TT group finds family roots in India

MEMBERS A Trinidad and Tobago tour group who arrived in India on January 24 attended a reception hosted by Trinidad and Tobago High Commissioner Pundit Manideo Persad on Monday night. Persad urged all Trinidadians visiting India to get in touch with the mission in New Delhi. “A lot of people visit India which we don’t know about,” he said adding, “We want to welcome them and ensure that their visit is fruitful and enjoyable.” Persad said for many people, visiting India is a once in a lifetime opportunity. “We understand their sentiments and know how emotional and spiritual a journey through India can be for those who choose to come.”

Among the visitors are Acting Schools Supervisor 11, Sarabjit Singh of Chaguanas and his wife Montrose Vedic School Principal, Padmawatti Singh. The Singhs were deeply disturbed by the poverty they saw in the areas they visited and while aware of the grand lifestyle of India’s rich and powerful, they wondered about the middle class India and said they hoped to get a glimpse of the ordinary people before returning home. Along with Pundit and Sadanan Ramnarine, the Singhs will be travelling to Kanpur district when the tour ends to visit with a relative. The families are visiting Krishnadatt Shukla whose uncle migrated during indentureship and was traced by the late Lakshmidatta Shivapersad, former Mayor of Port-of-Spain. Shivapersad’s widow is also on the trip.

Relating the search for roots exercise conducted by her late husband Mrs Shivapersad said an article was placed in newspapers in the Kanpur area and by mistake their address was given as Port-au-Prince. The Shuklas read the article and began to correspond and although the address was wrong the first letter arrived. The Shuklas had evidence of their connection with letters exchanged during the indentureship period by their ancestors.They are owners of a rice plantation, a photo studio and other businesses in Kidwai Nagar in Kanpur, a state near Delhi. The Singhs, Ramnarine and Mrs Shivapersad will spend four days with their common relative before leaving India. A another member of the group,  Sarojini and Chandraban Singh with their daughter Kavita, have thoroughly enjoyed their visit. “My best experience was a dip in the Ganges at 4 am one morning. The water was ice cold and the sun had yet to come up but we had the holy river to ourselves,” Chandraban said.