Preserving our traditions Indians, especially Hindus, continue, with great fervour, to observe the arrival of their foreparents from various parts of India to the West Indies during the period 1838-1917. Indentureship commenced in 1845 in Trinidad. This annual celebration is an acknowledgement and recognition of the struggles and triumphs of our forbears to create an exemplary life of dharma (moral and religious duties) that we have sustained and nourished throughout the years. More than any other community that came to the West Indies, the Hindus have retained and maintained their religion, culture, language, food and dress and have continued to celebrate and propagate their various aspects of life while contributing substantially to the national life of their janma bhoomi (land of birth) Like our forebears who left India for various reasons, Hindus of the contemporary period have been leaving the West Indies to make the US, Canada and numerous parts of Europe their new homes. The present-day migrant Hindus are in many ways like our predecessors. Wherever they now live, every effort is made to promote and propagate the dharma of their birth in spite of the increasing challenges of today’s global society. These challenges often impact on the youth who do not have the same grounding strength in dharma as their parents. Hindus who have migrated from our region also have the additional burden of coping and competing with the foreign cultures to which their children are exposed from birth. Maintaining a strong sense of community in spite of limited numbers and resources pose additional burdens in the new surroundings. It is also important to reflect on the decreasing presence of the Hindu population in some of the West Indian territories to understand our need to safeguard dharma. Over the period of indentureship, 1838–1917, the number of Indian immigrants to the West Indies were as follows: Guyana—239,000, Trinidad—134,000, Jamaica—33,000, St Lucia—4,000, Grenada—3,000, St Vincent—2,700, St Kitts—300, Guadeloupe/ Martinique—78,000, French Gui-ana—19,000, Dutch Guiana—35,500. However, in a number of these countries, with the significant exceptions of Trinidad and Guyana, the Hindu presence and traditions have become peripheral, marginalised and have almost disappeared. It is therefore to the credit of the Hindu population of Guyana and Trinidad that they have maintained a strong Hindu presence in their new homelands. The observance of Indian Arrival Day (May 30 in T&T) must continue to be a stimulus for Hindus and Indians everywhere. We must continue to inculcate the values and virtues of our forefathers and be true to their spirits and worthy of their trials and struggles and success. In the midst of severe hardships they persevered with their religious practices, hard work and thrift. Later, when education became accessible, they made every effort to educate their children. Sadly, for some of them, education meant conversion or shameful compromises in their beliefs. When the Maha Sabha education drive started in 1952, our people were no longer obliged to sell their religious belief for a secular education. And neither do they now have to abandon their gods for a job. Some converts from Hinduism express regret even to this day at the loss of their culture when such sacrifices were made. Education at the loss of one’s heritage can never be a desirable sacrifice and the modern world condemns these religious pressures. Rampant materialism is also a serious impediment to a genuine practice of dharma. Nowadays there are many individuals who cannot integrate the legitimate acquisition of wealth with the path of dharma. Such individuals forsake dharma for senseless total enjoyment of the physical self. They must be taught the example of our ancestors who read, recited and listened to the scriptures even though impediments were put in their path. Their fierce refusal to surrender their way of life is a commendation to every generation who should value the priceless gift of dharma that has bequeathed them. Industry and thrift are also benchmarks set by our ancestors. They were able to perform various tasks in unfamiliar positions and under distressing conditions. Even though conditions have changed somewhat, the spirit of work is a wonderful example to emulate. The legendary thrift of our forefathers is a value that needs to be instilled in today’s youth. We have learnt and benefited from this lesson of thrift. Generations have benefited through the inheritance of various forms of wealth and knowledge accumulated by the preceding generations. It is our duty to preserve this wealth and use it for noble purpose. As we commemorate Indian Arrival Day, let us recommit ourselves to the unswerving path of dharma in appreciation of the legacy bequeathed us by those who preceded us. And the Maha Sabha will continue to remain the pivotal leaders in the preservation of our cherished parampara (unbroken traditions) SATNARAYAN MAHARAJ Secretary General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha
Posted on: Fri, 30 May 2014 13:43:33 +0000
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