When one thinks of the exceptional journey undertaken by Indians in Trinidad & Tobago, it is the manner in which Indians as a whole, against heavy odds, have been able to retain their self-dignity, preserve and enhance their culture, and enrich themselves by a selective engagement with other cultures. The landscapes, art, music, cuisine, and religious edifices and customs of Indians in Trinidad provide an illuminating testimony of the manner in which Indians have been able to inscribe themselves into the psyche of Trinidad. It was all the more imperative, in an alien land, that Indians be able to inhabit a space which they could claim as their own, and to which they could offer their attachment.
Those who came from the Gangetic heartland named many of the streets after the principal areas from where they had been recruited such as Mathura, Kanpur and Lucknow. Those hailing from Basti in Uttar Pradesh created Basta Hall, while indentureds from Barrackpore and Chander Nagar retained these names. Indians in Trinidad have shown an extraordinary pluralism. Diwali is one of the most anticipated events in Trinidad. Although it is a Hindu festival, in the island’s multicultural and multi-religious society it is a national holiday observed by people of all denominations.
The year 1970 would mark perhaps the biggest turning point in Indian music. In this year, a young man out of Barrackpore, Trinidad, by the name of Sundar Popo leapt to fame with the song “Nana & Nani.” The song, almost comical in nature described the affairs of a grandfather and grandmother, perhaps his own. Sung in Hindi and Trinidadian Creole, and backed up with the music of the dholak and dhantal as well as that of the more western guitar and synthesizer, the song instantly became a hit. Sundar soon became known as the King of Chutney, the name given to this new popular form of music. The word chutney was derived from the Hindi word that was used to describe a hot peppery mix of Spices.
In Trinidad, chutney is not only a condiment, but a form of music that Indians have made their own. In music, there appears to have been a divide between Afro-Trinidadian music and Indo-Trinidadian music. Calypso, which occupies the mantle of the ‘national music’, complemented by pan, came to be seen as the exclusive preserve of Afro-Trinidadians, though Drupatee and a few other Indians came to acquire a considerable reputation as calypsonians.
Pichakaree is another Indo-Trinidadian musical form. Pichakaree songs are generally social commentary, and are sung using a mixture of Hindi, English and Bhojpuri words. The musical form was devised by RaviJi, spiritual leader of the Hindu Prachar Kendra, as an Indo-Trinidadian counterpoint to calypso. Pichakaree competitions are an integral part of Phagwa celebrations hosted by the Hindu Prachar Kendra.
True to their sun-loving nature, Tringobagians have a passel of holidays to celebrate a variety of occassions and festivals. May 30 is celebrated as Indian Arrival Day, making T&T the first country in the world to recognise Indian indentureship.
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