Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter
Left: The Anjali School of Dance performers thrill the audience with their presentations at the National Council for Indian Culture in Jamaica Annual Awards Banquet.
Right: Senator Dwight Nelson presents an award to the daughters of David "Gam" Bankasingh, a legend of Indo-Jamaican music. The occasion was the National Council for Indian Culture in Jamaica Annual Awards Banquet and Cultural Presentation, held at Mona Visitors' Lodge, UWI, Mona campus, last Friday.
ONE HUNDRED and sixty-one years ago, the first group of Indians stepped onto Jamaican shores.
The National Council for Indian Culture in Jamaica continues the tradition of remembering this great day by honouring those who help to keep the culture alive. The council hosted its Annual Awards Banquet and Cultural Presentation at the Mona Visitors Lodge at the UWI Mona campus, last Friday.
Groups from Trinidad and Tobago, Cayman and as far as Sacramento, California, came to celebrate with their Jamaican brothers and sisters in a colourful display of all things Indian, from the saris that adorned women young and old, to the decor.
There was plenty of food to enjoy with guests being presented with copious amounts of tandoori chicken, dhal, basmati rice, and the ever popular roti and curry. Council members implored their guests not to be shy with the cuisine as there was plenty for everybody.
A FINE MIXTURE
Fristha Yaph Ali performs one of her dances at the National Council for Indian Culture in Jamaica Annual Awards Banquet, last Friday. - PHOTOS BY WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
Music and dance are integral parts of any Indian event and for this occasion there was a fine mixture of both. Even those who weren't familiar with the art forms were enthralled by the performances; moving to the rhythms of the sarangi (Indian fiddle), drums and other instruments thumping through the speakers. Trinidadian Shivanna Raghunandan showed an amazing repertoire on the steel pan and the young ladies from the Anjali and Ratnavali dance groups showed the future of Indian dance.
Four individuals were honoured this year for their contribution to Indian culture in Jamaica. Suren Chutkan is a self-taught musician who teaches Indian music at the SDM Temple. Michael 'Vijjy' Jagasar is another self taught musician who among other things, coordinates the Clarendon Tassa Group. David 'Gam' Bankasingh who lives in Florida now, has given approximately 59 years to the development of Indian music and culture in Jamaica. His daughters accepted on his behalf. The only non-musician awarded was Pandit Nathan Sharma who is an engineer by profession, but is now a Hindu priest.
