Postscript to Auntie Baba’s Tribute
Auntie Baba was a very special lady, but in many ways typical of the older women who have come to Canada from Guyana. Strong, humble, spiritual matriarchs, women who are the true Lakshmis of this world. I have met many ladies like that in the small, local mandirs of Toronto.
There is Auntie Kay, (une dame d’un certain age) who sings wonderful bhajans and dances like you wouldn’t believe, and is a very popular entertainer at weddings, phagwah shows and diwali shows.
There is Auntie Paro (Parvati) who ,at age 79, until her heart attack, was the main caregiver of her 2 year old great grandson.
Of course, I can’ forget Mousie, a little lady of 90. I first met her, while we were doing abishek to the Lingam at one of the local mandirs. She grabbed on to my hand so tightly, making sure that I followed the ritual correctly. She wanted me to enjoy the maximum benefit from the puja. She comes to the mandir by bus, winter and summer. Mousie also sings bhajans at the mandir every week.
There are so many ladies like this. Women who get together in the kitchen, belaying rotis, joyously cooking alu curry, dhal, belangie, pumpkin, bhaji, vermicelli, and sweet rice, delicious bhojan for the meal after satsang, making sure you eat until “ya belly full”.
When a lady like one of these passes on, it is a great loss to society. I do not think that our generation has the same courage and dedication.
Their mothers and grandmothers came for Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal, Madras and Tamil Nadu to escape hunger and to find a new life across the Kala Pani. Their tradition had its origins in the crucible of indentured “slavery”. These women survived the gruelling journey on slave ships to an unkown and inhospitable land.
Their unconditional love and dedication to their large families (most of them had at least 10 children)and their strong faith in their Hindu way of life, created a vibrant society full of love, laughter and and hard work.
Because of these courageous women, Hindu civilisation in the West Indies flourished under the worst of British jungle colonialism. Other cultures did not survive, much less flourish, as the Hindu way of life has in that part of the world. It is all due to these wonderful Lakshmis, who kept the faith and the family together.
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