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I Hindus,

bamboo and the environment - editorial

From fences tojhandis [flagstaffs], to structures for weddings, Ramleela and Divali, Hindus
make the most use of bamboo in the Caribbean.
The theme of this edition of our magazine is cultural
ecology.
It is in keeping
with the United Nations'
declaration that 2002 should be the "International
Year of
Ecotourism."
Divali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, is marked by the
cleanliness of the homes and environment
of devotees in
preparation for the celebration.
It is a time when greater
awareness
is brought to the national community
of the
conservation
of the natural and cultural heritage of the
society. Divali offers the opportunity
for Hindu and nonHindu stakeholders
in the environment
to review the
ecological benefits that the celebration
highlights. Divali
demonstrates
the importance
of biodiversity,
and its
potential contribution to sustainable development.
The Hindu tradition in India of making valuable trees
sacred was passed down to devotees
in Trinidad
to
maintain an ecological
relationship
between
man and
nature. The basis of this relationship
is the safety and
survival
of trees, and forest-dwelling
animals,
from
exploitation
by man. The Hindu use of bamboo during
Divali is perhaps the best way to illustrate the concept of
spiritual or cultural ecology,
the relationship
between
religion and the environment,
and the place of plants in a
planet ravaged by human destruction.
Every Divali, truckloads
of men go to cut bamboo
clumps which are stripped to make various designs. On
these decorative designs - which take the shapes of arches,
swans, Oms, and sitars, to name a few. Deyas are placed
and lit. Hindus also use bamboo
to make cannons
('bursting
bamboo') to herald the season of Divali and
Christmas which usually runs one after the other. Most
Hindu homes and ceremonies
are marked with a jhandi,
which is a flag hoisted on a bamboo pole.
Shi'ite Muslims use bamboo strips during Hosay to
make decorative tadjahs. These are papier-mache
tombs
which are wheeled in the streets as part of a solemn
procession.
Afro-Trinidadians
also use bamboo ('tamboobamboo') as percussion instruments during Carnival.
A fast-growing
woody grass, bamboo is one of the
most versatile plants in the world. The most striking
feature of bamboo is its fast growth. No other living thing
on earth grows as fast in so short a time. A culm of
bamboo of a certain type in Japan grew almost four feet in
24 hours. By watching it closely, one could have been able
to see it grow. Some species can grow as tall as 120 feet
in height, and a foot in diametre.
In Trinidad and Tobago, there are five genera and 12
species of bamboo, the most common being bambusa
vulgaris. According to researchers, bamboo was brought to
Trinidad from India and Burma in the early 1900s to be

used a source of fuel for sugar factories, and as raw

material for two pulp and paper mills. In 1924, about 1,000
acres of land was utilised to plant bamboo in the area
around UWI by a printery, Nelson Company
Ltd. Its
propagation
gave rise to the naming of villages like
Bamboo No. I and 2. At that time, Trinidad had a thriving
paper pulp industry with the abundance
of the stock
bambusa vulgaris.
In 1985, a technical
co-operation
agreement
was
signed between China and Trinidad and Tobago with the
aim of making better use of bamboo. It was found that it
could be used best in binding riverbanks and preventing
erosion. Its extensive rhizome and root network holds soft
loose soil, and its standing culms slow the rush of water. It
also catches soil nutrients in runoffs and prevents them
from entering nearby streams and rivers.
The lightweight
and strong poles are used to make
fences in farms and homesteads. Bamboo is also planted to
enhance water quality and to provide wildlife habitat.
Bamboo groves are also used to provide shade for grazing
animals in open savannahs. Deer bed down in bamboo and
birds hang out in its branches. In China, fresh bamboo
shoots are a speciality perennial crop. It is delicious and
nutritious, low in fat, and high in water and fibre.
National Geographic writer Jim Brandenburg (1990)
states that the farmer in Asia lives with bamboo from birth
to death. His umbilical cord is cut with a bamboo knife, he
is rocked in a bar- ...
00 cradle,
he farms with a bamboo
tool, he feeds his cattle with bamboo grass, and he is
carried to his grave on a bamboo bier. Brandenburgh
believes
that in a paper-hungry
planet rapidly being
denuded of its forests, bamboo may yet be a saviour.
Happy Divali to all.
The authors are responsible for the content of their articles.
The opinions expressed therein are not necessarily those of
the publisher.
ICC is an independent non-profit educational organisation
recognised by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. It is
dedicated to publishing two magazines a year - a Divali souvenir
magazine, and an Indian Arrival Day commemorative magazine.
Dr Kumar Mahabir, Editor and Chairman
Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council (lCC)
E-mail: mahab@tstt.net.tt
Tel: (868) 674-6008. Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707
Cover depicts the original world-famous Temple in the sea
at Waterloo, Trinidad. Photo by Sajjad Hamid. Circa. 1980.
Cover design by Preddie Partap.

PRIME MINISTER
REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Divali Greetings to the People of The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Once again, our Nation celebrates Divali, the colorful festival of lights introduced by our Hindu
community.
This is a holy festival celebrated all over the world, and we are grateful for those Sages, Sants and
Muratis, as well as others, past and present, who have helped to preserve this most invaluable tradition.
It is a joyous festival of wealth and prosperity, and of caring and sharing.
Notably, it is most significant at the metaphysical level, where the dominion of light over darkness
reflects the triumph of good over evil.
Emerging on what is believed to be the darkest night of the year, Divali heralds in a new dawn of
enduring hope.
In Trinidad and Tobago we are proud of this festival and its impact on our national community.
Notwithstanding, the forces of ignorance, rancor and division are still with us and it remains for all
the citizens of our beloved country to imbibe this festival at a deeper level.
We must allow "Deepawali'' to further illuminate our minds and hearts, enlightening us with knowledge
and understanding required for genuine unity and peace.
My fellow citizens, let us make Divali 2002 the most dazzling array of lights yet as, symbolically,
we burnish the darkness and usher in the brightest dawn in our national consciousness.
On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, I extend Divali Greetings to
the Indo-Caribbean Cultural Council, the Hindu Community and all the People of our Nation.
Shubh Divali!

Patrick Manninng

..

- .-'-!'~"...,,:.
.

"'.....
I

No.8 Bolai It; I.D.C. Estate,

Chase Village, Trinidad, W.I.

Tel: (868) 672-532913980

Fax: (868) 672-5330
E-mail: trintrac@carib-link.net

The light within

By Reshma Mituram
This Divali should be the beginning of unending brightness, of unending light. Let us chase the
perpetual darkness away forever.
Divali - the festival of lights. A celebration of
everything good and beautiful, pure and divine, simple,
imperfect, yet perfect in its creation. It is the celebration
of Goddess Lakshmi, the embodiment of light, love, living
and giving. We celebrate Lord Rama and forgiveness,
tolerance. courage, hope and humanity. We celebrate
light. On each deya burns a flame, dancing, swaying
gracefully and ever so lightly to the slightest breeze.
We light these deyas, everyday, morning and evening
in some part of our homes that we consider sacred. Yet, it
matters not how many thousands of deyas a person may
light or how often or how big or beautiful or how long they
remain lighting if a certain light has gone out or worse, has
never ever been lit. This light burns in me, you, all of us.
Each year for Divali, dozens of deyas are bought to
light up our homes. Have you never noticed that no two
are the same? They are not all perfectly shaped. Some are
cracked and leak when filled. Some are darker than others,
baked for a longer period or perhaps moulded from a
different type of clay. Some are made bigger for a specific
purpose, others are specially embellished for another
purpose, some have been prepared with wax while some,
according to our choice or preference, are filled with oil or
ghee. Whatever the reason, the potter's creations, though
imperfect to the eyes are perfect for the purpose they are
meant to serve.
Regardless of their visible differences, as twilight
turns to darkness each deya with its blue and yellow flame
spreads a soft, warm glow around its immediate
surroundings. Together they brighten up communities,
hearts and lives. You and I have some things in common
with this deya. Surprised? Or perhaps a bit skeptical?
Well, maybe after I tell you why I think the way 1 do, you
just might see the light.
We are all imperfect in some way or the other.
Physically, no two people are the same. We are not cut
from the same cloth or fashioned from the same material.
We come from different backgrounds, live in different
situations, under different circumstances. Like the deyas,
we are cracked, or have different shades. Some of us
possess, more like the big deyas, some possess less like the
small deyas and some have just enough like the medium or
average sized ones. Still we all have a purpose.
In the eyes of our creator, our physical imperfections
are perfect for whatever reason we were given them. So
too, like the blue and yellow flame that bums in each of
these different deyas, we must realize that as different as
we are, each of us has a flame burning, glowing softly

inside of us, and like the deyas if we come together

darkness can be banished forever more.
You see th is is the brightest Iight of all. It is hope,
courage,
love,
compassion,
kindness,
friendship,
understanding and tolerance. It is the source of our
humanity. It is the beacon of light that guides us out of our
own darkness. It is the Iight that connects us to the Divine
Light.
Have you ever looked at the flame when it is
challenged by a strong wind or rain? It flickers, wavers,
struggles to keep lighting. In the face of a storm it can
either go out or continue to burn on, stronger and even
brighter. Every moment of our lives we are faced with
challenges;
ignorance,
hardship,
temptation,
limits,
obstacles. These are all aspects of the storm that we are
not aware of putting before ourselves.
But something keeps us going. This something must
be faith, hope or belief that somewhere along the road
things will get better. That when we cannot go any lower
the only way to go is up, and that when you've walked into
a long dark tunnel there must be an ending somewhere.
It is the light that is so much a part of us; it is what
makes humanity so amazing. The light within is the
driving force, the life force, and the essence of humanity.
So before you light up the deyas and the sparklers, before
you light up the skies with fireworks, before you adorn
your homes with bright blinking lights, before you don the
bright and shimmery new clothes for the occasion, take a
moment to light the big bright light within and say a prayer
that others may do likewise.
This Divali should be the beginning of unending
brightness, of unending light. Let us chase the perpetual
darkness away forever. Even though the gentle flames will
burn out by morning, our celebration of lights will
continue because the light within will remain eternal.
Come and let us celebrate the Light of lights.

Reshma Mituram is a teacher and writer.

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The major religious texts in Hinduism

By Merlin Beedaise
...one can say that our sacred Hindu texts have thus embraced an enormous repertory of texts ot
startling antiquity and variety, and touching upon practically every aspect of the individual, the
family and society.
Hinduism is one of the oldest religions existing today.
Its teachings are based on many sacred texts. These
include the Vedic texts: the Mahabharata, Puranas,
Ramayana, and Bhagavadgita. These texts help determine
our thoughts and attitudes about life, which in turn direct
our actions and help create our destiny. These scriptures
teach us that all life is sacred, and should be revered and
loved, by practicing ahimsa, non-injury in thought, word
and deed.
The Vedic texts. also called the Vedas, are the world's
most ancient scriptures. These primordial hymns are God's
word and the bedrock of Sanatan Dharma, the eternal
religion. The Vedic texts are the Rgveda-Santhita,
Yajurveda-Samhita and Samaveda-Samhita, AtharvavedaSamhita. Brahmanas and Aranyakas, and the Upanisads.
The Rgveda is essentially an anthology of poems
addressed to the gods, namely, Indra and Agni, "the
sacrifical tire." It contains 1,028 hymns, relating to
domestic rites, marriage and funeral hymns. Also, the
creation of the world is described as the sacrifice and

dismemberment

of a primeval man or purusa. Out of the

pails of his body the components of the universe are

formed. These hymns represent the social model of the
four classes, with the Brahmin emanating from his mouth,
the Ksatriya (the kingly and warrior class) from his arms,
the Vaisya, (merchants) from his thighs, the Sudra (low
castes) from his feet. This text remains the basic authority
for the classes.
The Yajurveda-Samhita and Samaveda-Samhita contain
the lines. (usually in prose), which the pundit accompanies
with his ritual manipulations, addressing the implements
he handles and the offering he pours, admonishing other
priests to do their invocation. The Samaveda is a collection

for

ri

of Ii;~es f~o~ t~e ~gveda designed

ke
ual. The
Atharvaveda-Samhita contains 73 I hymns relating to
magical prayers for specific purpose e.g. spells for long
life, cures for illnesses, marriage prayers and funeral
formulas. The Atharvaveda-Samhita
complements the
Rgveda.
The Brahmanas and Aranyakas detail and describe the
liturgy, invoking and sometimes inventing m~hs to
explain the ritual facts. The Upanisads continued lines of
thought are similar to the Aranyakas. They elaborate on
the structure of the human personality. Among the texts of
vedic inspiration is the Dharma Sastra or manual on
dharma, which gives rules of conduct and rites as they are
practised. Its contents relate to the duties of a Hindu. .
Another major text is the Mahabharata, the great epic of
the Bharata Dynasty, are almost the sole do~ume~ts of
Hindu religion from 400 Be to 200 AD. In this epic, the
main concern is with dharma, the complex of

supernaturally sanctioned moral, social and ritual laws,

which are incumbent on an individual according to his
station and period in life.
The Mahabharata epic attracted a great number of other
texts. One such text is the Puran, which deals with
religious and moral matters in Hinduism from about the
close of the Mahabharata. They describe sacrifices,
festivals, vows, donations, construction and erection of
icons, all under the concern for dharma. The most popular
part of the Puranas is the description of the life of Krishna
for which it has since remained the principal authority
One of the most famous texts is the Valmiki's
Ramayana, ('Romance of Ram'). It is a simple story of
how Prince Rama was exiled; his wife Sita was abducted
by the demon Ravana, the latter's defeat at the hands of
Rama and his monkey allies, led by Hanuman. Rama's
restoration has had a tremendous impact on the Hindu
mind. Rarna is the perfect king, Sita, the perfect wife,
Laksmana, the perfect brother; Rama's reign is the
epitome of social harmony and prosperity.
The noblest lesson contained in the Ramayana is the
supreme importance of righteousness in the life of every
human being. One cannot be a true devotee of God unless
one makes an honest attempt to grow in the virtues that the
Lord represents.
Perhaps the most dramatic use of the Ramayan is where
stories come alive. The Ram Leela is where actors take the
role of the characters, culminating in a pyrotechnic killing
and exploding of the giant demon Ravana, to both the
delight and edification of the public.
The Bhagvadgita ('The Lord's Song') is the most
influential Indian religious text, although it is not strictly
sruti or revelation. The text contains 7,000 verses in quasidialogue form. When the opposing parties in the
Mahabharata war stand ready to begin battle, Arjuna
despairs at the thought of having to kill his kinsmen and
lays down his arms. Krishna, his friend, charioteer, and
adviser, argues against Arjuna's failure to do his duty as a
noble. The argument soon escalates into a general
discourse on religious and philosophical matters. The
influence of the Bhagvadgita has been profound and
continues to shape the attitudes of Hindus and places a
new emphasis on devotion.
Therefore one can say that our sacred Hindu texts have
thus embraced an enormous repertory of texts of startling
antiquity and variety, and touching upon practi.cally every
aspect of the individual, the family and society. These
texts have provided religions w~th it~ substan~e,
philosophy with its principal assumptions, literature With
its topics, and art with its theme.
Merlin Beedaise is a librarian in Trinidad.

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Similarities and differences - Hinduism and Christianity

HINDUISM

CHRISTIANITY

FOUNDED: Hinduism, the world's oldest religion, has

no beginning- it predates recorded history.

FOUNDED: Christianity began about 2,000 years

ago in what is now Israel.

FOUNDER: Hinduism has no human founder.

FOUNDER: Jesus of Nazareth.

MAJOR SCRIPTURES: The Vedas, Agamas and

more.

MAJOR SCRIPTURE: The Bible, Old and New Testament.

ADHERENTS: Nearly one billion, mostly in India, Sri

Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Malaysia, Indonesia,
Indian Ocean, Africa, Europe and North and South
America.

ADHERENTS:

SECTS: There are four main denominations:

Saktism, Vaishnavism and Smartism.

SECTS: Christianity consists of three main sects:

Roman Catholic. Eastern Orthodox and Protestant. Among
Protestants there are over 20,000 denominations.

Saivism,

SYNOPSIS
Hinduism is a vast and profound religion. It worships one
Supreme Reality that all souls ultimately realize Truth.
There is no eternal hell, no damnation.
It accepts all
genuine spiritual paths- from pure monism ("God alone
exists") to theistic dualism (When shall I know His
Grace?"). Each soul is free to find his own way, whether
by devotion, austerity, meditation (yoga) or selfless
service. Stress is placed on temple worship, scripture and
the guru-disciple tradition. Festivals, pilgrimage, chanting
of holy hymns and home worship are dynamic practices.
Love, nonviolence, good conduct and the law of dharma
define the Hindu path. Hinduism explains that the soul
reincarnates until all karmas are resolved and God
Realization is attained. The magnificent holy temples, the
peaceful piety of the Hindu home, the subtle metaphysics
and the science of yoga all play their part. Hinduism is a
mystical religion, leading the devotee to personally
experience the Truth within, finally reaching the pinnacle
of consciousness where man and God are one.

Estimated at 1.5 billion.

SYNOPSIS
The majority of Christians adhere to the Apostles' Creed: 9
believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and
Earth, and Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was
conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried.
He descended into Hell. The third day He rose again from
the dead. He ascended unto Heaven and sitteth on the right
hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He shall
come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy
Ghost, ... the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting." Most
Christian faith revolves around the basic principles of this
creed, but with important exceptions to its various beliefs.
Christia~i~ has an unswerving conviction that it is the only
true religion, the only path to salvation. This engenders a
missionary zeal, an urgency to evangelise around the world.
Stress is placed on acceptance of Jesus as God and Savior
on good conduct, compassion, service to mankind, faith and
preparation for the Final Judgment. Only good Christians
will be saved and accepted into heaven. Today over half of
all Christians are black. Membership is diminishing in
developed nations but increasing in undeveloped nations.

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Similarities and differences - Hinduism and Christianity

HINDU BELIEFS

CHRISTIAN BELIEFS

1. I believe in a one, all pervasive

Supreme Being who is both Immanent
And transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest
Reality.
2. I believe that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation
and dissolution.
3. I believe that all souls are evolving
toward union with God and will ultimately find moksha: spiritual knowledge and liberation from the cycle of
rebirth. Not a single soul will be eternally deprived of this destiny.
4. I believe in karma the law of cause
and effect by which each individual
creates his own destiny by his thoughts,
words and deeds.
5. I believe that the soul reincarnates,
evolving through many births until all
karmas have been resolved.
6. I believe that divine beings exist in
unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals, sacraments as well as personal devotionals create a communion
with these devas and Gods.
7. I believe that a spiritually awakened master or satguru is essential
to know the transcendent Absolute,
as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, self-inquiry and
meditation.
8. I believe that all life is sacred, to be
loved and revered, and I therefore
practice ahimsa, or nonviolence.
9. I believe that no particular religion
teaches the only way to salvation
above all others, but that all genuine
religious paths are facets of God's
pure love and light, deserving tolerance
and understanding.

I. I believe in the God the Father, Creator of the Universe,

reigning forever distinct over man, His beloved
creation.

GOALS
The ultimate goal of Hindus is moksha, the personal and
direct realization of one's true, Divine Self, which grants
permanent liberation from the cycles of rebirth, called
samsara. This realization is termed nirvikalpa samadhi
and is the totally transcendent culmination of yoga.

2. I believe man is born a sinner, and that he may know

salvation only through the Savior, Jesus Christ, God's
only begotten Son.
3. I believe that Jesus Christ was born of Mary, a virgin.

4. I believe that Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross,

then resurrected from the dead, and now sits at he right
hand of the Father as the final judge of the dead, and
that He will return again as prophesized.
5. I believe that the soul is embodied for a single lifetime,
but is immortal and accountable to God for all thoughts
and actions.
6. I believe in the historical truth of the Holy Bible, that it
is sacred scripture of the highest authority and the only
word of God.

7. I believe that upon death and according to its earthly

deeds and its acceptance of the Christian faith, the soul
enters Heaven, Purgatory or Hell. There it awaits the
Last Judgement when the dead shall rise again, the
redeemed to enjoy life everlasting and the unsaved to
suffer eternally.
8. I believe in the intrinsic goodness of mankind and the
affirmative nature of life, and in the priceless value of
love, charity and faith.
9. I believe in the Holy Trinity of God who reveals
Himself as Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and in the
existence of Satan, the personification of evil, deception
and darkness.

GOALS
The goal of Christianity is eternal life with God in heaven, a
perfect existence in which God's glory and bliss are shared.
It is also a personal life, enjoyed differently by souls
according to the amount of grace achieved in life.

KILLo

of household germs ....DEAD!

A Christian priest celebrates Divali

By Fr. Martin Sirju
On Divali night ... I will light deyas around the house, then go to visit my Hindu friends. I will
observe the cleanliness of their homes, listen to their bhajans, eat and carry home more than one
parcel of parsad.
When I think of Divali I think of a veritable
celebration of nature: deyas, product of the earth; oil, fruit
of the coconut trees; malas, offerings of flowering plants;
not to mention the many grains which are converted into
various sweets for distribution.
The Goddess herself is
pictured with flowers in one hand and emerging out of an
unsullied lotus. The union between nature and divinity is
evident. In a famous text Jesus alludes to nature as a
teacher: "And why worry about clothing? Think of the
flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or
spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his
royal robes was clothed like one of these. Now if that is
how God clothes the wild flowers growing in the field
which are there today and thrown into the fire tomorrow,
will he not much more look after you, you who have so
little faith." (Mt 6: 28-30)
Somewhere along the line the Christian tradition lost
touch with nature. In fact Christianity
became associated
with progress and western scientific technology.
Western
science became dominated by many Christian thinkers or
intellectuals who, having abandoned Christianity,
were at
least trained in Christian patterns of thought. One of these
was the notion that the western Christian
world must
conquer nature as is stated in the book of Genesis: "God
blessed them saying, 'Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth
and conquer it. Be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds
of heaven and all Iiving creatures that move on the earth '"
(Gen I: 28). It took modem biblical scholarship to explain
to us that to "conquer" does not mean to exploit or destroy,
but to use the gifts of nature to your advantage while
maintaining nature's own rhythm.
From a Hindu point of view, one may say it is the
eternal dance of Lord Krishna whose dancing keeps the
world together or preserves its rhythm. Destruction of the
environment
disturbs the smooth flow of the dance and
this in turn makes our living an unhappy experience: our
rivers and seas become polluted; the fruits and vegetables
are of low quality because the soil is lacking in nutrients;
optical and dermatological
diseases increase.
Luckily over the past twenty-five years the Christian
West became more sensitive to issues of environmental
degradation. This was due not only to scientific findings
but to the influence of non-Christian patterns of thought on
Christianity e.g. Hinduism, Buddhism, and their derivative
religious
systems as well as New Age philosophies.
Christians of the western world have therefore become
increasingly sensitive to environmental
issues. A revisiting

of the Bible has also shown that Hindus and Christians are
not poles apart in their understanding
of the role of nature
in God's plan. In fact Christian theology now teaches that
creation was God's first act of salvation.
This new awareness
of the importance of nature to
humanity is nothing less than the dawning of new light. I
have always held that the blessings which the Goddess
Lakshmi brings to her devotees has very little to do with
material wealth for even wealth is seen as maya - that
which is not ultimately
real. Wealth for me is more
spiritual and intellectual both of which lead to action and
the fulfillment
of dharma. I think this is where a major
problem lies. It is not sufficient to say Hinduism extols the
union of God with creation or even to point it out in the
Hindu
scriptures.
That
is nothing
but theological
romanticism.
A false hurray to our religious tradition. It
has to be lived.
I remember bus loads of people who passed my house
on their way to Columbus
Bay. As a teenager I would
often visit that beach after they left only to discover
another sea - a sea of rubbish! Pi les of plates, cups, bottles
and other items. I know things have changed, for the bay is
not as dirty as it used to be. My goal is neither to knock
any religious group nor to claim they were the only ones to
leave the beach in such an awful state, but to say that it is
not nearly enough to perform a ritual but to practise what
is being celebrated
in the ritual. Disregard
for the
environment
will change only if we walk hand in hand as
people of different faiths and put our religion into practice.
On Divali night, as has been my custom for several
years, I will light deyas around the house where I live and
then go to visit my Hindu friends. I will observe the
cleanliness of their homes, listen to their bhajans, eat and
carry home more than one parcel of pars ad. I will think of
the Christian festival of lights, the Easter Vigil, when we
chant from the back of the church "Christ Our Light" as
we enter the dark church lit only by the light of the Paschal
Candle. I will also think of the gifts of nature that make
both our festivals possible. Then I will pray to the one God
we both seek to find and worship and Him or Her. When
that day comes a great light would have dawned upon us:
Christ would have visited us; Lakshmi Devi would have
blessed us.

Fr. Martin Sirju is a priest in Princes Town.

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I poem

I NEWS

ON HINDUS

A Divali Wish

Temple arson in Fiji

By Reshma Mituram
1wish that
everything could stay
this way, that this day
would never end and
it would go on and on and on
endlessly,
this feeling of joy and happiness
and singing
bursting forth from me
in song
joyful, joyful
filling me up until
happiness overflows in tears
unspeakable
indescribable feeling, all
over lights, lights, lights
in and around me
songs, music, laughter
in and around me
merging, melding, fusing,
swirling in and around me
until I am dizzy beyond
worlds and words of
wondrous happiness
and this music and song
in my heart, my soul
could pour thick and sweet
from within and coat
everything and
EVERYONE in this
WORLD, and they would feel
my JOY,
my happiness
and bask in the contentment
of just being happy
and for a moment pain,
anger, hate, greed, envy
and all the evils of this world
are forgotten
and this moment is as
long as eternity
o God, 1 wish my
wish would come true
I wish that this day,
this moment,
this feeling could last
FOREVER!!!

Amid racial slurs and religious backstabbing in the

Senate, a temple was attacked here. A Hindu temple at
Naila, along Bau Road in Nausori, was the target of
vandals who ransacked and set it alight. Fortunately a
neighbour spotted the smoke and the fire was extinguished
with minor damage. Other temples in Fiji similarly torched
at night have been burnt completely. Religious groups and
political parties have condemned the act. Interfaith Search
Fiji says that ever since its formation it has continuously
witnessed the wrecking, burning and looting of religious
buildings, particularly those of the non-Christian faith
traditions.
Shree Sanatan Dharam Prathinidhi Sabha national
president Harish Sharma said such acts should not be
condoned and should be put to a stop. Arya Prathinidhi
Sabha of Fiji national president Kamlesh Arya said the
burning of the items in the temple is a clear indication that
some extreme elements against reconciliation still exist in
the country. Mr. Arya believes recent racist remarks in
Fiji's parliament seemed to encourage such extreme
elements to carry out such acts of sacrilege. Fiji Senator
Mitieli Bulanauca said in parliament a few days earlier that
public
holidays
marking
Deepavali
and Prophet
Mohammed's Birthday should be scrapped. Senator
Bulanauca said that by having those public holidays,
"Fijian people are forced to bow to other Gods in their
own land." And that, he said, was unconstitutional. He said
Deepavali and Prophet Mohammed's Birthday "can be
special days for believers." He then tried to compare
Christianity with other religions, making references to
false gods.
Source: Daily Post. September 2, 2002

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The power of rice

By Gerard Besson
Among Hindus rice is the one important crop ... no matter how poor a family may have been - to
have several barrels of rice put away was an indication of worth.
Almost 30 years after the system of Indentureship
had
been introduced,
an ordinance
had defined
a legal
minimum wage. The plantations found a way around this
by simply increasing the tasks to be performed. The result
was lower wages. When this was added to the poor
housing and almost total lack of amenities,
there was
considerable disappointment
and depression on the sugar
estates. Many protested that they were working 'daywork'
instead of tasks.
A variety of laws governed the working conditions of
the Indians. By law, they were guaranteed
not to work
more than 280 days of work per calendar year, with five
days a week out of crop season and six days during crop.
A task was a body of work performed over a seven-hour
period by an able-bodied person. Day work, on the other
hand, was nine hours in the field. However, up to fifteen
hours was day work in the factory during crop time. The
stipulation according to the ordinance was a minimum
wage of 25 cents per day or per task for men and women
and 16 cents for youngsters. Fieldwork during crop went
much longer than nine hours, but there was little more to
be earned.
The Indentureship period was a boost to the plantation
system and to the economy of the colony. Indians worked
on both sugar, cocoa and coffee estates. The third crop of
great importance
to Indo-Trinidad
was rice. This was
entirely in Indian hands. Rice was introduced by Indians
and to the present is mostly cultivated by them.
By the 1870s, rice cultivation began to flourish in the
Caroni swamp and to some degree in the Oropouche
lagoon. In a 1960 study conducted by Arthur and Juanita
Niehoff entitled East Indians in the West Indies, it is said:
"In the first place there is a traditional sentimental value
attached to growing and possessing large amounts of rice.
Among Hindus rice is the one important crop in which
religious rites are involved."
Sugar, coffee and cocoa were not invested in because
they held no religious
significance
for the Indian
immigrants.
However,
rice fields were said to have
guardian spirits, and many Hindus made offerings to them
in the form of rum, cigarettes, candles and biscuits at the
time of harvest-all
precious and expensive items.
Rice is treated much more ceremoniously
by the
Hindu society in Trinidad than other crops. This also
includes the preservation of religious traditions, e.g. that a
small amount of the first rice crop was given to a Brahmin,
preferably a pundit
(priest), or to a sadhu (religious
ascetic). At pujas and weddings, rice is an integral part

of the ritual offering.

"The only other crops in this area to which religious
ceremonialism
is
attached
are'
watermelons
and
cucumbers,
of which the first fruits are given to the
Brahmin," write A. and J. Niehoff. "It may be relevant that
both of these are grown in the rice fields during the dry
season. That is, the fields which produce rice take on some
of the sacred character
which is attached to the grain
itself." Apart from the religious standpoint, the possession
of rice served as a symbol of plenty. No matter how poor a
family may have been, to have several barrels of rice put
away was an indication
of worth. The possession of
money,
however,
was another
matter.
Banks were
generally not trusted by the Indians.
"The Indians came to Trinidad in search of better
economic conditions,"
write A. and J. Niehoff. "Those
who came were consequently
from the poorer classes of
India and they had little more than their personal
belongings when they arrived. What they have today is
therefore a result of their efforts since they have lived on
the island."
The living wage - I shilling and I pence per day for
men and 8 pence for women was even in those days hardly
a sum upon which great future investments could be built.
Thriftiness had to become a lifestyle beyond modest living
for the Indians. Nineteenth
century writer J.H. Collens
described how the Indians "hoarded to a fault, often living
on the plainest and coarsest diet in order to save money."
However, in the 1870s and 1880s, Indians deposited
large amounts of money in the local branches of banks.
Not quite trusting the slip of paper they got in return, it so
happened that sometimes an Indian would withdraw all his
or her savings just to verify that they were really there!
Many Indians did not trust banks at all and hid their money
in hollow trees or buried it. Others again did not even trust
in money and instead melted down their silver coins and
made beautiful bracelets and other jewelry.
"There are Indians of the present generation
who
remember this thriftiness to the point of deprivation among
their emigrant ancestors,"
write A. and J. Niehoff. "The
old Indians were described by this son and his wife, who
were by no means spendthrifts,
as follows: 'They didn't
spend their money. You could never tell a man was rich by
looking at him. They wore plain clothes even if they could
afford better. '"

SOURCE:

The Angostura Historical Digest

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Echoes of nature: Hinduism and music

By Sharda Singh
How closely Indian music and nature are associated is evidenced in the birth of the musical
scale. The scale originated, according to some scholars, from the sounds created by different
birds and animals.
Tucked away in the mountains,
in the jungles of the
Himalayas, yogis sit in deep prayer and meditation. They
are oblivious to all in the external ambiance, ears attuned
to the elemental
sound within them. The sound, Om,
resonates in the atmosphere, travelling upwards, into deep
space, creating the notes of the Indian musical scale as it
impacts with each of the eight planets that form our solar
system. The divine music reaches the ears of these yogis,
quiet and still in their concentration.
They are one with the
entire universe now. Wild animals pass by, leaving them to
their devotion. It is the origin of what is known today as
Shastra Sangeet or Indian classical music.
Hinduism is defined as 'a way of life.' It is therefore
more than a religion, but the manifestation
of cultural
beliefs and knowledge of the Indian people. Culture can be
defined as the way of life of a certain
people.
It
incorporates the food that they eat, the way they dress,
talk, walk, their recreational pursuits, their way of thinking
and their relationship with their natural environment.
An
important part of this culture is the music of the people.
According to cultural studies, the sacred texts, the
Vedas and Upanishads, are believed to embody the eternal
primeval sound, 'Om' and it is from this sound that music
is said to originate. The sacred sound known as Nada
Brahman included musical and non-linguistic sounds that
could be heard by those in deep meditation and it is said to
be the foundation of Indian music. Music is thus of divine
nature.
Most of the Hindu gods and goddesses are associated
with music. Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe plays
the hand cymbals and also has as his consort, Sarasvati, the
goddess of music. Her instrument is the veena. Similarly,
Vishnu, the preserver, sounds the conch shell and Siva, the
destroyer, plays the damaru as he dances the Tandava, the
dance of destruction. It is important to note that music is a
main feature of the notion of creation and destruction.
Indian classical
music also known as Gandharva
Sangeet, now known as Sangeet, is said to be divine in
origin. The Gandharvas are said to be male demigods, part
human and part God. The famous Narada Muni, the son of
the creator, Brahma, is credited as the Gandharva
who
taught this divine art to humans.
How closely Indian music and nature are associated is
evidenced in the birth of the musical scale. The scale
originated, according to some scholars, from the sounds
created by different birds and animals and are therefore

named accordingly:
Shadaj (Sa) - peacock, Rishab (Re) bull, Gandhar
(Ga) - ram, Madhyam
(Ma) - crane,
Pancham
(Pa) - cuckoo,
Dhaivat (Dha) - horse and
Nishaad (Ni) - elephant.
The first note Sa, is repeated on
the higher octave and therefore while in Western classical
music, the scale is called an octave, meaning eight notes,
Indian classical music identifies the scale as Saptak (seven
notes) since the first note Sa is repeated.
Another theory is that the notes of the scale could also
be found in the sounds created by the eight planets as they
revolved around the sun. It is one view that the unpolluted
state of the atmosphere during the pre-Vedic to the Vedic
times allowed these sounds to reach the ears of the yogis as
they sat in meditation.
It was however difficult for the
average man, to hear these sounds unless enveloped in
silence through quiet, deep meditation where the mind is
stilled. Unity with the divine through discipline, dedication
and perseverance,
is the hallmark
of musical arts.
Harmony
with
all; harmony
extending
to natural
surroundings, are the main characteristics.
Hindu music or Shastra Sangeet, is divided into three
categories: vocal music, instrumental
and dance. Taal or
rhythm is a major part of Indian classical music and may
be associated with the rhythm of nature, the cycle of the
seasons and the cycle of birth and death.
Harmony with nature brings to the fore the Hindu
concept of Ahimsa or non-violence as well as the practice
of vegetarianism.
True practitioners
of the art in the prevedic and Vedic eras upheld both ideals. As times changed
and materialism
became a dominant feature of modern
society music gradually lost its divine quality and financial
gains became the goal of many musicians.
Indian culture has always held the natural environment
as sacred. Its classical music tradition is one manifestation
of this deep respect for nature. Embodied in the concepts
of raga and taal is the attempt to attain unity with nature
and the divine. Dedication,
perseverance,
respect for life
and humility
are the necessary
qualities
for any
practitioner of Indian classical music. Harmony with man
and nature is best achieved through the cultivation and
sustenance
of these virtues. The goal of the classical
musician is the unification of the listener and his natural
surroundings through music.

Sharda Singh is a classical

sitarist and UWI student.

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Hinduism and environmental

conservation

By Ravi Chaturvedi
Cutting of trees and destruction of flora were considered a sinful act...The Mahabharat says,
"Even if there is only one tree full of flowers and fruits in a village, that place becomes worthy
of worship and respect."
In the ancient spiritual traditions, man was looked
upon as part of nature, linked by indissoluble spiritual and
psychological bonds with the elements around him. This is
very much marked in the Hindu tradition, probably the
oldest living religious tradition in the world. The Vedas, a
collection of hymns composed by great spiritual seers, are
the repository of Hindu wisdom. They reflect the vibrancy
of an encompassing worldview which looks upon all
objects in the universe, living or non-living, as being
pervaded by the same spiritual power.
Hinduism
teaches
about the all-encompassing
sovereignty of the divine, manifesting itself in a graded
scale of evolution. The human race, though at the top of
the evolutionary pyramid at present, is not seen as
something apart from the Earth and its multitudinous life
forms. The Athar Ved contains the magnificent hymn to
the Earth which is redolent with ecological and
environmental values. Here are some excerpts from this
ordinary hymn:
Earth, in which lie the sea, the river, and other waters,
In which food and cornfields have come to be,
In which lives all that breathes and that moves,
May she confer on us the finest of her yield.
May those born of thee, 0 Earth,
be for our welfare, free from sickness and
waste.
Wakeful through a long life, we shall
become bearers of tribute to thee.
Earth, my mother, set securely with bliss
infull accord with heaven,
o wise one,
uphold me in grace and splendour.
Not only in the Vedas, but in later scriptures such as
Upanishads, the Puranas and subsequent texts, the Hindu
view of nature has been clearly enunciated. It is permeated
by a reverence for life, and an awareness that the great
forces of nature, earth, sky, air, water and fire, as well as
various orders of life including plants and trees, forests and
animals, are all bound to each other within the great
rhythms of nature. The divine is not exterior to creation,
but expresses itself through natural phenomena.
The animals have always received special care and
consideration. Numerous Hindu texts advise that all

species should be treated as children. In Hindu mythology

and iconography there is a close relationship between the
various deities, (who are all different aspects of the same
divine power) and their animal or bird mounts. Each
divinity is associated with a particular animal or bird and
this lends a special dimension to the animal kingdom.
Thus in the Mundak Upanishad the divine is described as
the following:
Fire is his head, his eyes are the moon and
the sun;
the regions of space are his ears, his voice
the revealed Veda;
the wind is his breath, his heart is the
entire universe;
the Earth is his footstool, truly he is the
inner soul of all.
Killing animals for food was prohibited in Rigved.
There were admonishments
about killing animals.
Yajurved points out that the king was advised to punish
anyone who kills the animals. As stated in Manusmriti,
eating meat is a great sin. It warns of hell-fire (Ghar
Narak) to those who are the killers of domesticated and
protected animals. Ashoka's (273-236 BC) V Pillar Edicts,
erected at various public places, expressed his concern
about the welfare of creatures and prescribed various
punishments for the killing of animals, including ants,
squirrels and rats. In Chanakya's Arthtashashtra (a treatise
on Economics) it is recorded that penalties were imposed
on killing, trapping and even teasing of the animals.
Cutting of trees and destruction of flora were
considered a sinful act. The belief that a God dwelt in a
tree made cutting down of a green tree a punishable
offence. In order to save the trees, the Hindus attached to
every tree a religious sanctity. Consequently trees became
objects of worship. The Mahabharat says, "Even ifthere is
only one tree full of flowers and fruits in a village, that
place becomes worthy of worship and respect."
The need of the hour is to remind ourselves that nature
cannot be destroyed without mankind ultimately being
destroyed himself. Centuries of rapacious exploitation of
the environment have finally caught up with us, and a
radically changed attitude towards nature is now not a
question of spiritual merit, but of sheer survival.
Ravi Chaturvedi is a radio commentator.

Diabetes
By The Diabetes Association of Trinidad and Tobago
DIABETES is described as a global epidemic by the World Health Organisation. Estimates in Trinidad and Tobago
suggest there are as many as 70,000 - 75,000 of our population with diabetes. In other words, it is a common condition affecting at least one in eight adults in the country. Statistics reveal that diabetes as a cause of death ranks third after heart
disease and cancer in Trinidad and Tobago (CSO 2000). In addition, diabetes is very often the underlying cause of heart
disease. The numbers alone show that diabetes is a serious condition. The cost of diabetes to Trinidad and Tobago is high
- both in terms of human cost - and the economic costs - to the individual and his/her family as well as to the
Government.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes, or to give it its full name, diabetes mellitus, is a condition that occurs as a result of problems with the production
and/or action of insulin in the body. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that enables cells to take in glucose
(blood sugar) from the blood and use it for energy. When a person has diabetes, either their pancreas does not produce the
insulin they need (Type I diabetes), or their body cannot make effective use of the insulin they produce (Type 2 diabetes).
If uncontrolled, diabetes can cause serious long-term complications.
The most important are:
Cardiovascular disease, which affects the heart and blood vessels and may cause fatal complications.
Coronary heart disease and stroke, a common cause of disability and death in people with diabetes.
Eye disease, which ultimately leads to blindness.
Kidney damage, which may result in total kidney failure.
Nerve damage, which, combined with blood-circulation problems, may cause ulcers of the legs and feet and also
gangrene, which in turn may cause amputation to become necessary.
How do I know if I have diabetes?
The onset of Type 1diabetes is usually sudden and dramatic and can include symptoms such as
frequent urination -- abnormal thirst and a dry mouth -- extreme tiredness/lack of energy.
constant hunger -- sudden weight loss -- blurred vision -- recurrent infections.
The onset of Type 2 diabetes is gradual and therefore hard to detect. The symptoms described mayor may not occur.
Some people with Type 2 diabetes are only diagnosed many years after the onset of the condition. Diabetes complications
may already be present.
If you have any of these symptoms, check with your health centre or family doctor.
Am I at risk?
While anyone can develop diabetes some people are more at risk than others.
Is diabetes in your family? Are you overweight? Do you live a sedentary lifestyle? Are you over 30 years old?
Have you had several pregnancies? Have you had a baby weighing more than 9 Ibs.?
If you answered Yes to 2 or more of the questions you should get your blood sugar checked on a regular basis or as
advised by your doctor.
What can I do?
Studies have shown conclusively that by paying attention to a healthy lifestyle, the risk can be reduced, diabetes can be
prevented or at least its onset can be delayed.
What if I am diagnosed with diabetes or I have it already?
Though there is no cure for diabetes, effective treatment exists. With access to the appropriate medication, quality of care
and good medical advice in combination with a healthy lifestyle, a person with diabetes should be able to lead an active
life and reduce the risk of developing complications.
For further information about diabetes, education and support, please call the Diabetes Association of Trinidad and
Tobago (DATI) at 662 2382 Head Office, 97 EMR sc Augustine.
There are 17 branches throughout Trinidad and
Tobago.

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Indicate the Plan selected: Plan A ($10,000,00) D

1.Areyoupresentlycoveredunder another Family funeral Plan? Yes D
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f"1Imreview

Devdas III: Hollywood's Titanic

By Stephen Kangal
Devdas was previously adapted for the Indian screen and enjoyed commercial successes in
1935 and 1955. It is also the first Indian film officially nominated at the 2002 Cannes Film
Festival.
Sanjay Bhansali's
blockbuster
movie, Devdas
represents, in my view, the lavish response of Bollywood
to Hollywood's
Titanic. Both the music and the
cinematography seem to have derived their soul from the
film Titanic.
The Sanjay Bhansali and Bharat Shah partnership
deliberately created its own glittering glamorisation of
Sarat Chandra Chattoppadhyay's
1917 Bengali novel.
Devdas was previously adapted for the Indian screen and
enjoyed commercial successes in 1935 and 1955. The
former version featured K. L. Saigal as Devdas, and
included Jamuna and Rajkumari. The latter version starred
Dilip Kumar as Devdas and included Vyjayanthimala and
Suchitra Sen. In fact there are about 11 film productions of
the novel.
Produced with a budget of US $14M, Devdas is
hitherto the most expensive Indian movie. It is a magnum
opus - an artistic, creative masterpiece that establishes a
new benchmark in Bollywood. It is also the first Indian
film officially nominated at the 2002 Cannes Film
Festival. Bhansali's previous successes were with the
musical Khamoshi and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.
The plot of Devdas is a conventional one woven from
a timeworn love story featuring childhood sweethearts
Devdas and Paro. Their relationship is pre-empted from
marriage because of class prejudices harboured by
Devdas' father. Paro, the heroine, (former Miss World
Aishwarya Rai), with the encouragement of her devoted
mother, (Smita Jayakar), seeks sanctuary and revenge via a
chaste,
arranged
marriage
to Zamindar
Bhuvan
(Vijayendra Ghatge). Devdas, in desperation, is influenced
by Chuni Baba (Jackie Shroff), and drifts inexorably into
alcoholism. He rejects the passionate, worshipping
tenderness of stunning courtesan Chandramukhi (Madhuri
Dixit) whom he meets via Chuni Babu while the latter is
carousing in the dens of prostitution.
Bollywood super-star, Shah Rukh Khan, portrays and
immortalises the legendary role of Devdas, who is
conceived in Heaven. After returning as a cultured,
westernised, Indo-Saxon attorney from his law studies in
London, Devdas is ravished by his enduring, unfulfilled
adoration for his childhood sweetheart Paro (Aishwarya
Rai) and subsequently by the wooing of seductive
courtesan Chandramukhi (Madhuri Dixit). The film

climaxes with the demise of Devdas, who is now an

alcoholic, at the gates Paro's haveli (palace).
Music director Ismail Darbar teamed up with lyricist
and poet Nusrat Badr to concoct an infectious, c1assicalbased, new symphonic musical genre that would invokea
magical, and haunting, mood for cinema aficionados. In
fact the music and glittering dances are integral to,
inseparable from and mutually reinforcing of the
love/passion theme and the unfolding plot of Bhansali's
masterpiece.
In this regard Darbar-Badr's
infectious musical
repertoire,
including
Monty's
theme music, is a
fundamental
departure
from
conventional
Indian
cinematographic soundtracks more reminiscent of the
haunting symphonic vibrations and melodies produced for
Titanic. Feelings of tenderness cushioned by scenes of
majesty and opulence pervade the movie. Devdas seduces
us with an unprecedented level of lavishness characteristic
of both the sets and the elaborate costuming. Bansali
reconstitutes Mogul India's oriental splendour in its
entirety - a visual feast of flowing filigreed saris (one
weighing 16 kgs and designed by Abu Jani and Sandeep
Khosla), stained glass backdrops, sparkling chandeliers,
ornate golden stairways and palatial facades (havelis) with
180 pillars.
The director, Bhansali, (whose project was funded by
producer Shah), is known for his unbridled penchant for
creativity, innovation and cinematographic razzmatazz.
Bhansali is the brainchild behind the box-office success of
Devdas, which grossed more than 2M pounds sterling
since its release on July 1ill 2002. Universal Music dished
out a record-breaking US $3M for the music rights of
Devdas currently ranking at No.1 in Bollywood's Top 20.
The full effect of Bhansali's glittering transformation
of the love-triangle of Chattopadhayay' s Devdas cannot be
assimilated in one viewing. There are many layers of
verbal and non-verbal communication in this movie to be
absorbed. It must be seen several times to dissect the
layers of Bhansali's effective story-telling mechanics,
including rich, dramatic symbolism (e.g. the diya),
contrasting characterisation, and imagery.

Stephen Kangal is a foreign policy analyst.

Divali Greetings
May the lights and sentiments of the season
Inspire you this Divali and
Throughout the year!

LEZAMA
EL:EC
CAt:
SERVICES
liMITED
General Electerical Contractors
Industrial Installation
and Services

For more information contact

The Shri Murugan Foundation of Trinidad
Tel: 669-4953 & 770-7516

17 A PATNA ST., ST. JAMES, TRINIDAD

PHONE:(868) 628-8657, (868) 628-6215
FAX/PHONE: (868) 622-1183
Email -Iesl@trinidad.net

recipe

Gulab Jamoon
This sweetmeat is served as a dessert at Hindu religious ceremonies.

It can also be found at Indian delicacy shops.

Ingredients
I
~

Ibs / 675 grms white flour

Ibs / 350 grms butter
Ib /450 grms powdered milk
1f2
tin / 198 grms condensed milk
1/3 pt /200 mls evaporated milk
1/3 pt / 200mls water
2 tsp / 2 x 5 ml spoon elychee (cardamom)
3 tsp / 3 x 5 spoons freshly ground ginger
Vegetable oil for frying
1f2

For phaag (syrup)

I Y2 Ibs / 675 granulated sugar
2 pts / 1200 mls water
Method
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~

Combine flour and powdered milk in a large bowl.

Rub in butter into flour mixture with fingers until it looks like fine bread crumbs.
Mix in elychee, cinnamon and ginger.
Add condensed milk, evaporated milk and water and mix to a stiff dough.
Cover and leave for about 30-45 minutes.
Heat oil in an iron pot.
Break dough into small pieces and into almond shapes about 2"-3" in length and 2 W'-3" in thickness.
Fry over low heat until golden brown using a slotted spoon.
Remove from oil and drain in absorbent paper.
Place in a deep dish.
Boil sugar and water until it forms a syrup.
Pour syrup over gulab jamoon and keep turning until syrup crystallizes and becomes hard. (Turn gently to prevent
gulab jamoon from breaking up).

Makes about 7 dozen.

Variations
Some cooks use ghee (clarified butter) for frying and also as a substitute for the butter in making the dough. The soft
dough is sometimes divided and made into balls instead of almond shapes.

Taken from Caribbean East Indian Recipes by Kumar Mahabir. Chakra Publishing House, Trinidad.
TT$40. Tel: (868) 674-6008. Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707. E-mail: mahab@tstt.net.tt
This cookbook represents a comprehensive collection of over 70 traditional vegetarian recipes.
They have been handed down by our grandparents from India by word of mouth and practical example for over four
generations. The food that is now cooked here is distinctly Indo-Caribbean in flavour.

Eniath's Upholstering
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Dieali Greetings to the

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CIVILENGINEERING AND BUILDING CONTRACTORS

Corner Warren & Smart Sts., St.

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Defining national culture in Trinidad

By Anand Ramlogan
After 40 years of independence and 155 years of Indian Arrival isn't it time to revisit and
redefine the 'Trinbagonian' identity so as to include an Indian cultural dimension?
Forty years of independence
is a useful juncture for us
to pause and reflect on the struggles of the past to see
whether we have truly cultivated a 'Trinbagonian'
cultural
identity.
The instinctive definition of a 'Trini' revolves around
calypso, pan, limbo, carnival, crab and callalloo, feting in
the Savannah, jumping up with Poison, Harts, Legends or
Minshall and liming by Smokeys and Buntys or some
other popular joint. Most of these elements are however,
foreign to the large majority of East Indians in Trinidad
and Tobago. It is a cultural identity that they do not share
with their fellow citizens who are based in North Trinidad.
The above features characterise
the Afro-Trinidadian
and French-Creole
elite, which is geo-politically
based in
Port of Spain. The Indian is still struggling for space and
accommodation
in this national
identity.
His cultural
alienation and marginalisation
in the past has not stifled
his unique and distinct identity which has evolved over the
years and is now banging on the walls of the traditional
definition of our Trini identity.
The recent government-sponsored
40 days of fete,
which culminated in the Savannah, drew a massive crowd
but was conspicuously
and predictably
largely African.
The government plan of openly targeting, consolidating
and reeling in the African vote was clearly working. Less
than ten percent of the performing artistes representing the
culture of T &T were East Indians as was the crowd.
This, of course, is also in keeping with the racial
composition of the present administration's
cabinet. For
over 30 years of PNM governance from 1956-1986 there
was not a single Hindu Minister in the PNM's cabinet.
This is a harsh fact that speaks volumes
about the
historical exclusion and marginalisation
of the East Indian
community,
which
was then
a mere
"recalcitrant
minority".
This however, is typical of any cultural event held in
the Savannah, the cultural capital and Mecca of our nation.
There is nothing wrong with this. Ninety percent of our
pan men, calypsonians,
limbo-dancers
and the people who
lime in North Trinidad are non-Indians and it is expected
that they will predominate
such events held in their
backyard. To say that it open to Indians to join in these
activities is to miss the point because it is equally open to
non-Indians to join in Indian cultural activities and they
choose not to.
The large majority of persons in North Trinidad who
read this article would scoff at this piece but ask them if
they've ever been to a chutney show or the number of
times they've ventured South of Grand Bazaar and you will

get my point. For most people who live in North Trinidad

our country ends at Grand Bazaar.
But what then of the Indian who sees carnival, pan and
limbo as being indigenous to African culture? You can
count the number of Indian calypsonians,
and steel bands
on one hand. The Indian cultural response to carnival has
been its own unique brand of indigenous music and song
in the form of up-beat folk songs, which evolved into
chutney. Subsequent experiments and variations produced
chutney-soca, chutney-parang
and pichakaaree.
Some say chutney and pichakaaree are the indigenous
Indian cultural response to calypso. However you choose
to describe it, one thing is clear: there are two equally
potent,
indigenous
parallel
cultural
streams running
alongside each other with distinct ethnic support from our
two major races. Chutney and the dholak are to the Indian,
what calypso and pan is to the African. Sundar Popo and
Yusuf Khan are to the Indian what The Mighty Sparrow
and Lord Kitchener are to the African. This is the reality.
Describing carnival and pan as "national" will not change
this social and cultural reality. This cultural and social
reality must inform the way we define the Trini identity
lest we alienate one-half the country's population.
Indian
culture
has traditionally
received token
exposing and treatment by the State. The odd Indian dance
at official functions,
musical experiments
by Mungal
Patasar using the tabla and the pan, Rikki Jai and Drupatee
Ramgoonai
as Indian calypsonians,
Jit Samaroo as a
pannist extraordinaire
and roti and doubles at all-inclusive
Carnival fetes are all overused as cultural 'consolation
prizes' for a group that is not allocated any space in the
national identity. All Indian orchestras now play calypso
and dub with a unique chutney flavour. You will never
hear the Prisons, Police or Army band playing an Indian
song of any kind. Is 'cross-over'
music only for Indian
bands and artists to cross over the cultural bridge - not vice
versa?
After 40 years of independence
and 155 years of
Indian Arrival isn't it time to revisit and redefine the
'Trinbagonian'
identity so as to include an Indian cultural
dimension?
The State should be funding the national
Chutney Soca Monarch and Mastana Bahar as it does the
National
Calypso
Monarch
and Best Village. Forty
thousand fete-loving Indians wining to the spicy chutney
in Skinner Park cannot be less than 40,000 non-Indians
jamming to sweet soca music in the Savannah!

Anand Ramlogan

is an attorney-at-law

in San Fernando.

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short story

A mother's love
By Renuka Maraj
Felicity was already alight with deeyas, and brilliant fireworks darted across the dark night sky.
Everybody was awake. The sounds of Hindu devotional music, mingled with the chatter of the
villagers and visitors filled the air.
"Why you making all this fuss for a Goddess who does
ignore you? Look at this place we living in, nah."
"That is your father slackness. Is not Lakshmi Mata
fault. Bring that here."
Rookrnin skillfully
split the bamboo in half with
Boyie's sharp cutlass. She completed making the Om for
the front yard. Nine deeyas could fit on it. Since they had
moved to Felicity five years ago, she tried her best to make
her home look bright for Divali. The village was renowned
for its splendour and she was anxious to do her small part.
Rajesh was now seventeen and looking more like
Boyie than ever. He was lanky and had large calf-like eyes
and a long straight nose. He was doing well at Presentation
College and Rookmin prayed everyday that he would not
follow in his father's footsteps to Solid Gold or any other
rumshop.
She hoped that he would get a good government job,
away from the scorching canefields. She wanted him to get
a steady salary and live comfortably.
This, she asked for
every Thursday morning when she offered dhar by the
jhandi. under the sprawling calabash-mango tree.
Rajesh had recently written 'A' levels and had his
sights set on studying medicine but he did not win a
scholarship. He knew his family couldn't afford to pay for
him to go to Mount Hope. He hadn't shared his dream with
his mother. It was supposed to be a surprise. He wanted,
with all his heart, to make her proud. He wanted to show
thanks for her long hours of working in the sun and rain in
the small garden behind the house - thanks for selling
tomatoes, pepper and cassava on the old kitchen table by
the side of the road - thanks for giving him food when he
knew she hadn't eaten those days when she used to rely on
Boyie to work, to provide. He didn't mean to say anything
about the Goddess, to complain about the house. He didn't
mean to hurt her, ever.
Divali was the most auspicious day of the year for
Rookmin. She always used a great part of her meagre
savings to buy deeyas, oil, wicks and ingredients for the
food and sweetmeats.
Boyie's only contribution
to the
festival, since the accident four years ago, was bringing
Kazim, George and Tallboy to the house to eat. If
Rookmin were lucky, all four would be sober. Rajesh
never understood why his mother put up with Boyie and

his bad habits. He hoped one day he would be able to

make things easier for her. She deserved much better.
At six o'clock,
after fasting and cooking all day,
Rookmin called Rajesh to her little puja room. He knew
the opening prayer by heart. As his mother lit the first the
deeya, his voice joined hers in "Om siddhi buddhi pradey
devee ... " He prayed that his father would come home
soon. That would please her. He looked at the new picture
of the four-armed Lakshmi Mata standing in a huge pink
lotus. Each pair of her hands held a flower; another upheld
palm conferred blessings while the next, facing downward,
dispensed gold coins. She looked smilingly at him.
However, there was still no sound of his father. As
Rookmin's
musical chanting
permeated
the room, the
earnestness and devotion in her voice echoed in his heart.
Her faith always amazed him.
After the prayers, it was time to decorate the house and
its surroundings
with the thirty-six deeyas Rookmin had
brought. She put one in each of the four rooms in the
house and both she and her son placed most of the others
on the bamboo designs in the yard. Felicity was already
alight with deeyas, and brilliant fireworks darted across the
dark night sky. Everybody
was awake. The .sounds of
Hindu devotional music, mingled with the chatter of the
vi lIagers and visitors filled the air. Hundreds of deeyas and
colourful lights created a spectacular view.
As Rajesh was about to go into the house for his
much-awaited
meal, he heard his father's voice. Boyie and
his friends were singing a song from Dosti. They all
sounded drunk. Rajesh's heart sank. He hurried into the
house to eat as quickly as possible and go off to share
sweetmeats for the neighbours.
"Boyie, how you come home so late? And you drunk
on Divali, boy."
"Woman, don't talk to me so. Fellars, who she think
she is? ] celebrating."
"But Boyie ... "
"Call your son and stop talking! Mih child make me
proud. I meet Teacher Winston this evening and he say,
some big oil company giving we boy a scholarship to
study to be a doctor."
Renuka Maraj is a postgraduate

student at UWI.

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A MEMBER OF THE BRYDEN GROUP OF COMPANIES

[short story

Indian long hair

By Babita Dubay
"If the old lady was still living it had no way they couldda cut your hair. Now everybody
could do what they want."
As I brushed my hair my fingertips slipped between
the strands and touched the bareness of my scalp. This
sensation immediately triggered the memory of my
grandmother or 'grandmammy' as we used to call her. ..
She used to plait my hair - her fingertips soaked in
olive oil. It had become a nightly ritual when my mother
had decided that [ should grow my hair because my dance
instructor used to make snide remarks about the ohrni
slipping off my hair when we were dressing for
performances. She would say, "The ohrni must slip off if
they don't have any hair to clip them on!"
And now ... I stood there looking in the mirror. I
reflected on how grandmammy had long since passed on,
making her combing my hair monumental in the present
although trivial in the past. Funny, I thought, was time's
way of converting the trivial to the monumental, the
meaningless to the divine. I guess moments just like
objects only become precious when buried over the years
and rediscovered, dug out of the ground and dusted off to
reveal great finds ... precious memories.
But I was young. Then, I was in the moment; the actor
not the observer, as I now was. So how then could I have
seen it as an event that helped establish great maternal
bonds - an event spanning three generations? Put simply:
we all miss what we cannot, for whatever reason,
recapture. Put even more simply, [just missed her and felt
her loss and the helplessness that we all must feel because
we can't prevent it and I walked away from the mirror.
However, that physical sensation that triggered the
memory was no longer needed. The memory once
unearthed from my heart was now free to be examined by
my mind. So now I recollected again and again how she
used to plait my hair and tried to flesh out the details of the
memory. And I remembered ...
It wasn't the most pleasant of experiences. I was seven
years old and it was a great chore to sit still for what
seemed like three to four hours and so that is how long the
period was registered as being in my memory (because
memories are more a collection of feelings than facts). At
first I didn't like the feel of her oil-soaked fingers touching
the bareness of my scalp. However, I adapted to it and I
eventually enjoyed the feel of her fingers massaging my
scalp.
At first, I saw her fingers as invaders on my scalp. My
senses as well as my mind adapted and I began to see her
fingers as warm, caressing beings. The oil warmed in the

palms of her hands and then massaged into my scalp by

the soft fingertips as they danced rhythmically in slow
circles.
Still, there is a limit to which even the most adaptable
of beings can tolerate without going crazy. So, I neverdid
get used to the pain caused by the pulling of my hair that
followed the dance of oil. I concealed my pain. Maybeit
would have been to please everyone or maybe even thenI
saw it as time spent with her ... my personal hairdresser.
My hair so tightly plaited use to hurt even when the
plaiting was done and I had to sleep with this! In the
morning my mother would release the coils of pain andI
found that although I could not adjust to the plaiting, my
hair would. My dead straight hair would transform into
hundreds of tiny wavy strands dangling from my head.
Then there were the days when late for school my mother
would ask, "Well, you could go to school with it likethat
then daughter?" in her usual nonchalant way.
Suddenly, I am pulled away from my memorable
excursion by the urgent ring of my cell phone. As I rushto
take the call, I stumble and fall to the floor and I noticemy
hair bobbing about my face in the mirror. It is now cut
short in what has become my signature haircut. I end up
missing it, and I am half happy that I did. I again sit in
front of the mirror in yogi style as if to listen to the lessons
of a guru, only that the guru is in my past memories.I
recall Baba (my grandfather) the first day I cut my hairoff,
"If the old lady was still living it had no way they couldda
cut your hair. Now everybody could do what they want."
I dearly love my Baba and dearly loved my
grand mammy, yet part of me feels guilty that I may have
some how disappointed them by cutting it. However it was
impractical to keep my hair long, and really everyone says
my hair is more suited for short styles.
It amuses me that although my grandfather didn't like
the idea of me cutting my hair, he would never have
intervened, yet if my grandmother were alive she would
have represented his viewpoint.
I smile as I reconcile with the fact that although I may
not have kept my long hair, I did keep the tradition oflove
of extended family and respect for elders alive as my cell
phone sends out its high pitch call to be answered once
more.

Babita Dubay is an engineer who likes creative writing.

--

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v.s. Naipaul-

honouring a hero

By Parsuram Maharaj
V.S. Naipaul has instructed that all his international press releases begin with the phrase
'Trinidad born British writer.' Therefore, to claim that Naipaul does not remember his
homeland and to use it to debar him from a national recognition is foolish.
Hindus and Indians continue to be the brunt of petty
ethnic politics as is illustrated by the treatment of V.S.
Naipaul. He has received international recognition but has
been slighted by the present political administration in its
decision not to name the new library as the V.S. Naipaul
National Library. The decision by the authorities is being
received by the Indo-Trinidadian community as yet
another installment in the process of making IndoTrinidadians second-class citizens of the Republic of
Trinidad and Tobago. Ironically this decision to slight
Naipaul comes on the heels of the Independence
celebrations where the image of an ethnically united
society was touted.
V.S. Naipaul has placed Trinidad and Tobago forever
within major literature of humanity, as most of his major
works such as Miguel Street, The Mimic Men, and The
House of Mr. Biswas, to name a few, are seeped with
imagery of Trinidad and Tobago. Sir Vidiadhar
Surajprasad Naipaul has won almost every major literary
award and in 200 I won the Nobel Prize. In both fiction
and non-fiction, Sir Vidia has explored the emotional and
political geography of what he calls 'half-made societies'.
Naipaul, in accepting the Nobel Prize stated, "It is a
great tribute to England, my home, and to India, home of
my ancestors and to the dedication and support of my
agent Gillon Aitken." Naipaul is the only born Trinidadian
who has achieved the highest literary award - The Nobel
Prize. V.S. Naipaul has instructed that all his international
press releases begin with the phrase 'Trinidad born British
writer.' Therefore to claim that Naipaul does not
remember his homeland and to use it to debar him from a
national recognition is foolish.
V.S. Naipaul has been described by the Nobel
committee as "a literary circumnavigator, only ever really
at home in himself, in his inimitable voice. Singularly
unaffected by literary fashion and models, he has wrought
existing genres into a style of his own, in which the
customary distinctions between fiction and non-fiction are
of subordinate importance. Naipaul is a modem
philosopher, carrying on the tradition that started originally
with the French Lettres Persanes and Candide. In a
vigilant style, which has been deservedly admired, he
transforms rage into precision and allows events to speak
with their own inherent irony."
To the Trinidad Hindu, Naipaul stands singular in the
intellectual arena as he is often cited in defense of Hindu
society especially with regards to 'political Hinduism.' On

political Hinduism, Shri V.S. Naipaul, in an interview with

The Times of India (July 18, 1993), had the following to
say: "What is happening in India is a new historical
awakening .... Indian intellectuals, who want to be securein
their liberal beliefs, may not understand what is going on.
But every other Indian knows precisely what is
happening: deep down he knows that a larger responseis
emerging even if at times this response appears in his eyes
to be threatening.... The intellectuals have a duty to
perform. The duty is the use of the mind. It is not enough
for intellectuals to chant their liberal views or to abuse
what is happening. To use the mind is to reject the grosser
aspects ofthis vast emotional upsurge .... It is not enoughto
use that fashionable word from Europe: fascism. There is a
big, historical development going on in India. Wise men
should understand it and ensure that it does not remain in
the hands of fanatics. Rather they should use it for the
intellectual transformation of India:"
It is indeed sad that in the international arena
accolades are heaped on a son of the soil, and here in
Trinidad, Naipaul is being scorned in such a manner
merely because he is Indian and Hindu. One has no choice
but to agree with former Culture Minister, Ganga Singh,
who had announced his party's name choice, when he
described the decision by the National Jjbrary and
Information Systems Authority as,
"a tragedy." On
hearing the sad news Singh stated, "It is a tragedy that they
would not recognise the first locally-born Nobel laureate,
especially in the context of our 40th anniversary of
Independence, where there ought to be a level of maturity
in these things." It is parochial in their thinking not to
acknowledge the real genius ofNaipaul whilst he is alive.
It is exactly that kind of parochialism that Naipaul has
railed against. "Naipaul is a world figure and they must
acknowledge he is the best writer of the English language
in the world today. He was born in Trinidad and ought to
be acknowledged as such. I am sure Sir Arthur Lewis and
Derek Walcott have been acknowledged in their homeland
of St Lucia." He said he proposed to name separate wings
of the library after other Caribbean Nobel Laureates.
Indian based groups in Trinidad will soon be meeting
to organise a petition within the national, regional, and
international communities in an attempt to force the
Government to re-consider its position and to name the
Library the V.S. Naipaul National Library.
Parsuram Maharaj is a member of the Maha Sabha.

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[poem

And the goddess Bhavani created all things

By Lelawattee Manoo-Rahming

You were born in the month of Baisakh

When the Sun danced
An orange waltz with Aldebaran
Across the Bull's neck
And the Full Moon kissed
Blue-white Spica on the Virgin's hip.
The Tongue of the Ocean
Licked the caul from your eyes
Moray eels twisted your umbilical cord
Wrapped it tight
And bit the blood-filled tube
Setting you free from Mount Mandara.
Manta rays caught you on their wings
Flew to shallow waters
Tossed you into the air so you landed
On a leatherback turtle
Who lumbered ashore with you on her back
And babies in her egg-filled belly.
Bhavani, Grandmother Goddess, cupped
You in her arms strong like trunks
Of Seaside Coral Bean trees, blew
Into your mouth
Fed you seven-year apple
And promised immortality.

"
But the Great Mother never
Gave you soap berries
To wash away the stain
On your breasts indelible
As red abeer mixed with banana
Sap sprayed wantonly on spring
White saris in Phagwa dances.
Sita, the Ramayan's embodiment
Of purity did not tell you
About Rawan's charm.
How she chose stability over passion.
So when you left your husband
To be with my Ajaa no one
Asked you to walk through fire.
Everyone called you slut.
You needed another Hanuman

Another Monkey God to cross

Not the sea to Lanka
But the Kala Pani to Chinitat.
To save you from demons
Only you could see floating
Down from Paradise Hill
To Dinsley Plain. Jumbies
Crowding your tapia house
Stealing your amchar massala.
Ajaa wore white suits
White pointed shoes
While pulling Porterweed
In the Raj Garden.
Burning green wild sage
To smoke out mosquitoes,
Clearing away the forested
Humid nursery bed
Of ripe chataigne seeds,
Breeding mongoose to feast
On Mapepire snakes.
The Raj wanted Eden
EI Dorado but no Hades.
Ajaa promised to make you
Queen. He never told you
He meant Rum Ranee.
That he would intoxicate you
Not with moonlight passion
But with moonshine dharu.
That he would die under your
White chador surrounded
By white-dirt walls not the stone
Fortification of a palace.

II1
Mother Saraswati played celestial music
On the veena as you worshiped
Her begging the Goddess of Learning
For enlightenment. She kept you
Ignorant that one day you would enjoy
Swallowing your children whole,
Sucking their children and spitting
Them out like pomegranate seeds.
Maha Lakshmi, whom you prayed
To for prosperity every Divali
Promised jewels in return for milk
And ghee oblations but all you got
Were wormy pigeon peas

continued on next page

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I poem
That you sold each Saturday morning
Before playing your whe-whe mark
With market-woman pennies.

Deya-Iit Dow Village

You hoped Goddess Durga would spring

From your mouth in the same way she sprang
From the gods' mouths as flames.
You wanted to mount a lion and ride forward
To your enemies like Durga advancing
On the demon Mahisa in buffalo disguise
Whom she slaughtered but the only things
That sprang from your mouth were curses

The roads of Dow Village are deyalit. Bamboo stems arch

golden slices of flaming
earthen lamps, to illumine
the path of a returning son
whose arrows of obedience
had vanquished his exile.

And cruel words that grew a barbed-wire

Barrier between you and the world.
"Eye fete up wid aallyu"
And we laughed behind your back
"Which fete yuh carry we to Ajee?
Ah carnaval fete? Ah blockorama?"
We had already learnt you were fed up
With us even while we were foetuses.

IV
You died in the arms of your daughter
And daughter-in-law attended
By handmaidens - the white moon sailing
With the Scorpion Mother in broad daylight.
No one knew your age
Only that you outlived your husband
Two sons and three grandsons
And that your hair was pale-as-time yellow.
As my Tanty poured cool water over you
For your morning bath
Your breath escaped and flowed water-like
Into the waiting earth ready with fire
To accept your weathered body
Bleached and pitted as a discarded
Conch shell back into Mount Mandara
Absorbed by Grandmother Goddess Bhavani.
From whom all things are born
And to Whom all things return at death.
Ajee, 1 write this poem as llight a deya
To your memory. I beg Lakshmi Mata
To give me wisdom to find your grit
In me, claim you, love you, honour you.
To see in you my Goddess Durga
Helping me to battle the demons of this life.

By Rajandaye Ramkissoon-Chen

Women hold up thaalis like lotus

plates with lily leaves of light
for the Mother just emerged,
water drops minting
into coins from her hand.
They gather their skirts
between bangles ankles
plant deyas in rows
like lit cane-stubs in the yard,
with practiced hands like forefathers'
whose sweat had turned whole fields of sugar.
The village girl like a temple virgin
tends the lights. A deya goes dead breaking
its link in the arch of lamps, burning its lip
in the smoked cigarette-like wick.
She sticks a light again
with her 'three plumes' match, her head
in churn like a nectar-sweet pot.
In this little Ayodhya
the darkest night must wear
its lights, like a scintilla
of beads draping a hip
in sari flow. Women
hasten through the scene, their shoulder
scarves like migrant butterfly
wings, their steps as noisy. And at each
cross-road is a servant Hanuman
jutting his convex grin.

Divali at Dow Village, California,

Trinidad. on November 23. 1993

Divali Greetings
to the Hindu Community
9llay the goddess Maha Lakshmi shower
her devine blessings on each and everyone
of you on this auspicious day.
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book review

The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil

By Bruce Fife, N.D .
... researchers have clearly shown that the oil from coconuts, a plant source, acts differently
than the saturated fat from animal sources. The oil from coconuts is unique in nature and
provides many health benefits obtainable from no other source.
"Dr. Bruce Fife should be commended for bringing
together in this very readable book on the positive health
benefits of coconut oil. The inquiring reader will have a
new and more balanced view of the role of fat and
especially saturated fats in our diet."--Jon Kabara, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus, Michigan State University.
In our earlier times in the Caribbean, we all believed
impiicitly in the virtues of coconut oil. We cooked with it,
rubbed our babies with it, put it in our hair, our deyas and
so on. But just a few years ago, some western scientist
handed a deathblow to coconut oil by a study that tried to
show coconut oil was loaded with cholesterol and was one
of the most dangerous oils from a health point of view. In
short order, coconut oil disappeared from the popcorn bags
in the cinemas, and from the kitchens of North America.
Now an American naturopath is trying to rescue
coconut oil from the "frame-up." Check out his website for
a different take on the humble coconut:
www.coconut-info.com
BOOK SUMMARY
If there were an oil you could use for your daily
cooking needs that helped protect you from heart disease,
cancer, and other degenerative conditions, improved your
digestion, strengthened your immune system, and helped
you lose excess weight, would you be interested?
No such oils exists you say? Not so! There is an oil
that can do all this and more. No, it's not olive oil, it's not
canola oil, or safflower oil or any of the oils commonly
used for culinary purposes. It's not flaxseed oil, evening
primrose oil, or any of the oils sold as dietary supplements.
It's not rare or exotic. It's ordinary coconut oil.
But wait. Isn't coconut oil a saturated fat? And isn't
saturated fat bad? Because coconut oil is primarily a
saturated oil, it has been blindly labeled as bad. It is
lumped right along with beef fat and lard with the
assumption that they all carry the same health risks.
However, researchers have clearly shown that the oil from
coconuts, a plant source, acts differently than the saturated
fat from animal sources. The oil from coconuts is unique
in nature and provides many health benefits obtainable
from no other source.

WHAT COCONUT OIL DOES NOT DO:

not contain cholesterol.
not increase blood cholesterol level.
not promote platelet stickiness which leads to
blood clot formation.
Does not contribute to artherosclerosis or heart disease.
Does not promote cancer or any other degenerative
disease.
Does not contribute to weight problems.

* Does
* Does
* Does
*
*

WHAT COCONUT OIL DOES:

risk of artherosclerosis and related
illnesses.
Reduces risk of cancer and other degenerative
conditions.
Helps prevent bacterial, viral, and fungal (including
yeast) infections.
Supports immune system function.
Helps prevent osteoporosis.
Helps control diabetes.
Promotes weight loss.
Supports healthy metabolic function.
Provides an immediate source of energy.
Supplies fewer calories than other fats.
Supplies important nutrients necessary for good
health.
Improves digestion and nutrient absorption.
Has a mild delicate flavor.
Is highly resistant to spoilage (long shelf life).
Is heat resistant (the healthiest oil for cooking).
Helps keep skin soft and smooth.
Helps prevent premature aging and wrinkling of the skin.
Helps protect against skin cancer and other blemishes.

* Reduces

*
*

*
*

*
*
*

*
*
*
*
*

*
*

*
*
*

As unbelievable as it sounds, the oil in coconuts has

been found to aid the body in destroying dozens of harmful
viruses including hepatitis C, herpes, and HIV. Coconut oil
has been called the healthiest dietary oil on earth. If you're
not using coconut oil for your daily cooking and body care
needs you're missing out on one of nature's most amazing
health products. In this book you will discover the many
healing miracles of coconut oil. Each health benefit is
explained and fully documented by scientific research.

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Trinidad Hindu/lndian writer, Harold Sonny Ladoo

By Christopher Laird
Outside his family, few in Trinidad know anything about him ... But in Canada, the story is
slightly different. Harold Sonny Ladoo remains alive in the memories of some of Canada's
most distinguished literary figures.
This year makes thirty years since the publication of a
novel that the Director of Caribbean Studies at the
University of Toronto calls "the most significant novel to
come out of Trinidad." Its writer was a young man from
Me Bean, Couva. At 22 he had emigrated to Canada with
his newly wed wife and set his sights on being a great
writer. He wanted to write Naipaul, Harris, Marquez,
Faulkner and others into the ground. Six years and two
published novels later he was dead, head crushed, body
battered, beside a road back in Me Bean. The official
story: hit and run.
Outside his family, few in Trinidad know anything
about him. His work was reviewed only in the small arts
magazine Kairi, which I published with the late Victor
Questel. He has unfortunately been ignored in the
Caribbean. Yet there are quite a few examples of
Caribbean writers who have only published one or two
novels who are placed in the Caribbean canon. But in
Canada, the story is slightly different. Harold Sonny Ladoo
remains alive in the memories of some of Canada's most
distinguished literary figures. Dennis Lee, one of Canada's
best-known poets, recently appointed Toronto's first Poet
Laureate, wrote a 24-page poem on The Death of Harold
Ladoo which has been republished in his recent collection
Nightwatch. Novelist and screenwriter, Peter Such's essay
The Short Life and Sudden Death of Harold Ladoo,
published in Saturday Night in Toronto in 1974 and
republished in BIM #63 in 1978, is a seminal testament to
an incredible Caribbean talent.
I travelled to Canada last month to start work on a
video documentary about his life. I met with the people
with whom he worked at the House of Anansi Publishing
establishment in the 70's, then a dynamic and cataiytic
forum for a new generation of Canadian writers. Harold
was one of these and one who achieved sudden celebrity
with the publication of his first novel, No Pain Like This
Body. Novelist Mawan Hassan, and visual artists Ron
Benner and Jamelie Hassan all speak of the effect No
Pain's publication had on the community of restaurant
workers and dishwashers at the time (Harold washed
dishes for a living). As young people, children of
immigrants, students and aspiring artists No Pain was a
symbol of what could be achieved by a dishwasher and an
immigrant to boot. According to Ron Benner, "You
couldn't be a dishwasher in Toronto at that time and not
have No Pain Like This Body pass through your hands."

Dennis Lee's poem refers to it as "that spare and

luminous nightmare." It is a book unlike anything
produced in our literature to date. The late Victor Questel
called its main protagonist, Pa, "the most violent character
in Caribbean fiction," but it isn't purely the violence that
hits you when you read it, it is the incredible economy, the
deft control of dialogue and characterisation, the vivid
visualisation and idiosyncratic perspectives, and the hostile
environment portrayed with the surest of instincts. Ladoo's
writing is unmerciful in its characterisations.
Even
Yesterdays, his second novel, (dismissed by some as an
inferior work), astounds in its daring and its insistence. It
drives straight through the hypocrisy and frailty of the
image that Caribbean people and especially 'fortress
communities' like the East Indian community possess.
Ladoo was not concerned with towing the line of a
desirable image of his community to be presented to the
world. He wrote it as he saw it; as his community made
him live it. For example, in one of his unpublished short
stories, Chamar Tola 1941, he describes a father leaving
home as evening falls to look for his young daughters who
have not returned. The father comes upon them being
raped in the headlights of a jeep by US soldiers from a
nearby base. The harsh truth of the story grabs the reader
immediately. Surely, one thinks to oneself, incidents like
this must have occurred. Trinidad was host to one of the
largest US military bases in the hemisphere. Stories like
these arise wherever there are military concentrations.
Ladoo's encompassing rage at the hypocrisy around
him, at the refusal to face our true selves and our true
history drove him towards his vision. In the season of
Divali it is well to remember that the light of truth can be
unpleasant and even painful. The flames that test our truths
as they tested Sita must be faced or we will never enter
Ayohdya.
In the six years he was in Toronto, Harold worked in a
restaurant, attained a university degree and wrote at least
10 novels, only two of which were published and the fate
of the other manuscripts remains a mystery. All those who
knew Harold attest to his sense of running out of time, his
hurry to accomplish his task, the non-stop writing sessions
locked in his room writing a draft at one' sitting, sometimes
typing under the bed to kill the noise of the typewriter, and
triumphantly phoning friends at two in the morning when
he completed yet another novel.
Christopher Laird works with Banyan Studios.

~~~

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Coolie talk - food for thought

By Candice Sankarsingh
Growing up and going to school, I saw and heard many things that made me feel ashamed.
Being ashamed was learnt behaviour from what was going on around me.
"That's for dem coolie." " .... Like a real coolie."
For as long as I can remember I have always wondered
what my family members meant by those and other similar
statements directed at their very own race. Teachers will
tell you quite rightly that a 'coolie' is simply a person who
carries a load around on his back or an unskilled native
labourer in Eastern countries (be it China, India, etc.)
A 'coolie' is not just an Indian, he or she is a 'real
Indian' meaning he or she might frequent chutney concerts
or the cinema for every Bollywood release. Coolies tune in
to the Indian radio stations and enjoy Mastana Bahar and
Music Box. They might even own a CD by singer Kumar
Sanu. A coolie is any Indian living outside the East West
corridor. Most of their meals are fried vegetables and sada
roti. They know how to boojay that curry and saanhay
dhaal and rice with their right hand. A coolie most likely
has a 'punch' or 'roti belly' and is always drinking rum in
the rum shop. Some follow their religion, consult the
pundit regularly and perform all necessary poojas. They
might actually own a sari or shalwar and have no problem
wearing it in public.
Growing up and going to school, I saw and heard
many things that made me feel ashamed. Being ashamed
was learnt behaviour from what was going on around me.
Part of me resented the way every time a non-Indian
person heard an Indian song they would automatically start
screeching in high-pitched tones and start waving around
their wrist in mid-air. I remember hearing the Assistant
Head Girl talking with her friends and saying that her
mother always told her "Never eat anything from any
Indian people." The statement did not make me a racist. It
just made me aware of the fact that I should think twice
before extending my generosity in that direction. I still
don't blame her. I blame her mother. How we are
socialised plays a very big part in who we become.
I had scorned any form of Indian culture and laughed
at the thought of the Indian Film Industry's name as
'Bollywood'. I, who had prided myself on my very
Anglicized,
Westernized,
Christian
and
Modem
upbringing, now felt ashamed for my ignorance. Suddenly,
they were there and I was there but we were not the same.
My first semester was one of pure observation. I
would marvel at these large groups of adolescents
interacting with one another and the ease with which they
spoke about their lives and their activities: invitations to
poojas, weddings, reminders of fasting periods, arguments
over Salman Khan and Shah Rukh, how to cook a curry

chicken properly, latest chutney lyrics to use on the girls

and the list goes on.
This was a group who wrote Standard English, spoke
Standard English in class and yet had their lingua franca
when liming. It did not mean that they were uneducated or
used green verbs without knowing it. It meant they wanted
to. It was their right. It was actually 'cool' to be able to
talk like that. It meant having no airs. It meant coming
down to earth and that was refreshing. There was nothing
to be ashamed about. A person could actually relax and
enjoy the real meaning of 'ole talk.' To be impressive, you
had to cease to impress.
By the second semester, I had been introduced to my
first Indian movie, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai by a Catholic
friend. Up until that moment, my idea of an Indian movie
was like that shown on Sunday afternoons on TTT when I
was a child. To say the least, I was blown away by this
Bollywood production. I could not believe that I had
missed out on so much. But I was still Miss Prim.
I launched my own personal campaign. I had to 'get
Indian' and so started the obsession. I purchased Movie
Soundtracks, I asked questions about anything, I looked up
the Internet, I joined Hindi classes, and I became secretary
of the U.W.1. Hindi Club. Indian radio stations 90.5 FM all
the way to 106 FM became permanent stations in my
programmable car stereo. I bought Indian literature. I read
the Ramayan and Gila (in English) and the Mahabarata
(in French).
What I learnt was, many people in Trinidad and
Tobago are fascinated by Indian Culture. There are some
people who generally want to learn more. However, the
times in which we live have made culture an issue of
exclusion, i.e. a 'we' thing and a 'they' thing. Some have
questions but will never ask them because they feel
uncomfortable. Some will ask questions in the wrong way
with a look of contempt or a tone of superiority and will
receive an appropriate response.
The subject of negative remarks from those who have
never taken the time to understand it, Indian Culture stays
among its people. I was listening to the radio station one
night and a particular incident stands out like a sore thumb.
When people can still refer to prasad - a food/sweet
offering to God (basically parched porridge with nuts and
raisins) as 'something they put in a brown bag and come to
give you,' then don't be surprised if some other people
keep their prasad and anything else to themselves.
Candice Sankarsingh is a French and Spanish translator.

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The non-Hindu who played the Sadhu in the "Temple in the Sea"
By Eric Barry
I am always proud to say that I live in Couva where there is a temple and a mosque separated
only by a wall. Many people pass these neighbouring buildings on a daily basis without
realising the marvel before them.
When the play was staged for the first time in 1995 the
cast was entirely African with the exception of two East
Indians. The premier performance was to be staged for the
villagers of Waterloo,
some of who knew the Sadhu
[Hindu ascetic]. As the caravan arrived and the actors
disembarked,
the waiting villagers appeared
somewhat
confused. "Isn't this play about the Sadhu? Where are the
Indians?" they seem to ask themselves.
Some two hours
after costume, acting, song and dance recreated Sadhu's
tale, concern
turned
to adoration.
The performance
captured the essence of the man and his time and it did not
matter that the players were not of Indian descent. The
portrayal respected the life of the Sadhu and the teachings
of the Ramayan. The easy blending of performers
and
audience occurred because of the simple fact that all
present shared the commonality
of being citizens of
Trinidad and Tobago.
Those who lived in the time of Siew Dass Sadhu can
recall him being assisted by people of different races in
carrying buckets of stone and cement out to sea to build
the second temple. They also remember the temple, when
built, attracting numerous worshippers from the length and
breadth of Trinidad. Its beauty is told in enigmatic stories,
and can be felt in the tranquil surroundings.
Growing up in Couva has nurtured my openness to
other people and cultures. This small town in Central
Trinidad harbours a rich mixture of people who live
together amid ethnic and economic
differences.
I am
always proud to say that I live in Couva where there is a
temple and a mosque separated only by a wall. Many
people pass these neighbouring
buildings on a daily basis
without realising the marvel before them. I cannot recall
there ever being a problem between the two and I can
think of many places in the world where such proximity is
impossible.
My mind always reflects on that day when I was a
Form 5 student at Chaguanas
Senior Comprehensive
School and I suddenly noticed that I was the only person in
the class one would consider to be African. This day
remains with me, not because I was the only one, but it
took me an entire year to notice, and it seems that the
entire class didn't notice either. In my class there was a
general sense of brotherhood. This to me is the symbolism
of Sadhu and his temple. He said, "It will be a place for
everybody to come together." This temple is Trinidad and
Tobago.

In recent times the nation has been aching due to

forces attempting to split the beautiful fabric that has made
us the unique people that we are. The life of Siew Dass
Sadhu strongly indicates what the people of Trinidad and
Tobago need to do in order to maintain our beauty. Sadhu
was grounded
in spirituality
and worked dutifully in
building
something
that would be of benefit to all.
Although different religions co-exist here, they all share
the universal
principles
of loving your neighbour and
honouring God. By exercising just these two principles we
can be on our way to being a strong and healthy nation.
Sadhu's
experience
is a message that transcends our
shores. Should each citizen build his or her personal
temple, a temple of togetherness and love, our people will
become a monument
that the rest of the world will
certainly admire.
Temple in the Sea, staged by the University of the
West Indies Centre for Festival and Creative Arts, tells the
story of the struggle of Siew Dass Sadhu of Waterloo
village in Central Trinidad to build a mandir in the sea. He
makes a promise to Lord Ram to build this temple when
his life is spared at sea during a storm. Sadhu faces many
obstacles before realising his goal. Colonial oppression,
manipulative
politicians,
and public ridicule hinder his
progress. Despite fourteen days of incarceration and the
demolition of his first temple on Caroni Limited lands, he
perseveres because he strictly follows the teachings of the
Ramayan and his faith in God is resolute.
The Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China, The
Temple in the Sea. Where does the latter stand against
these world-renowned
monuments?
Side by side. They
symbolise the greatness of a people. The Temple in the
Sea is a testimony of our harmonious culture. Very few
countries in the world enjoy the freedom and equality that
we enjoy here in Trinidad and Tobago. Subconsciously,
we appreciate the beauty of our differences and this reality
is what has made my performance as Siew Dass Sadhu in
Temple in the Sea (me, a descendant of African and Carib
ancestry)
playing the role of an Indian holy man, an
endearing experience.

Eric Barry is an actor in theatre in Trinidad.

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123

I NEWS

ON HINDUS

Tough ordinance to ban conversions

By Radha Venkatesan
In . a move certain to trigger controversy, the
Jay~laltthaa Government today came out with a stringent
ordinance banning religious conversions either "by
force, allurements or fraudulent means."
The
Tamil
Nadu
Prohibition
of Forcible
Conversions Ordinance issued by the Governor, P. S.
Ramamohan Rao, not only bars "forcible" conversions
but hands imprisonment and a hefty fine to those found
guilty of the "offence." The ordinance requires that all
religious conversions be reported to local magistrates.
"No person shall convert or attempt to convert either
directly or otherwise any person from one religion to
another either by use of force or by allurements or by
any fraudulent means." Nor shall any person "abet any
such conversion."
Any violator is liable to imprisonment, which may
extend up to three years and a fine, which may extend up
to Rs. 50,000. However, in case the converted persons
are women or SC/STs, the penalty would be much
higher. In such cases, the imprisonment would extend up
to four years and the fine to Rs.I lakh.
The ordinance comes over a month after mass
conversions of poor Hindus, especially women, to
Christianity were reported in Madurai. While the
evangelical group, which organised the programme
claimed that it was a "voluntary exercise," media reports
attributed it to "exploitation" of the poverty conditions
of the converted persons.
And, in Tamil Nadu, where untouchability offences
are woefully rampant, conversions of Dalit Hindus to
Islam to escape the 'outcaste' status, have been quite
common
ever since the mass conversion
at
Meenakshipuram in Tirunelveli district in the 1980s.
Source: THE HINDU. October 6,2002

NEWS ON HINDUS

Evangelism

as military assault

The evangelism of India is carried out in a fashion

sim!lar to a military model used to invade, occupy, control or
subjugate a population of a given country.
Intelligence is considered essential to invading a
country. Language, religion and culture, among other things,
a~e some of t?e variables considered. Division among the
given population is considered essential to gain political
con.trol once inside the country. Religion can be the key
variable to accomplish this.
Division of wealth, social status and ethnic diversity are
a~so variables that influence division of the population of a
given country. There are several groups with military assault
pla~s, most of which are funded with foreign money. The
Indian Prayer and Fellowship Association have contacted
over 16,000 houses.
Their goal is to start cell groups then attach a full gospel
group or plant a church if needed. Partners International
aims to train indigenous people to evangelise others. The
Southern Baptists plan to have 4,700 Southern Baptists
working with millions of international partners.
Another goal is to have 15,000 career missionaries,
50,000 volunteers and 1,000 Southern Baptist college
graduates every year. Native missionaries now perform 90%
of the work necessary to establish the churches. The
evangelists are more effective in their conversions because
they understand the language, customs, and culture of the
people. Many evangelist groups also establish schools,
orphanages and medical centres where they carry their
message.
Source: www.skeptictank.org
INDIA. February 26, 2000

Divali lights the Caribbean landscape

By Bina Mahabir
The real essence of 'rows of light' will dawn on you when you walk down a light breezy, pitchdark street, especially in the beautiful country areas of Guyana and Trinidad, or one of the other
Caribbean countries where Hindus live - on a Divali night.
Divali is one of the most spiritual and sacred of Hindu
festivals, which our brave ancestors brought with them
from their motherland - the sub-continent
of India, over a
hundred and sixty-five years ago. And, amazingly,
this
beautiful Festival of Lights, as it is known throughout the
Caribbean, has survived more than the daunting trip across
the Kala Pani. It has passed through many hellish years in
this, the strange, New World of El Dorado with a people
whose religion, culture and heritage meant their very lives
and dignity. Divali is indeed enshrined in the very core of
the Caribbean landscape.
Being indentured laborers destined to sweat and toil in
the many sugar plantations of the then British colonies of
the West Indies did not prevent these resilient people from
practicing their religious beliefs and culture. As a matter of
fact, our forebears were a deeply spiritual people who were
not only focused on improving the socio-economic
growth
and development
of their children's
and grandchildren's
lives, but also took a strong stance on nurturing
the
cultural aspects of their lives as well. They knew then, the
importance of culture in our individual lives today. They
made us a culturally rich and vibrant people.
Linguistically
speaking, Divali has its origin in the
Sanskrit language; incidentally,
Sanskrit is the oldest of
languages known to man in India and the mother of many
other languages in the world. Literally, Divali, also called
Diwali, means 'rows of light.' The word could be broken
into two parts: deepa which means 'light' and avali which
means 'rows.' When put together, it means 'rows of light.'
The real essence of 'rows of light' will dawn on you when
you walk down a light breezy, pitch-dark street, especially
in the beautiful country areas of Guyana and Trinidad or
one of the other Caribbean countries where Hindus live on a Divali night. To see those tiny, earthen lamps, called
diyas, placed in rows in the yards and on the streets; with
their cotton
wicks
lit up and the flames
swaying
rhythmically to the slow beats of a lazy wind on a Divali
night, could take your breath away.
Divali is not only about "rows of light;" on the
contrary, it is a profoundly
spiritual observation,
which
calls for serious worship,
meditation
and devotion
to
Goddess
Latchmi - the Universal
Mother of Health,
Wealth and Happiness.
Divali is a time dedicated to the
sole worship of the Goddess as Latchmi Devi - the Shakti,
which symbolizes the energy and strength of the universe.
Latchmi Devi is also responsible for removing darkness in
the form of ignorance and replacing it with the light of
wisdom in one's life.

During Divali one is absorbed

in a spiritual bath
reverberated with divine, spiritual vibrations. It is a time of
devout worship to the Goddess whose duty is to enlighten
the devotee by imparting spiritual truths, divine knowledge
and wisdom onto him/her. Fundamentally,
we are souls;
hence we must engage in spiritual endeavors, which will
nourish that eternal light that is burning within us. That
divine light within us should be perpetually alight - that is
the true celebration of Divali in all its beauty. As humans,
we need to develop our individual spirituality because in
difficult times, it acts as a protective shield against dangers
and pitfalls in our lives. Festivities like Divali helps to
build that divine shield around us.
The Festival of Lights is celebrated during the dark
half of the Hindu calendar month of Kartik, which falls
between the months of October and November. Indeed, if
you are a true West Indian, you will know that Divali night
is the darkest night of the month! The little diyas light up
the surroundings
and brighten one's path - the same way
the celebration was meant to open the aspirant's spiritual
eyes, so that he/she could be a better person.
They say cleanliness is next to Godliness and there is
much truth in that statement. Hindus will start with their
homes. That is one important criterion for the celebration
of Divali. The house and environs need to be clinically
clean and tidy for an enjoyable celebration. It is hoped that
such clean,
peaceful
setting
will solicit the Divine
Mother's gracious visit to the home.
The Festival of Lights signifies the universal concept
of the triumph of good over evil. Readily, the episode of
the Ramcharitamanas
when Shri Ram defeated
the
demonic King Ravana of Lanka and His return to the city
of Ayodhya, along with Mother Sita and Latchman by His
side, comes to mind. After spending fourteen years ofexile
in the forest with His loved ones, Shri Ram returned home
on the darkest night of the month. His people, who had
been patiently awaiting His return, lit up the path with
rows of diyas so that His journey
home could be
accomplished
in light. There are many other stories, which
are related to the Festival
of Lights. However,
the
celebration
of Divali takes on deeper meaning when the
devotee engages in worship to the Divine Mother with a
heart overflowing
with love, devotion and sincerity. That
is the true essence of the celebration.

BIna Mahablr

IS

a Guyanese

lIVIng In New York.

Helping Hindus in India - SEW A Canada International Aid

By Dwarka Persaud - Radha Krishna Mandir
Programs
There are currently programmes in Delhi where 30 boys are being educated, In Bhopal 190 girls from the slums are given
education, and another 12 widows and their children are being cared for and several scholarships for college/university
education. As well as 10 one teacher schools and an orphanage for unwanted children mostly girls. In Hydrabad there is a
boys as well as a girls orphanage. In addition, there are programmes in Assam, Chatisgarh, New Delhi, Orissa and Behar
all being financed through donations from Canada.
History
In the late 1980's Mrs. Asha Sehgal a student in a local Sanskrit class selflessly began sending small donations to various
charities in India to help the poor and educate her former countrymen. Her compassionate inclination and a love of for
her motherland touched every body in her class. As one good turn deserves another, her teacher, Shastri Jagdish Chander
Ji Sharda, told her about an organization by the name Sewa Bharati in India and suggested that she should visit with Sewa
Bharti and see for herself the type of services this organization provided for the needy. The most notable among the
services that Sewa Bharati was providing to these people were:
Educational opportunities
Vocational training for work and means of livelihood
Assistance in economic sustenance, projects of cultivation
Assistance in medical aid
Overall social development
Upon visiting the poor and impoverished of India Mrs. Sehgal witnessed the deplorable living conditions of the people
and saw first hand the touching and untiring dedication of the Sewa Bharti workers. This dedication warmed and inspired
Mrs. Sehgal's heart to the very core. She returned to Toronto determined to get involved by sharing her good fortune with
the less fortunate and the underprivileged ofindia.
In her Sanskrit class four 'kind hearts' agreed to support her with a contribution of $250.00 each. These five students,
Sewak Ram Lal, Jai Ram, Navin Mehta, Ganesh Krishan and Mrs.Sehgal collected $1250.00 and started a project of
fostering the education of five needy but deserving students through Sewa Bharati. The collected money was sent to
'Sewa Dham Vidya Mandir' in the village Mandoli near Delhi.
Thus the seed of this noble enterprise 'Sewa Bharati, the Toronto Chapter' was sown in 1991. The most inspiring
achievement of this mission has been that, in time, one of the sponsored students (a gardener's son) has graduated on his
own merit, as a medical Doctor from Maulana Azad Medical Institute of Delhi. Several other students have also
graduated as trained people in various other professional fields. "The fact that a little help could bring such a sense of
gratification and happiness to our spirits, became a source of great inspiration for us" Says Mrs. Sehgal. "It was little
effort on our part but meant so much for those in dire needs."
Revenue Canada Charitable Status
In 1998 Mrs. Sehgal and her colleagues decided to apply for Charitable Status with Revenue Canada and in 1999 received
it, now all donations made to Sewa Canada are tax deductible accompanied by an official Tax Receipt.
As you celebrate Diwali 2002 please realize how fortunate we are and share with those less fortunate.
Please send your comments, concerns, donation and enquires to:
SEW A Canada International Aid Inc.
P.O. Box 56546, 5289 Highways 7, Unit 7
Woodbridge, Ontario, L4L 2S6
On official income tax receipt will be provided for all donations over Can $10.00.

SPLENDA PRASAD
Ingredients
1 12g. box of Splenda
2 cups flour
1 1/3 cup water
1/2 cup low fat milk
3/4 cup ghee
1/2 tsp. elychee
Raisins,nuts or cherries - optional

Splenda.'srried and rruc prasad

recipe is ideal for 'Divali.
Completeyour Divali celebrations with this recipe
fora healthier prasad.
Wantto learn more about Splenda Low Calorie Sweetener?
Visitour website at www.splenda.com.
Splenda... the No Calorie Sweetener

---

-~

cook and
bake with.

.. --------

1. Melt ghee into pot and allow it to

bubble. Then add flour and stir over
a low heat. Allow mixture to bubble
and rise for a few minutes until it
becomes slightly brown (patched).
Add elychee and mix.
2. In a separate pot bring water to a boil.
Pour in Splenda then the milk and stir.
3. Add syrup to flour and mix until fluffy.
4. Add raisins, nuts or cherries.

You'llfind lots of delicious recipes, all made with

youcan

Preparation Time: 10 mins.

(NOT INCLUDED IN CALORIE COUNT)

5. Put prasad into a bowl lined with wax

paper and allow to cool.

, NEWS ON HINDUS

'Saint from Trinidad' to have a home

in Delhi
By Lalit K. Jha
The legendary hero from Trinidad and Tobago,
Siewdass Sadhu will soon be immortalised along with
other people of Indian origin (PIOs) who left this country
as indentured labourers during the British rule. This will
take place at a permanent museum displaying their
contribution and sacrifices slated to come up here in the
Capital.
The Siewdass Sadhu Cultural Centre for Girmitia
Countries - as it would be called - will also facilitate
academic research in this field besides being a nerve centre
for different cultural and social activities. Girmitias is the
term given to PIOs taken as indentured labourers on ships
by Britishers to countries like Mauritius, Trinidad and
Tobago, Guyana, Surinam, Fiji, South Africa and Jamaica.
Top on the agenda is to establish a memorial including a
statue in the Capital in honour of Siewdass Sadhu, who
contributed significantly for the protection of Indian
culture despite several odds in Trinidad.
"It will be a fitting tribute to the saint from Trinidad in
his centenary year," Mr. Aggarwal said. Siewdass Sadhu is
known for single-handedly constructing a temple in the sea
by transporting stones on bicycle after colonial rulers not
only demolished his existing temple but also prevented
him from building one on the mainland. He was jailed and
imposed fine of 400 dollars for violating the orders. The
temple has since then been reconstructed on a grand scale
by Government of Trinidad and Tobago and is a thriving
pilgrimage centre.
"Today, Siewdass Sadhu is a symbol of determination
and sacrifice. Unfortunately very little is known about the
sacrifice of our Girmitia brothers and sisters and their
glorious struggle in preserving India's cultural heritage,"
said Swami Aksharananda from Guyana who was here
canvassing for the Cultural Centre in Delhi.
"The contribution of hardworking Girmitias has been
significant in all these countries. They underwent extreme
hardship but have managed to preserve our culture and
civilisation," said Mr. Singhvi, who attended the meeting.
Other objectives of the Centre include setting up a
residential school for children of these countries; offering
correspondence courses; facilitating their higher education;
establishing similar memorials of other great PIOs and
developing a network with Girmitia countries for
providing facilities besides enabling them to find their
roots and reunite with their families.
Source: The Hindu
NEW DELHI. June 20, 2002

NEWS ON HINDUS

Murti 'miracle' at South Trinidad temple

By Richard Charan
Hindus are reporting that a murti of the Hindu goddess,
Mother Durga, has been accepting milk offered by believers
at a temple in La Romain. A murti is a consecrated statue.
Worshippers at the Shiv Mandir in Rambert Village, La
Romain, insist that the murti of Mother Durga is performing
a miracle. Dolly Gobinlal, 60, said: "Maybe it's a sign that
after the elections our people should look for spiritual gain
instead of material gains." Gobinlal said she visited the
temple around 2 p.m. on Monday after a call from a friend.
"A friend called me and said that a temple in EI Dorado was
seeing this thing happening. I came to my temple and
performed offerings and it was real." She said the milk was
disappearing from the spoon when it touched the red painted
lips of the statue. Gobinlal said since that time "people have
been coming to the temple continually from as far away as
Curepe." The incident has been likened to what occurred
across the world seven years ago, when Hindus began
reporting that murtis of Lord Ganesh were accepting
offerings of cow's milk.
Source: TRINIDAD EXPRESS. October 9,2002

Hindus eager to join British police

The Hindu community here responded overwhelmingly
to various job opportunities in the British police force. This
was reflected at a specially organised recruitment centre at
the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Neasden, London, last night
where a sea of hands went up from among the 3,000 people
gathered to join the police force. Assistant Commissioner
Tariq Ghaffur who spoke to the gathering on a wide range of
career opportunities available to the prospective applicants
asked the audience to raise their hands if they were interested
and in response a sea of hands, both young and old, shot up.
Ghaffur, who had come to London as a refugee from Uganda
in 1974, rose to become the Assistant Commissioner by dint
of hard work and commitment to duty. He said the job
opportunities
available range from constables, special
constables, dog handlers, forensic scientists, police cadets
and finally civilian staff. Ghaffur, who was accompanied by
senior Police Officers from the London Borough of Brent
was garlanded by the Mahant of the temple, Atmaswarup
Swami when he arrived at the Mandir complex.
Source:www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
LONDON, ENGLAND. September 8, 2002

"

I NEWS

ON HINDUS

Bindis becoming popular in Russia

"Bindi iz Indii" ("Bind is from India") are the new craze
among young Russian girls. Bindis are being used as an
element of body art along with pierced noses, tattoos and
mehendi-dyed hands. Many girls display fancy bindis on
their bellies, a thing unimaginable in Communist Russia
where tight jeans, mini-skirts, hotpants and tank tops were
virtually a taboo, not to mention in India where the belly
isn't considered a bindi-placing place. Ready-to-use selfsticking bindis can be bought in many kiosks selling
Indian souvenirs and incense sticks as well as high-profile
beauty parlours. In a recent program on fashion, popular
radio station Ekho Moskvy (Moscow Echo) described the
history of bind is and their usage as an element of body art.
The programmme gave instructions on how to prolong the
life of factory-made, self-sticking bindis as well as how to
make them at home and decorate them with cheap artificial
stones and beads.
Source: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
MOSCOW, RUSSIA. August 6, 2002

Chakra Publishing House

~xtenb5

Viu4ti ~

to tIee fte<#e 01

7WUdad&7~,
Our latest publication Centenary Celebration of the Arrival of
Indians to British Guiana (1838-1938).

By The British Guiana

East Indian Association (BGEIA)
Introductory Essay by Baytoram Ramharack..
1996. xv + 187 pp. ISBN 976-8180-28-5
TT$50. or US$20. (includes handling and postage)
This book brings together the presentations that were
made at the BGEIA's centenary celebration in 1938
in British Guiana (now Guyana).

Chakra Publishing House

Office: LP 52, Swami Avenue, Don Miguel Road,
San Juan, Trinidad, West Indies.
Tel: (868) 674-6008, 675-7707 Cellular 756-4961
E-mail: kumannahab@hotmai1.com
Vacancies exists for researchers, writers, artists &
illustrators.

Divali Stamp for United States

Possibly more than two million Hindus in America,
from India, Africa, Caribbean, Fiji and native-born, now
celebrate Deepavali (Diwali), the festival of lights, each
year at the end of October or the beginning of November.
Backed by these numbers from a 2000 census, Gary
Ackerman, top Democrat on the House International
Relations Subcommittee on the Middle East and South
Asia, is advocating that the U.S. create a postage stamp to
honor Deepavali. In a letter to Dr. Virginia Noelke,
Chairperson of the U.S. Citizens Stamp Advisory
Commission, Ackerman said, "For Hindus, the holiday of
Diwali is comparable in magnitude to Christmas for
Christians." Congressman Ackerman was prompted to
introduce the idea of a Diwali stamp by the New Yorkbased Federation ofIndian Associations. Amitabh Sharma,
president of the India-American Cultural Association in
Atlanta says, "A Diwali stamp is a symbol that 2.5 million
Hindus in the U.S. would be happy about. It should be
welcoming -- an open namaste (hands in welcome) with
the diya (deepa, lamp)."
Source: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
WASHINGTON D.C., August 8, 2002

New edition 2001. 169 pages. Price TT $ 40.

Order copies by contacting Chakra Publishing House.
Tel: (868) 674-6008, 675-7707
E-mail: kumarmahab@hotmail.com

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