Bihar's deep connection with the people who migrated and have now settled as citizens in Trinidad and Tobago featured prominently in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the Indian community there.
Notably, this comes ahead of Bihar's legislative assembly elections later this year.
Hailing the Bihar linkage of the Indian-origin population in Trinidad and Tobago as a "heritage of Bihar", PM Modi remarked that the "heritage of Bihar" is the "pride of not only India but the world as well."
The majority of the Indian-origin population in Trinidad and Tobago traces its ancestry to Bihar's Bhojpuri-speaking regions. Emphasising this cultural connection, PM Modi also highlighted in a social media post that the bond between the two countries is reflected in the shared use of Bhojpuri. "Be it democracy, politics, diplomacy, higher education... Bihar had shown a new direction to the world in many such subjects' centuries ago," he noted.
In a move seen by many as a subtle message of his deep respect and regard for Bihar's heritage-especially significant ahead of the upcoming polls-PM Modi struck an emotional chord with the Diaspora during an event held at the National Cycling Velodrome in Couva on Thursday. He said, "The ancestors of many people present here came from Bihar. The heritage of Bihar is the pride of not only India but the world as well".
Modi also referred to the ancestral roots of his Trinidad & Tobago counterpart, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, noting that her ancestors hailed from Bihar's Buxar.
Describing the cultural significance of being served food on traditional leaves, a gesture he experienced during a dinner hosted in his honour, PM Modi remarked that food served on a "Sohari" leaf holds great cultural importance for people in Trinidad & Tobago, especially those of Indian descent. Tapping into the cultural psyche, Modi added that the people of India regard Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as a daughter of Bihar.
Later, PM Modi's post on X (formerly Twitter) about the cultural connection between India and Trinidad & Tobago was written in Bhojpuri-a prominent language of Bihar that is still widely spoken among the Indian community in the Caribbean nation. "Be it democracy, politics, diplomacy, higher education... Bihar had shown a new direction to the world in many such subjects centuries ago", he reiterated, underlining Bihar's historic global influence. He further added that new inspirations and opportunities "will emerge from the land of Bihar for the 21st-century world".
In Trinidad and Tobago, the Girimitya community-descendants of indentured labourers-primarily consists of people who migrated from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. These workers were sent by the British from India to plantations in South Africa, Fiji, Mauritius, and the Caribbean islands. Many political observers believe that PM Modi's emphasis on Bihar's legacy could positively influence voters back home. At the cultural event, Modi was greeted with Bhojpuri chautaal and the sounds of traditional instruments like dhol-tasha , which are still used in Bihar.
Interestingly, 38 ministers-including the Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago-were seen wearing traditional Indian attire. It is widely believed that T&T PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar has ancestral roots in Bihar's Buxar district. PM Modi mentioned that her lineage can be traced back to one RK Mishra from Bhelpur village in Buxar, who migrated in 1889. The present Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago is said to have ancestral ties to this family. In a touching moment, PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar also quoted a few lines from a poem written by PM Modi from his book "Aankh Aa Dhanya Che". Praising the Indian diaspora, particularly those with ancestral ties to Bihar and other Indian states, PM Modi said, "They left the Ganga and Yamuna behind but carried the Ramayana in their hearts. They left their soil, but not their soul. They were not just migrants. They were messengers of a timeless civilisation". The PM addressing the Joint Assembly of Parliament also invoked legacy of Bihar saying “There are many companions in this Parliament also who have ancestors from Bihar, which is the land of ancient Republic- Vaishali”.