Dear Editor,
INDIA celebrates her 75th anniversary. The struggle for India’s freedom was not confined only to activists in India, but ethnic Indians where diaspora communities (as in Guyana) were established also played an important role, putting pressure on Britain to free the colony. There were protests or marches globally in all diaspora territories, as I found in my research in Trinidad, Jamaica, Fiji, Mauritius, Suriname, among other places, in support of Mahatma Gandhi’s call for independence. Indian Guyanese, like counterparts in Trinidad, Suriname, Jamaica, Grenada, etc., proudly supported the Quit India movement that was started in India by Mahatma Gandhi.

And as India and her diaspora, including Guyanese, celebrate 75 years of independence, a landmark event in 1947 that paved the way for independence of colonies around the globe, the diaspora as well as the Guyanese public and the Indian Government should remember and salute those who played some role in British Guiana and other parts of the Indian diaspora. These individuals contributed to the struggle for ‘swaraj’ or home rule or the ‘Quit India’ movement,’ and or in one way or another supported India’s freedom from British exploitative rule. Several of those individuals who were involved in the nationalist struggle in Guyana, long before Dr Jagan and Burnham arrived on the local scene, were supportive of and contributed to India’s freedom struggle since the 1920s.

My investigations, using a methodology of oral history or interviews with older folk, revealed that there were groups in virtually every village or urban area where Indians resided, there were some sorts of patriotic activities. People participated in rallies, marches, and meetings and sang patriotic songs, as well as the Indian anthem which underwent change since then.  We in Guyana and the Indian Government should reflect upon the efforts and actions of Guyanese, and others in the diaspora as well, that helped to internationalise the struggle that set the stage to quicken the date for independence. Volunteers went around distributing or selling flags and portraits of the freedom fighters in India. Gandhi and Nehru were the prized portraits; Muslims also opted for Jinnah.

My investigations found that at least one indentured labourer, Pyroo, in British Guiana was involved in the 1857 Sepoy uprising in India, which is considered as the first revolutionary effort to free India. Many were hanged after the failed effort. While his colleagues were caught and hanged, Pyroo escaped to Guiana under a hidden identity. His Guyanese children and grand-children settled on the Upper Corentyne and his great grand-children are in the US and Canada. Others involved in the 1857 uprising escaped also to Guiana and other colonies. The British banished several political prisoners to the colonies as indentured labourers and others whose lives were in danger came of their own volition to the colonies under hidden identities. It is not known how many of the indentured fell into a political category. Also, research by others revealed that several indentureds returned to India and joined or participated in the Quit India Movement. At least one was from Guiana and one from Trinidad was based in Lucknow.

With the trip unaffordable and or for whatever reason, Guianese could not travel to the motherland during the early part of the 20th century, almost every Indian was involved in some kind of pro-independence activity from the 1920s onwards. Every village neighbourhood had an organised group, a panchayat, led by “an educated person” (usually a teacher) or pandit or meiji or respected elders who served as community leader (s). They provided guidance and information to others on matters pertaining to the community and India. They organised marches and rallies where prominent individuals spoke in favour of India’s independence. There were flag-hoisting activities and singing of the anthem. Instead of long live his majesty, they said Jai Hind. They chanted Bharat Mata ki Jai. (long live India), Mahatma Gandhi ki Jai, Jawaharlal Nehru Ki Jai, Bhagat Singh ki Jai, etc. Marchers waved flags.

Organisers of rallies and marches collected funds, some of which were used to purchase cloth to make India flags and or send to India to fund the swaraj movement. Seamstresses and tailors, all over the colony of Guiana, volunteered their labour to sew flags and white caps that were worn by marchers. Arya Samajists, in particular, wore the trademark white caps (or topee). Marchers chanted slogans. Hindus revered Indian freedom fighters as deities. The portraits of Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Bose, Bhagat Singh, among others were worshipped on the altar in the home or the religious kutiya outside. One or the other was more favoured in prayers and people prayed for the success of the free India movement.

The marches during the independence struggle took place in front of the residence of the white estate managers or where the Governor lived or they assembled on some playground or ‘the Kresh’ as was the case in Ankerville. In Leguan, Pandit Dool Maharaj, a relatively wealthy man who owned large tracts of rice land and a rice factory, organised activities that culminated in front of the residence of the British manager of the Post Office. In Upper Corentyne, Pandits Pt. Chandrekhar, Hardat Persaud of Upper Corentyne, Pt. Vishnu Churkeeman Tiwari, Teacher Lalla of Upper Corentyne, Teacher Changur, Jainarine Singh, who was written to by the Nehru Government for his support of India, Deo Sadhu, Jaibill Deocand, Teacher Chinapen, Teacher SS Chandra, JC Chandisingh of Tagore Memorial school, Teacher Nath, Pt. Kalicharran, Pt. Madhukar, Pt Ramdhan, C.R Dwarka, Mahadeo Ghurbatore, Mahase Ghurbatore, Bisram Jewah, Hari Bhai, among others. In Demerara, there was Dr. Balwant Singh, Dr. J.B Singh and his comrades. Nationally, there was the British Guiana East Indian Association and the Arya Samaj movement.

And when India obtained her independence, there were celebrations everywhere. People rallied with fervour. The activities of the day took on the appearance of a holiday for the surviving indentured and their children and grandchildren. It was a proud moment. A community leader in Holland said: “Independence was a ‘holy issue’ for Hindus. Pujas were conducted across Suriname for the occasion. Same was done in British Guiana and Trinidad and other territories. India should recognise the role played by Guyanese in her independence.

Yours sincerely,
Vishnu Bisram