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The History of The Dharm Shala.
"There is a task of holiness to do, Unlike world-binding toil which bindeth not, The faithful soul, such earthly duty do, Free from Desire and thou shalt well preform thy heavenly purpose"
- Harry S. Ramsaroop.
The greatness in any man does not depend upon his knowledge and position, nor by these alone can anyone be great. A man is as great as he can be useful to others and the usefulness of his life to others depends on his service to them. Hence, isofar as a man can serve others in love, just so far is he great. As it says in the Holy Bible: "But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your servant".
Pandit Ramsaroop Maraj was a man of medium height, dark complexion and winsome ways, and radiated an atmosphere of true humility.
The Pandit was born on November 3, 1889 at Friendship, Wakenaam, on the Essequibo River and was the younger of two brothers. At an early age his parents brought him to Georgetown, at Albouystown, under an English lady, who was doing social work in the colony. After leaving school, he pursued the trade of a huckster and gold trader, acquiring most of his wealth from the latter and real estate. His father, Hookum Maraj and his mother, Sonia, had emigrated from India in 1886 and were indentured to Plantation Friendship, Wakenaam.
On completing their indentureship, they settled down at Non Pareil Street, Albouystown, on April 2, 1893, where they carried on a milk trade. The Pandit's love and reverence for his parents were so great that he could not tolerate the idea of seeing them still at work, so at the early age of 18 he took upon himself the sole responsibility for the maintenance of the household.
His parents arranged a marriage for their son in 1912 with Jasoda, the daughter of an overseer from Plantation Lusignan on the East Coast Demerara. Unfortunately, Jasoda died in 1918, leaving him a widower with four children. It was not long after her death that this young man was beginning to feel the pinch of looking after his parents and children and carrying on with his trade; and he began to consider remarrying.
In 1919 he met his second wife, Gangie, a young woman from Anna Catharina on the West Coast Demerara. They were married the same year and lived together for 31 years until their deaths occurred in 1950.
He had taken upon his young shoulders, at the age of 18 years, the solemn duty of maintaining his parental home and his own family, and this added considerably to his sense of responsibility. He had set his had to the plough and must not look back.
He awoke one morning, after a restless night of thought and anxiety, to find his problems still unsolved and with only a sixpence in his pocket. In this frame of mind he left his home after providing for his parents, with the intention of proceeding to Triumph, on the East Coast of Demerara, in the hope of finding some solution that disturbed his peace of mind.
His route led him through the forest, along a beaten track away from the noise of traffic and the busy haunts of men. After completing his mission, he was returning just as dusk was falling.
On reaching the Ogle bend, he felt an irresistible impulse to seek a side track leading almost at right angles from the main path. He had not proceeded a great way, when he suddenly came up against the figure of a Sadhu or holy man with a light complexion, a flowing beard and long hair streaming down his back. With eyes closed, he appeared to be in a state of deep meditation. There was nothing in his appearance to suggest unreality to the mind of the Pandit. To all outward appearance, here was another Sadhu as anyone could meet with occasionally in unfrequented places on the plantations, especially in the early immigration days, performing his religious offices. Suddenly in utter amazement, the Sadhu opened his eyes and looked and looking in the direction of the Pandit addressed him by his name and said to him: "Ramsaroop, the Lord has heard your prayers and is preparing you for a great work in the world. Do not yield the spirit of despondency but keep a brave heart and His help will surely attend you and your desires will be fulfilled."
The next day, the Pandit said he summoned a meeting of his friends and those he thought would be interested in the work and laid his plans before them; but he had already determined in his heart that, come what may, he would do the work himself, single-handedly, if necessary help was not forthcoming. In spite of his misgivings and inward fears, the proposal met with a hearty response, although the financial contributions were small.
For the sum of nine hundred dollars, he purchased a suitable site in Albouystown district - a depressed area in Georgetown, Guyana. He began laying the foundation for his humanitarian work.
Mr. Harry Saran Ramsaroop is the second son of the first marriage of his late father, Pandit Ramsaroop Maraj, M.B.E., Founder of the Dharm Shala, and the late Jasoda, the wife. He was born on the 28th of November, 1915, in Georgetown. Harry Saran always evinced great interest in the work of his father and helped as much as he could, in its consolidation. Although he joined the Government Service in 1939, he was the Secretary of the Hindu Religious Society which manages the Dharm Shala. To follow the footsteps of his father, he had to relinquish his post with the government at age 35.
At this stage, the wooden Dharm Shala buildings at 125 and 126 King Edward Street, Albouystown, were all in dire need of repair. Harry Saran realized that if the work was to continue, the confidence of the public had to be won, in order to get the financial assistance needed for the projects lying ahead, as well as to maintain the institution, at the same time. So immediately a "Dham Shala Building Repair Fund Committee" was set up under the chairmanship of the then Mayor of Georgetown, Mr. R.B. Gajraj and, simultaneously, the help of Government was sought. He entered this project with single-minded determination and finally, after a great deal of correspondence, received support from an influential source.
At first the arrangements were to make available, some financial assistance for the Society to repair the dilapidated buildings which at that time housed over 200 destitute persons of both sexes, and all races and religious backgrounds. Mr. Ramsaroop, however was not satisfied that repair was what the structures needed and so he worked out a scheme aimed at total reconstruction instead.
His suggestions were so impressive that the committee supported his idea. Action was therefore initiated to put these plans into operation. A contract was drawn up with H.A. Amo Contracting Company in association with Carl McGowan. The project involved the erection of a well designed ferro-concrete building measuring 86 feet by 44 feet. The corner stone was laid on 28th June, 1952 by the late Sir Frank McDavid, CMG,OBE at that time Colonial Treasure.
Another new building 86 feet by 44 feet was set up to be constructed. The society had again to seek the help of Government and is deeply grateful for their financial assistance.
History was written into the record of the Dharm Shala when it was decided that the Institution should be honored with a visit from Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal. On the 30th January 1960, the Princess, on the fourth day of her 5-day tour to British Guiana, visited the Dharm Shala, the only poor home of its kind in the Caribbean at the time. In the presence of the then Governor of the colony, Sir Ralph Grey, Government dignitaries and other prominent members of the community, the Princess was formally welcomed and garlanded. She was also presented with a small box made of Guiana wood. The Princess was conducted on a tour of the Institution and Nursery School. The aged and sick rose to their feet as the Princess passed their beds and one over-enthusiastic old lady, evading tight security, kissed the cheek of the Royal visitor and presented her with a basked of bananas.
Following the visit of Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal, to the Dharm Shala in January 1960, she deemed it fit to present to the Dharm Shala, through the Governor of the colony, a signed portrait of herself. At the presentation on the 28th October 1960, Sir Ralph said: “I am pleased to pay tribute to the work of the Hindu Religious Society. I know that a great deal of this is a result of the personal qualities of Harry Ramsaroop who is building on the very noble foundations that his father left to him and he get great help from his family and I know that they too, in turn, would say how much they are sustained by members of the Society”. Referring to the spirit of charity evident in the activities of the Dharm Shala and describing The Princess Royal as being herself a splendid exmaple of charity and service to others.
