KOLKATA– The historic Suriname Ghat in Kolkata, from where at least 64 ships once carried indentured laborers from India to what was then Dutch-ruled Suriname, is set to receive a long-overdue facelift. The restoration is part of a joint initiative by Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK), and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd.
Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River in Garden Reach, the ghat is most famously associated with the sailing of the Lalla Rookh, which departed for Suriname on February 26, 1873, carrying 410 indentured laborers and their families. These men and women became the foundation of today’s Indian diaspora in the Republic of Suriname.
Between 1873 and 1916, a total of 34,304 Indians made the voyage to Suriname aboard 63 more ships that departed from the Suriname Ghat. Today, people of Indian origin make up over 27 percent of Suriname’s population — around 165,000 people — with another 200,000 descendants settling in the Netherlands after Suriname gained independence in 1975.
The ghat stands as a symbol of both the hardship and resilience of those who left India in search of a better life. Most were recruited from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to work on Caribbean sugarcane plantations, lured by promises of good wages and conditions. In reality, they faced exploitation, delayed weekly pay of just 25 pence, and grueling work. While some returned to India after their five-year contracts ended, many remained, becoming the forebears of a thriving diaspora.
Suriname Ghat also features the Mai Baap Memorial — a replica of a monument in Suriname’s capital, Paramaribo — depicting a man and woman carrying small bundles, or potlis. When they left India, men were permitted only two dhotis and two kurtas, while women could take two saris. Some also brought treasured possessions such as copies of the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Today, the descendants of these laborers have excelled in business, the arts, sports, and public service. GRSE’s connection to the Caribbean continues: in 2023, it delivered the Ma Lisha, the largest and fastest passenger-cum-cargo ferry in Guyana, another nation that received indentured laborers from Kolkata during the colonial era.
The beautification project aims to attract more visitors and offer a deeper understanding of this pivotal chapter in India’s history. Under the same agreement, GRSE will also redevelop another Kolkata landmark — Mayer Ghat in north Kolkata — frequently used by Ma Sarada, wife of Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, during her stays at the Udbodhan residence in Bagbazar. (Source: IANS)
