“Ramdath Jagessar disbanded existing narratives and brought us home to reality and helped us to understand better this society.” These were the words of Independent Senator Deoroop Teemal, one among several speakers that paid tributes to the late Ramdathji at a Shradhaanjali held on Saturday, June 24 at the Bamboo No 1 Mandir, Valsayn to acknowledge the heroic contribution of Ramdathji to the community.
A civil engineer and President of the National Council of Indian Culture, Senator Teemal added that Ramdathji “had the ability to sift sense from non-sense in a national context and this helped him to build a vision for the Hindu Seva Sangh.”
Dr Kirk Meighoo, a former lecturer at UWI and a well-known public intellectual said that the society was dictated by the Afro-American struggle which placed emphasis on slavery and exploitation. He argued: “Our academics copied that ideology by harping on similar struggles of exploitation, hence they questioned the celebration of Indian Arrival Day.” Dr. Meighoo continued:
“Ramdathji’s commemoration of May 30 as the birthday of the Indian community was original, away from the dominant Afro-American ideology of slavery, exploitation and struggle for civil rights.”
Also joining us live through zoom was the wife of Ramdathji, Professor Jianti Jagessar from Canada. She filled us with details of his early life, parents and siblings in Penal, his early education in San Fernando and his tertiary education at the St Augustine Campus of The UWI. She informed us of their first meeting at a speed-reading club that Ramdathji initiated and taught to fellow students.
She reminded us that he was focused and relentless in his mission to debunk many malicious lies against the community and that his activism started all over again when he landed in Canada more than 30 years ago and continued until his sudden passing on April 20, 2023 at age 76.
Pandit Vigyan of the Yoga Vidya Peetham of Williamsvile wrote “Without his vision, influence and tireless efforts, the confidence of the descendants of the people of indentureship would not have been fully embraced.” Rudranath Singh, a past secretary of the Hindu Seva Sangh, described Ramdathji as “one of the most fearless and dedicated fighters for Hindu dharma who inspired many of us in the 1980s…” Ramcharan Motilal, in his tribute on behalf of Satya Dhristi of Barracpore, wrote: “I remember him saying that we must not only talk about the problems but also act, and this he did by example.”
Vassan Ramracha of San Fernando and now a resident of Miami, said: “Ram was likable and knowledgeable…very intellectual and a combative writer who addressed contemporary issues.” Dr. Vishnu Bisram, speaking on zoom, said that the best homage that can be paid to Ramdathji was to complete the manuscript he started on Indian Arrival Day and have it published and launched to the public.
Dool Hanomansingh in his tribute wrote: “In fact, if there is anyone to be identified as the grandmaster of Indian activism in more modern times it would be Veer Ramdath Jegessar.” Dool concluded: “Thanks to the foresight and the pioneering work of Veer Ramdath Jagessar today Indian Arrival Day is a national holiday not only in Trinidad and Tobago but also Grenada, Guyana, Suriname, Fiji, Mauritius and South Africa.”
Chaired by Parbatie Babwah, the Shradhanjali included chanting of mantra and singing of verses from the Ramayan and Gita led by Pandit Beeshram. Madan Rampaul and family of Morang, St Augustine rendered bhajans and kirtan and Bhakti TV and its managing director, Pandit Satyanand Maharaj was at hand to record and present the program live on Facebook.
A highlight of the program was the unveiling of a portrait of Ramdathji by renown painter and musician Neville Lennard of St Augustine and no stranger to Ramdathji.
Dr Kirk Meighoo proposed that the Hindu Seva Sangh consider a regular lecture/workshop in his honor to empower the youths in the community.
Wayne Lalchan, President of Bamboo No 1 Mandir and a former President of the Hindu Seva Sangh, was chair of the planning committee that took care of the logistics. All members were served a sumptuous meal of traditional Indian cuisine.