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Statue unveiled in El Dorado
A monument of Mahant Ramdass was unveiled at the El Dorado Shiv Mandir last Sunday. The late Mahant, fondly called "Kutia Baba'' by villagers, came to Trinidad from India as an indentured immigrant in 1889.
During his lifetime, he was "guru'' and godfather to many, rendering social and religious service to his community and people around the nation.
The unveiling ceremony last Sunday was preceded by the chanting of bhajans by devotees of the mandir.
Sat Maharaj, secretary general of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS), performed the unveiling ceremony.
Amidst the reciting of mantras by Pundit Vinai Sharma, devotees offered flowers while Maharaj, assisted by Kumar Sammy, president of the mandir, unveiled the statute of the late Mahant.
The warm morning sunshine lit up the white marble statute and devotees bowed in reverence before the man who was an exemplar in his community.
"The strength of Hinduism today is the series of institutions created around the country,'' said Maharaj.
"The SDMS has created more than 160 religious and 60 educational institutions and also branched out into social welfare,'' he said.
"From tapia houses in El Dorado, we have inherited, expanded and created. Today we have the El Dorado North Hindu School, the El Dorado South Hindu School and the El Dorado Shiv Mandir,'' he noted
"The initial work was done by Mahant Ramdass. We will honour our people in our own way. We have built a monument in his memory,'' Maharaj added.
As an indentured immigrant, Kutia Baba was assigned to the Ogden area, which comprised St James and Boissiere.
At an early age, he was recognised as a very pious man with spiritual powers and knowledge.
Around 1926, Ramdass moved from St James to El Dorado on the invitation of another immigrant named Moorgan, who was influential in obtaining a parcel of land for the Mahant to build a mandir.
On the land, the Mahant built a Drupadi Mandir, the very spot that the El Dorado Shiv Mandir stands today.
At the mandir, Mahant Ramdass conducted puja and distributed parsad to the village's children. He was loved and revered by all the villagers.
He also officiated at Hindu weddings, bhagwats and other rituals. His medium of communication was in Hindi for Ramdass knew little English.
His name spread far and wide and people from around the country came to him to cure their ailments and resolve domestic problems.
He never took money for his services.
In the early 1950s, he received help from Badhase Sagan Maraj to expand the mandir since the number of devotees was on the increase.
Harrypersad Sonnylal, a resident of El Dorado, said that, as a boy, he was an aide of the late Mahant. "I know him since I was a little boy. I used to carry his bag with all the things in it,'' said Sonnylal.
"They used to walk up Mohammed Street straight to the river. After that, they used to do the Fire Pass,'' said Sonnylal, leader of the El Dorado Bhuya Saaj.
Looking at the unveiled statue, Sonnylal said, "That is the man. He used to look just like that with the white pagree (turban).''
Mahant Ramdass died on September 25, 1975, leaving a legacy of rich religious and cultural tradition for the El Dorado community.
Within recent times, the El Dorado
Shiv Mandir has initiated a special award in his name. This award is given
to persons who attained excellence in social and community work.
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