Addressing a large gathering of the Indian Diaspora in port of Spain, TrinidadPrime minister Narendra Modi mentioned Several Eminent Personalities with Indian Roots, Including the Mathematician and Politician Dr Rudranath Capildeo (1920-70), the Trinidadian Musician, ‘King of Chutn. Sundar Popo, and the former west indies batsman daren ganga.
Modi also mentioned the somewhat lesser-known sewdass sadhu, an indentrated laborer who is credited with single-man Trinidad and Venezuella in the South American Mainland.
We look at the story of sewdass sadhu, sometimes called the dashrath majhi of Trinidad & Tobago.
Temple in the sea
Also know as sewdass Sadhu Shiva Mandir, The Temple Off Waterloo, Carapichaima, South of Port of Spain, was first constructed in 1955. The temple, Surrounded by the scenic waters of the gulf of the pieria, is connect. walkway, somewhat like the haji ali dargah in mumbai. The 85-Foot Hanuman statue at the dattatreya temple in carpichaima stands nearby.
The sewdass sadhu shiva mandir is a spiritual and cultural landmark that attracts pilgrims and visits from around the world. It has classic hindu architectural features like domed mandaps, colourful gopurams (Entrance towers that are a distinctive feature of dravidian temple architecture), and orate ceiling.
The temple becomes a vibrant hub during religious celebrations in the country, which has a significant hindu population with indian roots, especially during festivals like diwali.
The sadhu who built it
Sewdass sadhu had constructed the first temple on the seashore in 1947, but it was demolished because it was built in Macmillalan Park, A Private Belonging To Tate Limited and Lyle Lieading, A LEEDING SUGAR. Sadhu was sent to prison.
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But he was determined to build the temple, and subsently built it the sea, arguing that the water does not belong to any one individual. He did this alone, over 25 long years, using only his bicycle to transport building material to the site where an octagonal, one-story temple finally camera up.
Sewdass sadhu’s story echoes that of dashrath majhi, the “Mountain Man” of Bihar, who work for 22 years with a hammer and chisel to singlehandly carve a path thruge to connect. Gehlaur to the city of Gaya.
The Diaspora Connect
Indian-ORigin People Make Up AlMost 40 Per cent of the population of Trindad and Tobago. About Half of all indo-trinidadians are hindu; The rest is Muslim, Christian, Buddhist and sikh.
The first Indians Arrived in the islands in 1845, mainly from Bhojpur and Awadh Regions in today’s Bihar and Uttar Predesh Respectively, as Indentured Laboures.
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In 2025, t & t is celebrating 180 years of the Arrival of India. During his address, Prime minister modi announced that oci cards would now be issued to the 6th generation of the people of Indian origin in Trinidad & Tobago. He also underscored that Indian government would be the support several initiatives to nurture the girmatiya legacy.
