Pratap Chand’s Footprints:
An insight into post-Girmit life in Fiji
Thakur Ranjit Singh
Pratap Chand’s "A Fijian Memoir - Footprints of a Girmitiya’s
Grandson": Book launch in Auckland, New Zealand on 15 September, 2013.
When the
sound of Indian drums, hudda and Tassa,
drifted into the jam-packed Milton Hall in Mangere East in Auckland, one could
be mistaken that they were in Fiji. Had it not been for the cool spring air,
and overhead noisy jet planes lining up to land at nearby Auckland Airport, it
would have been mistaken for an event in Tavua, or Ba, or even Labasa.
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| Gusts led into the reception hall on accompanyment of hudda and tassa |
Honestly, if
one were present in the Auckland book launch A Fijian Memoir - Footprints of a
Girmitiya’s Grandson, one would honestly feel they were at home, back in
Fiji.
The hall was
filled with family members, friends, former trade unionists and a contingent of
former Fiji teachers. Grand entry was made with the accompaniment of drums and
tassa, when the Chief Guest, former Parliamentarian Master Shiu Charan, the author Pratap
Chand and Fiji Teachers Association of NZ President Satya Swami made entry into the hall. It was a moving entry, a
nostalgic feeling reminding us of those good days in Fiji. When these three gentlemen,
with former Deputy Speaker and Labour MP Giyannendra
Prasad took the head table, it was such a reassuring sight for the migrant Fijian
community to cherish their leaders.
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| The distinguished leaders: from left, the author, PRATAP CHAND, the Chief Guest who launched the book, MASTER SHIU CHARAN, over-view of the book by GIYANNEDRA PRASAD, and President of Fiji Teachers in NZ, which hosted the launch, SATYA SWAMI |
The
Chief Guest, Master Shiu Charan, former trade unionist and former NFP
parliamentarian, considered it an honour and auspicious occasion to launch a
book authored by a close friend, akin to a younger brother... “It is auspicious in that our presence is to
commemorate Brother Pratap Chand’s fulfilment of a dream—he has authored a book
titled A Fijian Memoir—Footprints of a
Girmityas Grandson,” Shiu said. He recommended people to read the book
because “…. Pratap has expressed his sentiments with gusto and a sense of fellow
feeling…” which will leave the reader no choice but to identify himself
somewhere in the web of things, as events and incidents explained are what most
rural third generation Indo-Fijians have been through in growing up in Fiji.
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| Chief Guest, Master Shiu Charan, launching the book: " I now have pleasure and pride in launching Brother Pratap Chand's book- A Fijian Memoir -Footprints of a Girmitiya's Grandson". |
The
decision to write the book was well explained by a Shakespearean play that Satendra
Singh, our literature teacher and the then Principal of DAV College, Ba,
explained in 1973. It is the same DAV College that Pratap attended in 1960s with
another author and former Ba Town Clerk, Rajendra Prasad, who wrote “Tears in Paradise-Sacrifices and suffering
of Indians.” A literature lesson
from Shakespeare’s As You Like It
explains that adversity, troubles and difficulties bring out the best in
people. That is what Pratap went through, who, while nursing the sickness of
his wife, commenced writing, which now has culminated in this expression of
what the new generation of Indo-Fijians went through as they grew up in Fiji.
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| The author, a jovial PRATAP CHAND: " Perhaps my village people may have high levels of cyanide because of the cyanide-affected fish they got in abundance when Emperor Mines released cyanide into Yalandro River." |
In his presentation, Chand revealed two principal objectives in writing
the book. The first was to document “the
growing up process and the struggle of the third generation Indo- Fijians”,
their education, struggles, trials, tribulations and life in village, a path
that many of us have treaded. The other reason was to encourage and inspire
others to write and tell their stories. And from what he says, some friends are
already sharpening their pencils, or hunting for their keyboards to tell their
tales.
Chand feels that Fiji needs an explosion
where people are prepared to write and tell their stories which would inspire
the present and future generations. He warns that his stories are in no way to
be considered to be historical accounts, as they are written from recollection
of memories. “I recount a village growing
up process with games and activities which have been taken over by
technological and urban forces. I record these as legacies of the past which may
provide the current generation a
glimpse of
life that existed not so long ago,” he said. His revelation about release of
poisonous cyanide into Yaladro River by Emperor Gold Mining Company is a
snapshot of how multinationals have poisoned the world. He jokingly, in fact
factually quipped that perhaps people of Tavua may have high level of cyanide
because of the disoriented and almost-dying fish they collected from the river for
food. Indeed some of the accounts of what he wrote would be eye-opener for
children of third generation Indo-Fijians, growing up in Auckland, London, Sacramento,
Vancouver and Sydney.
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| Part of the large audience |
In a very inspiring presentation by
Giyannendra Prasad, Solicitor, former Labour Parliamentarian, Deputy Speaker of
Fiji Parliament and a close friend of Pratap Chand, he urged Fijians to read
more. He briefly presented an overview of the book, touched on the growing up
process of Pratap, childhood, education, Teachers College, employment,
marriage, scholarship, Lecturer at Nasinu Teachers College (NTC) where he met
Shiu Charan and exposure to unionism that commenced there. He later touched on
contributions of teachers and unions to form Labour Party, Chand’s role as
Minister of Education, and how an opportunity to improve Fiji was lost to the events
of 2000 (Speight coup). He brought some lighter moments by describing how we
used to make “cars” out of Capstan or
Champion tobacco tins and pretended
we were driving cars. Anecdotes of Holi, Diwali, borrowing from neighbours,
subsistence farming and small village incidents, coupled with patches of Fiji
Hindi, created humour and laughter.
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| GIYANNENDRA PRASAD, who did an overview and short-review of the book: " Adversity brings the best in people, as it did in Pratap Chandra, who has completed a book that he commenced writing in difficult times." |
Giyannedra, on a more serious note, echoed
those Shakespearean thoughts on difficult and testing times. “It is at times of crisis and challenge, not
at times of comfort and convenience, that test of human character and strength
are exposed. It is those times that brought the best in Pratap,” and has
resulted in this book.
Indeed, what Giyannedra said is so factual
and evident, and his impromptu thoughts (no written or prepared speech) on
Pratap are a reflection of his immense wisdom, knowledge, decorum, demeanour and
eloquence. I was fortunate to capture these thoughts on a digital recorder and
transcribe it for our readers…”His many
sacrifices, utter devotion to his ailing wife...The dignity which he maintained
both during illness and eventual loss, is profoundly touching and indeed rare
and truly inspiring. It is strongly recommended reading…In reading the book, it
will be a great celebration of life of a remarkable and great friend, Pratap
Chand, “Giyannedra concluded.
 |
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| Part of the audience |
Indeed it was a great presentation by all
the speakers, and the occasion blessed Pratap Chand’s achievement with huge
presence of so many friends, family and well-wishes from Fiji. It is now upon
us to get a bout of that déjà vu or nostalgic feeling by reading the book and
going back to the good stress-free old days in Fiji that for many of us, only
remains a dream. For others, it is a bundle (gathri) of memories, “Yaadein”
which we unwrap from time to time in moments of sadness and despair, to get
some comforts from days gone by, when we hum…
Koi lauta de mere bite huye din... (Somebody please, hand me back my gone
by days.)
Happy reading, and tell us your tales as
well.
E-mail: thakurji@xtra.co.nz
[Note from FIJI PUNDIT and Thakur Ranjit Singh: This is NOT a book
review, but news and pictorial journalistic presentation of the launch of the
book. The book review will be done at a later stage on this Blogsite, FIJI
PUNDIT, which tells you what other media ignore.]
