Dharm Shala celebrates long, meaningful existence in Guyana

THE Dharm Shala, one of Guyana’s most widely known charitable organisations celebrated 100 years of service to the Guyanese people on Wednesday. The Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) was formed by local jeweller Pandit Ramsaroop in 1921, and remained in the care of the Ramsaroop family for three generations as its humanitarian relief efforts continue.

Managing Head and eldest granddaughter of Dharm Shala founder, Kella Ramsaroop called the achievement “praiseworthy” noting that she and her sisters get a sense of pride to be fulfilling her grandfather’s vision of providing humanitarian relief to those in need.

Ramsaroop told this publication that her grandfather started the Dharm Shala as a soup kitchen to cater to the needs of persons who were in need, and continued working and expanding until he had created the Dharm Shala that not just fed and clothe but also housed persons in need.
On its 100th year anniversary there are currently 11 buildings owned by the Dharm Shala at Albouystown and at the Canje Bridge in Berbice which include housing facilities, two Hindu temples, two Christian Chapels and two medical dispensaries.

“It started in 1921 by my grandfather who laid the foundation and he started with a soup kitchen, he was a jeweler and he used to take the jewelry he made into the villages to sell; he saw too many cases of destitution so with this in mind he decided to set up a soup kitchen in the Albouystown area. This is where he’s from so I think he felt it only fitting to start his charitable arm here, and this is where we are until now,” said Ramsaroop.

She explained that after some time, the soup kitchen’s audience grew excessively which led her grandfather to decide on a way to cater to the growing magnitude of persons. Ramsaroop partnered with several other men and formed the Hindu Religious Society that would fulfill his aim of improving on the services that could be offered to the public.

“After he saw that the organisation was reaching further and further my grandfather, who was heading the organisation said let’s name the organisation the Dharm Shala which means ‘home of benevolence for all races’, and I think he did this because he understood that the work of the Dharm Shala was bigger than what he had initially envisioned, and he didn’t want anyone to not feel welcomed or that they didn’t have a place here,” Ramsaroop expressed.

After the organisation was established, the members undertook the project to construct housing facilities for persons who do not have a place to stay. Ramsaroop stated that since the organisation was in its infancy donations remained minimal and so her grandfather took the decision to use monies he had made from his jewellery trade to continue the construction of the buildings.

Ramsaroop noted that one of the first things her grandfather did was the construction of a temple since he was “a very religious man.” She stated that sometime after that he had the idea to construct a church so that persons who were Christian and at the Dharm Shala had the opportunity to observe their religious rituals; this led to the construction of the Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi.

When Pandit Ramsaroop died in 1950, he passed the mantle to his eldest son, Harisaran Ramsaroop, who continued the work of his father. Harisaran was described as very devoted to his father and the organisation’s cause. He ensured that he understood his father’s vision and how he could play apart and improve on what his father started.

“When my grandfather started this organisation the aim and objections were to feed and clothe the people and provide them with a stable environment for a period of time until they can get back on their feet, and that’s what my father did, and that’s what we’ve continued to do till today. I remember my father used to go on foot to ask for donations from the business community, he used to go ask for rice sugar, and other food stuff so that people could be fed, just like his father he went above and beyond,” Ramsaroop said.

Under the stewardship of Harisaran Ramsaroop, the previously constructed wooden buildings were refurbished into concrete structures to ensure that they could easily be modernised and upkept throughout the years; a complete reconstruction of the Berbice Dharm Shala was also undertaken during this time, with the addition of a Hindu temple and a Chapel.
Harisaran Ramsaroop died in 2013, and following a family agreement, it was decided that Kella Ramsaroop and her younger sister Pamela Ramsaroop would take the reins of the organisation, leading like their father and his father before him.

“Even now I continue the work the way my grandfather did it. I sometimes have to go into my personal account and take money to pay for the services or for some of the necessities for the organisation, but I know that that is how committed my grandfather and father were to charity and that has always been instilled in us so going into my pocket to help is normal to me,” said Ramsaroop.

The Dharm Shala relies on the generous donations made to it by the members of the public as well as a $1.5M annual subvention from the government of Guyana; this caters to its 25 residents at the Albouystwown, and 40 at the Canje facilities.

Kella further stated that she and her sister since taking over as the heads of the Dharm Shala have worked extensively, calling it a “24-hour job.” She noted however that although the job is one that is time-consuming, being able to impactfully change and improve the lives of the less fortunate has been a blessing in itself.