He and a group of concerned people from within the global Indian Diaspora are formulating plans and a blue-print towards building the Kolkotta Memorial Site to honor our brave Indentured Ancestors.
Over 170 years ago, our ancestors were lured by the British sugar planters to work for them in different parts of the globe, including British Guiana, Suriname, Trinidad, and Jamaica, among other colonies. They were promised a brighter future and better living conditions. History has documented their trying experiences in the British colonies to some extent. Throughout it all, their pioneering spirit, their values, their resilience and indomitable courage stood tall among their list of harsh living and working conditions. They kept going and fought one day at a time. Great lesson, indeed.
It is great news that a group of caring individuals from the global Indian Diaspora saw the need to erect a memorial site in Kolkotta. Our ancestors deserve such an honor. All of us should support this Kolkotta Memorail project in our own little ways. From time to time, we should take time to reflect on our roots, on our ancestors and the place where it all began - where all our destinies have changed for the better or worse.
Many thanks to Mr. Ramsaran and the others for undertaking such a massive project. You have my full support on this project. We most definitely will include the Kolkotta Memorial Site as part of the filming for "Footpaths of Our Indentured Ancestors" when we're in India.
Below are some photos Mr. Ramsaran took out at the Bhowanie Depot where our ancestors waited before boarding the ships.
The river where our ancestors bathed and washed their clothes while waiting at the depot for exams and a full ship load ...
View from a bridge towards the Bhowanie Depot in Kolkotta ...
The remnants at the Bhowanie Depot in Kolkotta ....
Overgrown cemetery where the dead were buried while in waiting to board the ships ...
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