’s Indira Gandhi came here in October 1968, after 50 years, has now
taken shape.
This is a first for any diplomat,
more so, an Indian diplomat. Incumbent Indian High Commissioner, Shri Bishwadip
Dey, has embarked on an unique foray of cultural diplomacy by visiting
descendants of indentured labourers at their homes and presenting hampers. This
must be viewed as a micro engagement initiative, and His Excellency must be
publicly commended.
Usually, diplomats are noted for
presenting or promoting macro issues. Dey told the media these elderly citizens
have contributed not only to the development of Trinidad and Tobago, but have
played an important role in keeping family values alive and passing on cultural
and religious practices from one generation to the next. He continued that there
are also,” strong family ties in the homes visited where witnessed that love and
devotion for the elderly.” Dey added that as “senior members of society, the
elderly have had an important guiding role for the local communities and form an
historical link for Indian nationals of East Indian origin”.
The High Commission of India shares in the pride of the Indo-Trinidadian
community which remains justly proud of these elders who have carved out their
lives through initial struggles in their adopted country. With this trend of
co-operation at several levels of governance, the foundation has been
established for co-operation in future issues which face the world society,
which India continues to play a dominant role, and for which Trinidad and Tobago
would fully endorse. Source: World Hindu News (WHN) Posted on May 17, 2018 by
WHN Reporter. -GoToTop
