Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024
Port of Spain/Georgetown
On May 30th, 1845, a ship landed at the Trinidad shoreline with a massive group of indentured labourers from India. They were promised by the British a life of labour and love. Love was somewhat questionable, because life, at the time, was one of great sacrifice. A century later, one of those pious Hindu fellows, from that strain, asked for permission to build a temple. Authorities said, “No!” The man’s name was Sadhu Seva.
He decided to build a small peninsula by bringing stone after stone, and at its edge point, built his temple there.
A few of us decided to visit this quaint temple which has the benefit of favourable breezes from the ocean on its two sides. What a little piece of heaven this is! And what an incredibly determined man Sadhu was. The place draws pilgrims from all around.
I also had the good fortune to visit another sacred place in honour of Hanuman, a fifty-foot outdoor murti of the popular monkey warrior. He stands proudly for all to receive his compassion, loyalty and protection. The timing was just so right, as there currently is given so much attention to Ram and the glorious achievement of Ayodya’s temple inauguration. There is that very strong connection between Ram and Hanuman inspiring all who seek devotion.
I bid farewell to the devotees who treated me so kindly with their Trini hospitality, and flew to Georgetown, Guyana. At customs in the queue, there was a Caucasian Canadian from Nova Scotia just behind me. It’s a rarity, also when you consider 90% of passengers on our Caribbean flight were Cubans. It was a breath of fresh air. We Canadians share a familiar type of camaraderie.
MAY THE SOURCE BE WITH YOU!