Mai was born in 1883 in the Mahaica area of Guyana. Her father Ramlagan Singh, an indentured labourer from India, came to Guyana, then British Guiana, under strange and unknown circumstances. My great grandmother, also an immigrant from India, was a widow with a few children from a previous marriage. Ramlagan was sixty when Mai was born. She was his only child and was adored by him.
Mai, Ramdei, was about 15 or 16 when she was married to Sewsankar, who was three years older than she. They first lived at Novar, about twenty miles East of Mahaica. The marriage was an unhappy one because Sewsankar was an alcoholic and did not have a regular job. They subsequently moved to De Hoop. They had four children: George Ramdial (Big Mamoo), Edward Balkaran (Lil Mamoo), Ellen Bhagmat, my mother, and Madeline Phullmat (Aunty Taicee). My grandfather died in 1925 at the age of 45.
Mai had a very difficult life bringing up her four children. Later in life she took on the responsibilities of taking care of her daughter-in-law and grandchildren when my uncle, Big Mamoo had abandoned them and remarried. I was told that she was present for the home deliveries of all her grandchildren and had kept the dried remains of each child’s umbilical cord in an iron chest.
We always looked forward to her visits because we were treated to payrah, mittai, sugar cake or other goodies. From what I remember, she was an excellent cook, and was very skilled with her hands. She did very delicate work in embroidery and crocheting even when her sight was fading. She often took a shot of rum as a night cap and used to sing when she was in a good mood.
Mai attended De Hoop Presbyterian Church regularly. She wore an urni to church and for special occasions like weddings, funerals and when travelling; the rummal was worn at home. She enjoyed singing bhajans, hymns translated in Hindi. Her family donated land to the Canadian Presbyterian Mission and they built De Hoop C.M. School, where church services were held. She liked reading and often read our story books when she visited us in Georgetown. We used to see her smiling when she read Grimm’s Fairy Tales, much to our amusement. Mai died in 1970 at the age of 87.
In June 1993, Sandy returned from her studies at University of Nice, France. She brought photocopies of earlier correspondence (1982-1988) between my brothers Reuben and Clement and Prabhunath Singh, a relative from India. Reuben had previously received his address from my Mamee, wife of Edward Balkaran Singh. Lil Mamoo had earlier corresponded with Prabhunath and had planned on making a trip to India. When he died in 1976 communication with Prabhunath waned. I was ecstatic when Clement sent so much information to me.
My great grandfather, born in 1823, left a wife, a mother, two sisters and a young brother, Ritbaran in India and immigrated to Guyana to work as an indentured labourer on a sugar plantation in the Mahaica area. The name of the ship and the year of his arrival are not known. Babu Ramlagan worked very hard on the sugar plantation and when his five years of indentureship had ended, he approached the manager of the sugar plantation with an offer to purchase land. His offer was bluntly turned down because the manager felt that he would be unable to pay for the land. Subsequently, the manager relented and agreed to the sale, feeling that Ramlagan deserved the chance.
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Nana – My great grandfather who lived to be 114 years |
With hard work and ample support from his second wife, he did well in rice cultivation and accumulated some wealth. Eventually he owned a rice mill and land at De Hoop on the East Coast of Demerara. In his late years the mill was run by my two mamoos (uncles), George Ramdial and Edward Balkaran. In 1920’s, when he was in his 90’s, Babu Ramlagan made a return trip to India. When he arrived in the area of his old home, on the bank of the river Daha, he did not find his relatives but was able to locate them on the other side (west) of the village. This village is Belwasha, District of Siwan in the State of Bihar. His relatives were shocked to see him after such a long time. He had not corresponded with them and they had thought that he was dead.
In the midst of the jubilation and excitement, Babu Ramlagan was brought up to date with family news. His mother had died shortly after he left home. As was the custom in Indian homes, his wife became the head of the household. With no source of income, the family assets dwindled. His sisters got married and left Belwasha. When his brother Ritbaran, grandfather of Prabhunath got married, Babu Ramlagan’s wife lived with his family.
After a few months of re-adjustment in his village, Babu Ramlagan bought land and built a home for his relatives. This family home is still standing in Belwasha village. He spent a few years in Belwasha during which time his wife died. Eventually he grew restless and wanted to return to his family in Guyana. His passage was paid by my relatives in Guyana. In 1930, at age 107, he bade his final farewell to his brother Ritbaran and other relatives, and made the long and dangerous voyage. When the ship docked in Georgetown, he did not disembark with the other passengers. Relatives thought that he had died at sea. Blind and very frail, he was carried off the ship. There was jubilation in the family at De Hoop. He lived for seven more years and died in 1937 at the grand old age of 114 years. He was buried at De Hoop next to his rice mill.
