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Indian Commemoration Trust gears for Pushpanjali
The Indian Commemoration Trust (ICC) is gearing up to present its annual cultural programme in celebration of Indian Immigration Day 2009.
The ICC annual celebration is called Pushpanjali and is held annually at the Indian Monument Gardens at Church and Camp streets in Georgetown.
Kiran Mattai, one of the most admired dancers at Pushpanjali performances.
According to organizers, Pushpanjali 2009 will showcase “cultural retentions and historic imagery” expressed in music, song dance and drama. Tassa drumming and chowtal singing will form part of the activities.
The show begins at 18:00 hours and admission is free. Indian sweetmeats and beverages will be on sale.
Guyana commemorates Indian Arrival Day on May 5, marking the anniversary of the arrival of the first Indian labourers who came on May 5, 1838 on the ships, Whitby and Hesperus, which landed with 936 Indian indentured workers after a hazardous crossing from Calcutta to then British Guiana.
Leading businessman Yesu Persaud, who is also the chairman of the local chapter of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), chairs the Indian Commemoration Trust.
The ICC came to the forefront in promoting Indian culture in 1988, to observe the 150 anniversary of Indian arrival.
Since then, it has been involved in a number of projects, noteworthy among them being the establishment of the Indian monument gardens featuring a replica of the Whitby.
It had its genesis in 1987, when a committee was founded to establish a working relationship with the National Commemoration Commission to formulate plans to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indians to Guyana on May 5, 1988. This event was celebrated with much fanfare and gala.
After the celebrations it was decided that a monument in honour of Indian Immigrants should be erected.
The Committee enthusiastically endorsed this proposal and the quest for a suitable site commenced.
On October 11, 1989, Mrs. Viola Burnham, Vice President for Culture and Social Development formally recommended that the Commission seek permission from the City Council to use the present location on the Merriman Mall to erect this monument. In February 1990 this was done and in June approval was obtained.
On May 5, 1991 the first commemoration ceremony took place under a tree at the western end of the complex and in April 1992 a national design competition was launched.
Mr. Roopak Kothari, an architect, from India visited Guyana for one week from May 1, 1992 and together with Mr. Albert Rodrigues and a select panel, judged the entries submitted.
Though many themes were submitted it was the idea of a ship representing the immigrants’ journey to Guyana that most enthused the Committee. Armed with a proposal for the design of the monument and its garden, the Committee approached the Indian High Commissioner, Mr. Ramiah Rajagopalan, for assistance to erect this monument.
In March 1993 the structural works and the landscaping of the gardens commenced and in August 1996, the bronze sculpture of the Whitby designed by Mr. B. K. Guru arrived in Guyana.
Mr. Yesu Persaud unveiled this work of art on May 5, 1997.
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