Hindus in Carribean Islands(West Indies)

Hindus  in Carribean Islands(West Indies)

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

When I was  14 years  of age , I attended  a lecture by  Sri Cheddi  Jagan, the Hindu Prime minister of British Guyana. Ever since that  time , Ihave  interest in Carribean Hindus. Carribian is known as  west Indies to us. I am sure  Cricket  enthusiasts  would remember  Sri Rama Dhin and later  Sri Alvin Kalicharan  who were  great  players   during  their time,

   You all would be surprised  to know  that  Hindus occupy 25%  of the carribian Islands .They are  the descendents  of the  sugarcane  labourers taken forcefully  by  the British to work in their fields. The percentage of women among them was very less  and inter marriage  took place   with natives.Because  of this  there is almost no caste  distinctions among them, though an extremely small minority  claims  they are Brahmins and  they manage  the temples .They are  all mostly  devotees of Rama  and though Arya  samaj  tried to reform them, they still follow  the orthodox Hindu religion.Another  strange   thing about  them is that Women can and are  priests  among them. There are temples  for  Lord Shiva, Goddess Mariamman, Lord  Rama  and Lord  Krishna  among  them.Mostly  they speak  English but  a Language  called  Carribean Hindustani   which is the Maithili  dialects of  Hindi.

    To identify   themselves  they started  erecting a flag in front of their  houses.They strangely call it Jhandi(not Jhanda) .They have  their own temples as well as cusine .

Please  read more about them in http://somethinginherramblings.com/temples-doubles-uncovering-indian-influences-caribbean/

https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/opinion/sunday-read/hinduism-in-the-caribbean/articleshow/67006136.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst