`Indians travelled to distant lands and gave the world numbers to count, medicines to heal, maps to build cities, drawings to build monuments and music to listen, but never conquered or attacked anybody. They gave the world spiritual, moral and material wisdom to help them to realise their own truths.’ – Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr. Avinash Gupta
EMIGRATION of Indians began thousands of years ago, and a cursory glance at emerging cultural studies on indigenous peoples globally clearly establishes the fact that India was the nerve centre for learning and wisdom.
This view was expressed by India’s High Commissioner, Avinash Gupta last Thursday at the National Cultural Centre during a cultural programme to mark the 166th anniversary of the arrival of Indians to Guyana.
“Indians travelled to distant lands and gave the world numbers to count, medicines to heal, maps to build cities, drawings to build monuments and music to listen, but never conquered or attacked anybody. They gave the world spiritual, moral and material wisdom to help them to realise their own truths,” Gupta asserted
However, he observed that the emigration from India to Guyana which began in 1838 and ended in 1917 was entirely of a different magnitude and kind.
Prime Minister Sam Hinds (left) and India’s High Commissioner, Avinash Gupta (right) lighting the symbolic lamp last Thursday at the National Cultural Centre during a cultural programme to mark the 166th anniversary of the arrival of Indians to Guyana. Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Ms. Gail Teixeira (centre) looks on.
The male contingent of the Indian Cultural Troupe performing an instrumental piece of music with traditional instruments.
During this period, 238, 979 Indians were imported to Guyana to meet the labour shortage on sugar plantations in the immediate aftermath of the abolition of slavery, Gupta said, adding that conditions on the plantations were very difficult because the planters, accustomed to slave labour and unwilling to temper their attitude to plantation labour mistreated the Indians.
However, the High Commissioner observed that despite the hardships, the Indian labourers were able to keep their culture and traditions alive.
“This is perhaps the result of hard work and sacrifice that we are celebrating the 166th anniversary of the Indians Arrival day in our own Indian way.
Prime Minister Sam Hinds (left) and India’s High Commissioner, Avinash Gupta (right) lighting the symbolic lamp last Thursday at the National Cultural Centre during a cultural programme to mark the 166th anniversary of the arrival of Indians to Guyana. Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Ms. Gail Teixeira (centre) looks on.
The male contingent of the Indian Cultural Troupe performing an instrumental piece of music with traditional instruments.
“Therefore I would like to use this occasion to pay my tributes to our forefathers who kept their culture alive and would like to dedicate today’s performance to their triumph over the adverse circumstances in which they worked on the sugar cane plantations,” Gupta said.
The cultural programme featured a performances by the visiting Indian Cultural Group comprising Kathak, Bhangra and Ghidda dancers.
Kathak is one of the recognised classical dance forms of India, and revolves around stories and religious literature, and is a systematic, highly stylised and intricate form of classical dance with artistry.
Bhangra is an exuberant, sometimes acrobatic, dance originating from Punjab and is performed by men.
It is a harvest time dance, but in modern times, it has proved suitable for joyous occasions such as weddings and birthdays.
Ghidda is an immortal folk dance of the women of Punjab, and is a manifestation of emotions of daughters of Punjab during young women often sing about their problems, hopes and aspirations.