THE road to Parsa Surat village in Basti in Uttar Pradesh is motorable only in patches. But that’s never been too much of a problem considering cars seldom come this way. And then when they do, villagers stop to stare at them. Today when a cavalcade of four vehicles stops outside Shaukat Ali’s hut, it’s not just a few people, but the whole village that turns up to welcome the guests.
The moment merits the attention. It’s a homecoming at the end of journey that began a century earlier and spans three continents. It began at Parsa in Basti in 1888, then on to Guyana, a British colony in South America, to move forward and merge in the melting pot of New York. Today it has come full circle to where it started from: Parsa Surat, Basti.
Businessman Mohamed Amzad, 74, his 72-year-old wife Ashiran, their children and grandchildren have come from Manhattan to meet their relatives in the village their ancestors left in the 19th century to work as indentured labour in the then British colony of Guyana.
The ‘‘Yanks’’ are taken straight to where Shaukat’s father Mohammed Siddiq usually rests.
Behind the frames of her spectacles, Ashiran’s eyes are wet. Mohammed Siddiq is clearly pleased to receive his cousin’s family even though he had never heard of them before this in his 80 years.
Ashiran’s daughters Bebe Khan and Saforah Khan and their families follow next. Saforah’s 21-year-old daughter Shazeda is busy recording the reunion on her Handycam.
After all it’s a moment she’s waited and worked for this past year.

IT all started a year ago at the New York City College where Shazeda was studying for a degree in Psychology. ‘‘As part of a research project I went through a lot of material on the Indians who had come to Guyana as indentured labour,’’ she says.
The research soon became a personal quest. Shazeda’s grandfather Mohamed Amzad had migrated to New York from Guyana. ‘‘I searched for all the information that was on the Internet, I made a trip to the Embassy of Guyana, went to the National Archives and even saw films and read books on the subject. And then I learnt that the Guyanese authorities had with them the emigration passes that were issued by the British when they recruited labour from India.’’
Shazeda sent an email on January 15, 2007, and the same day received by mail copies of not one but four emigration passes. The passes that were issued to her great-great grandfather Amir, his wife and two sons when they boarded the ship Brenda in 1889. The pass also bore another stamp of identity: the name of the village Parsa and the district Basti.

AT Parsa Surat it’s time for introductions and reunions. At 61, Shaukat is the patriarch of the family. The outsiders are told to clear out and the family gathers in the courtyard. Of Mohammed Siddiq’s sons, Shaukat is the eldest among four brothers and two sisters. In the family there are now 22 children.
The families come together but the language barrier is still to be breached. The smattering of Hindi that the New Yorkers speak has been culled from the occasional Hindi film they have watched. The family at Basti is proficient in Bhojpuri but strangers to English. This is where Chandra Shekhar Tiwari steps in and translates.
‘‘Baba, hum aye rahe tumre gaon (We have come to your village),’’ he tells the Parsa family.
‘‘Haiyya,’’ replies Shaukat. The girls giggle.
‘‘Sun liyo, oye ladki (Listen, you girl),’’ Tiwari is quick to admonish them.
It’s the turn of the amused New Yorkers to giggle.
‘‘Aap Nazreen, aap Shirin, aap Azeem. Beginning from the 74-year-old Mohamed to the 3-year-old Nasira Usma Ahmed, Tiwari introduces them all. ‘‘So four generations of this family, your cousins are here from New York,’’ he says in Bhojpuri.
Tiwari was instrumental in getting the family to Basti.
A year ago after Shazeda got her ancestors’ emigration passes, finding her roots still seemed a distant dream. For in all the maps that she checked, she could not find any place named Basti in the whole of Punjab. ‘‘My grandfather Rasul was only seven when he came to Guyana with his father Amir who died early. My grandfather remembered almost nothing about the place of his birth. All he told us was that he had come from Punjab and there was a huge tamarind tree in the village,’’ says Shazeda’s grandfather Amzad.
Unable to locate Parsa and Basti, Shazeda continued her search. After phone calls to the Ministry of Overseas Indians Abroad she came in contact with Chandra Shekhar Tiwari. A doctorate from the Delhi University, Tiwari had been a part of a project that traced the family of the former Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Basudeo Panday to a village in UP’s Azamgarh district. From then tracing roots has become Tiwari’s profession. In over a decade, his Indiroots has helped several families from countries like Trindad, Fiji, Guyana and Surinam find their villages of origin in India.
In May 2007, Shazeda contacted Tiwari who took no time in figuring out that the Basti mentioned in the emigration passes was the one in Uttar Pradesh. Basti in UP has, according to estimates, contributed almost 8.7 percent of migrants to Guyana. But even for a seasoned finder like Tiwari, a formidable problem remained. There were 13 villages in the district that were called Parsa.
‘‘To reach the right family I had to visit all the thirteen Parsas. In fact there is a saying in this area that goes, ‘‘tereh Parsa, teen Majhauya, uske beech ek Saltauya. (situated between the thirteen Parsas and three Majhauyas is the village of Saltauya) says Tiwari. While some villages by the name Parsa could straight away be struck off the list as having no Muslim families, in the others Tiwari spent hours with the elders of the village, trying to glean from their failing memories any details of a relative who had left for abroad to work in the plantations. And, of course, the memory that had been passed down generations of a tamarind tree would eventually be of help. ‘‘You have to be very careful as sometimes people can imagine things. At other times the prospect of a relative appearing and asking for a share in the ancestral land scares them,’’ says Tiwari.
After several weeks, he heard from Shaukat’s father Mohammed, who mentioned that one of their ancestors had left the village due to the oppression of the zamindari system. In the course of the conversation Tiwari also learnt that there had been a tamarind tree in the village that had been the biggest tree in the area. ‘‘I crosschecked with the land records of the office. Land records in the area for the 19th century exist in Urdu and translators are available for a fee,’’ says Tiwari.
Documents at the land record office showed that what Mohammed of Parsa Surat had told Tiwari was reliable. The records led back to Amir who had left for Guyana in August 1888.

THE same records have led the family back to Basti. But what’s a reunion without a feast? ‘‘Can we help?’’ asks Bebe Khan as she and her daughter Saforah follow the women to the chulha and Tiwari rattles off the menu.
‘‘Chawal, chicken, dal, matar, sewaiyan.’’
‘‘We have Indian food even at home in New York,’’ chips in Shazeda who has traded her western dress for a salwar-kameez for the trip.
The women bond around the chulha. Kaisar, the more confident among them, asks the guests about their life in New York.
Bebe Khan tells them that in New York she doesn’t drive a car but her daughters do. Kaisar then goes on to grumble over the strict discipline that Shaukat imposes on everyone in the family. ‘‘I know, he reminds me of an uncle back home. He is as strict,’’ consoles Bebe Khan.
The table is laid out. Shaukat had gone to Basti the day before to get mineral water for the guests. The menu had been carefully decided. The guests sit down to eat.
‘‘The food is spicy,’’ someone says. Tiwari translates. ‘‘I had told these people to use less of the red chillies,’’ Shaukat exclaims.
‘‘We don’t eat food as spicy but it tastes good,’’ explains Mohamed, ‘‘In New York, we eat food only once in a day. We were offered snacks when we reached and now it's lunch. It's already a lot of eating,’’ he smiles.
The dessert arrives: sewaiyan topped with dry fruits. The New Yorkers make a note to ask the women for the recipe.
The talk then shifts to the tamarind tree that has lived on the shifting territory of migration and memory. ‘‘It was cut down around 25 years ago. I’ll take you to where it once stood,’’ Shaukat tells the visitors.
They all troop to the house that stands where once stood the tamarind tree. ‘‘The tales of our past were like one big puzzle. Now things are falling in place,’’ says another granddaughter Shirin, who works as an assistant manager in a New York store.
From the house they walk on to the fields. Shaukat and his three brothers have six bigha between them. Several villagers follow them on their walk. After a while, they all head back home.
At home the guests take measurements of all the boys so that they can send them clothes from New York and hand over the gifts they have brought along. There is something for everyone: shawls, medicines, a sphygmomanometer, clothes and candy.
The one-day, one-night pilgrimage draws to an end. As they prepare for their journey back to New York, Mohamed Amzad says,
‘‘I might not get a chance to come here again but I think some of the children will come again.’’

Indian Express

This is a fantastic story, indeed the tamarind tree was the clue and isolating the villages. I tell you more and more people are doing this today. Its moving to read these stories. Need to see some films.

Didi jaan (RQ) will do one soon enshallah.

quote:

Originally posted by Jansher:
This is a fantastic story, indeed the tamarind tree was the clue and isolating the villages. I tell you more and more people are doing this today. Its moving to read these stories. Need to see some films.

Didi jaan (RQ) will do one soon enshallah.

yuh kan bit pun dan wan fuh shor shor...

baijaan jans
did something not ring a bell here??check the docs I sent to you? the district and village is the same....but this gives some more clues for it is 13 villages within the district of Basti!

Glad you liked the story!

Yes, the tamarind tree was the crucial clue in isolating that particular village.

However, checking the records in the district, pretty much sealed the deal.

quote:

Originally posted by Skhan:
Glad you liked the story!

Yes, the tamarind tree was the crucial clue in isolating that particular village.

However, checking the records in the district, pretty much sealed the deal.

hi Skhan
I just saw your post.i do like this story very much as my gparents records indicate they were fm parsa villge in Basti as well. Are you familiar with the family who went there to find the roots or know this family? Are you into genealogy and researching these records?

Hi RQ,

Really? Finding out which Parsa will be quite a task. Dr. Tiwary, took a few weeks to find that my family came from Parsa Surat, Basti.

Actually, I am Shazeda; the one that did the genealogical research on this topic.

I found that the article that was published in India has been widely distributed on the internet.

I've read the comments from different forums and I am pleased that other people are finding this article as an inspiration to find their own history.

I thought I would join this forum to lend, if needed, a helping hand.

Because, I know how hard it was to start this type of research without any type of assistance. But once you have the documents from the National Archives in Guyana, it's pretty much smooth sailing from then on out.

So RQ, I am assuming based on what you stated in your post, that you have the emigration passes for your grandparents, am I right?

If you do, and you want to take it to the next step, such as finding out which Parsa they came from in Basti, and perhaps if some ancestral kin descendants still live in the village, I can give you the contact details for Dr. Tiwary.

quote:

Originally posted by Jansher:

That's my aunt making pakoras

quote:

Originally posted by Skhan:
Hi RQ,

Really? Finding out which Parsa will be quite a task. Dr. Tiwary, took a few weeks to find that my family came from Parsa Surat, Basti.

Actually, I am Shazeda; the one that did the genealogical research on this topic.

I found that the article that was published in India has been widely distributed on the internet.

I've read the comments from different forums and I am pleased that other people are finding this article as an inspiration to find their own history.

I thought I would join this forum to lend, if needed, a helping hand.

Because, I know how hard it was to start this type of research without any type of assistance. But once you have the documents from the National Archives in Guyana, it's pretty much smooth sailing from then on out.

So RQ, I am assuming based on what you stated in your post, that you have the emigration passes for your grandparents, am I right?

If you do, and you want to take it to the next step, such as finding out which Parsa they came from in Basti, and perhaps if some ancestral kin descendants still live in the village, I can give you the contact details for Dr. Tiwary.

Hi Shazeda
I have some of the immigrant passes for my grandparents. I am waiting for some more fm my dad side as the archives was closed last year when I went to research my family indentureship.
i have already travelled thru India and will go again when I have all the documents fm both sides of my families plus extended families.I was quite impress with the search result that Dr Tiwary did to locate the exact village.
This report has provided me with the details of how many villages with the name Parsa. I have reserached many of the villages fm the EPs as well to have an idea of locations in the different Thanas and Mahallas. I did read that you all did not spend much time in Basti or Parsa. I will spend some time when I do go as I want to feel and expereince the real life there.
will stay in touch with you. i have to take another read at the article to ask info.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RQ,

Yes it was rather unfortunate we were unable to stay longer. Due to my relatives who insisted on leaving from their fear of, the lack of cleanliness, and from already acquiring some sickness. My intention was to stay about 5 days, but when you have a group of elders that insist on leaving, you, as one of the youngest cannot say otherwise.

Part of the problem was, we went near the end of our trip, to visit the family in Basti, since most of my relatives were exhausted from travel by that time.

From my understanding, they are moving the archives, do you know why?

Dr. Tiwary is great! He's a very diligent and precise researcher. He has helped us a lot.

I look forward to hearing from you in the future.

quote:

Originally posted by Skhan:

quote:

Originally posted by Jansher:

That's my aunt making pakoras

We all enjoy that pic. Jansher who is a member of this forum posted the pic. He has research his family and is an enthusiastic & brilliant writer on indentureship and historical data pertainig to this subject.He will be pleased to know you have joined GNI in search of more of your Berbice connections. He also have family in Berbice and may be able to help you.

I have some pictures, but I haven't uploaded them as of yet online. But once I do I post a link on here so you, Jansher, and others can see.

He does? That's great! I look forward to hearing from him as well!

quote:

Originally posted by Skhan:
Yes it was rather unfortunate we were unable to stay longer. Due to my relatives who insisted on leaving from their fear of, the lack of cleanliness, and from already acquiring some sickness. My intention was to stay about 5 days, but when you have a group of elders that insist on leaving, you, as one of the youngest cannot say otherwise.

Part of the problem was, we went near the end of our trip, to visit the family in Basti, since most of my relatives were exhausted from travel by that time.

From my understanding, they are moving the archives, do you know why?

Dr. Tiwary is great! He's a very diligent and precise researcher. He has helped us a lot.

I look forward to hearing from you in the future.

They built a new archives on Homestretch Ave. beside the Cultural Centre. I think the old one had outgrown its usefulness by now. this new location is supposed to be more efficient and capable of quick search result what with more researchers looking for indenturship records.Seems like everyone is awakening to tracing their roots and making the connections back to the land of their gggrand parents.

Was there no hotels in Basti that you all could have stayed; atleast a day or two just to bond with the land of your ancestors??
Who was your contact at the archives that responded so quickly with the Emigrant Pass?
If it was not closed while i was there, i would have had all the other EPs since last year.

quote:

Originally posted by Skhan:
I have some pictures, but I haven't uploaded them as of yet online. But once I do I post a link on here so you, Jansher, and others can see.

He does? That's great! I look forward to hearing from him as well!

I will email him and let him know about you.
You can post the pics as you upload so everyone can view and be motivated to trace their roots.
it is so important to know our ancestral roots, our lineage is what makes us who we are today.
sadly not many seems to think of the ggg-ones!

Thank you! I appreciate that!

Yes, I will as soon as possible.

I agree with you wholeheartedly!

At some point future generations are going to want to know, who they are.

Its an inevitable question, for some, and for others, they don't care and just accept things as is.

But in my case, I wondered why is there Indians in Guyana, why did the British bring them there, why did they decide to LEAVE India to come to Guyana, etc.

And I think, at some point, first generation indo-guyanese americans like myself, will either ask the same questions or if not them...the second generation or third generation.

But, its a question that is inevitable for anyone whose descendants come from the Caribbean or West Indies.

At least, that's what I think.

Hi Shazeda

How did you come to know that the Parsa had Surat with the name of the village. Did the EP have the village as Parsa Surat? Curious? Mine has just Parsa as village & Basti as district.I had wondered aobut this when I first read the article.

But in my case, I wondered why is there Indians in Guyana, why did the British bring them there, why did they decide to LEAVE India to come to Guyana, etc.


have you found some of the answers to the question you asked yourself above ???

I did not, that was purely deduced by Dr. Tiwary. It was his job as the researcher, to find the village, find the individuals and confirm that they are related to us based on the facts that we have and ultimately they should have.

No the EP, had merely stated Parsa as the village, there was no Surat mentioned anywhere.

I noticed, based on a previous post in a previous thread, that EP's vary in the way in which it looked, based on time period. However, ultimately they all carried the same information.

quote:

Originally posted by RQ:
Hi Shazeda

How did you come to know that the Parsa had Surat with the name of the village. Did the EP have the village as Parsa Surat? Curious? Mine has just Parsa as village & Basti as district.I had wondered aobut this when I first read the article.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Skhan,

I found answers to all those questions, and I must say, I have a greater sense of appreciation for what my ancestors went through.

quote:

Originally posted by RQ:
But in my case, I wondered why is there Indians in Guyana, why did the British bring them there, why did they decide to LEAVE India to come to Guyana, etc.


have you found some of the answers to the question you asked yourself above ???

SK great job with ya quest

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Skhan:
I found answers to all those questions, and I must say, I have a greater sense of appreciation for what my ancestors went through.

I am so happy that someone so young as yourself would embark on such a quest and finish with so much success to the point of returning to the land of our indentured ggranparents - INDIA.
Added to the fact your family members now know the land of their ancestry.

I had asked who was your contact at the archive that sent you the EPs the same day?? I know that the archive is still closed, not organized for public researching as yet.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Skhan:
I did not, that was purely deduced by Dr. Tiwary. It was his job as the researcher, to find the village, find the individuals and confirm that they are related to us based on the facts that we have and ultimately they should have.

No the EP, had merely stated Parsa as the village, there was no Surat mentioned anywhere.

I noticed, based on a previous post in a previous thread, that EP's vary in the way in which it looked, based on time period. However, ultimately they all carried the same information.

Hi Shazeda

It is true that the EPs differ depending on the year of migration. i have one that is different fm the others in that the districts is Zillah, admin/police centers was know as Pergunnah.this EP is dated 1877. this is different fm the later ones of the 1900s.I am waiting for my paternal ggparents who came in 1860 and 1862.
This would be enlightening for their EPs.