A holiday celebrated in
various countries commemorating the arrival of Indians
to that nation.
Description
It was first celebrated in Skinner Park,
San Fernando, as the East Indian Centenary on May
30, 1945 which marked the hundredth anniversary of
the coming of Indians to Trinidad.
Indian Revival and Reform Association
(IRRA) formed in 1976 formed a committee to revive the
memory of the coming of Indians to Trinidad
on May 30, 1845.
In 1979, the Sanatan Dharm Maha Sabha
agreed to organize a major celebration on May 27,
1979.
The name of the day was then changed to Indian
Arrival Day, because all Indians there were
citizens there and not emigrants any more.
The 1979 celebration was a great success
and included the presence of some of the original immigrants
born in India.
The Hindu community took the lead in the development of
the celebrations of this day every subsequent year.
In the 1990s the Maha Sabha expanded the Indian Arrival
Day celebrations and dubbed the month of May as
"Indian Heritage Month" which ends on Indian
Arrival Day.
Since its establishment in Trinidad, Indian Arrival Day
has given rise to similar celebrations in Jamaica,
the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
In different countries, this day is celebrated on
different dates as under:
In Guyana the holiday is celebrated
on May 5 commemorating the first
arrival of indentured labourers from India to the
country, on May 8, 1838. On this day,
the workers arrived in Guyana to work in sugar
plantations. Their descendants today comprise 44 percent
of Guyana's population of over 750,000.
In Mauritius, the holiday is
celebrated on November 2 to commemorate
the arrival of Indian labourers.
In Suriname, Indian Arrival
Day is celebrated on June 5.
Trinidad and Tobago - Indian
Arrival Day is a holiday celebrated on May 30
since the 1990s. It commemorates the first arrivals from
the Indian subcontinent to Trinidad, on May 30,
1845.
Events:
Nov 02:
In Mauritius, the holiday is celebrated on this day to
commemorate the arrival of Indian labourers
Jun 05:
In Suriname, Indian Arrival Day is celebrated on this day
Jun 01:
The Parliament of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines enacted an
Act of Parliament on Mar 26, 2007 officially declaring the 1st
of June as Indian Arrival Day. The first official commemoration
of the event was held on 1 June that year
May 30:
Indian
Arrival Day is a holiday celebrated on May 30
since the 1990s. It commemorates the first arrivals from
the Indian subcontinent to Trinidad, on May 30,
1845. Trinidad and Tobago was the
first country to start this holiday
May 06:
The Indian Diaspora of St. Lucia, an association promoting
Indo-Saint Lucian heritage, organized the first Indian Arrival
Day celebrations in Saint Lucia on 6 May 2013. The association
is campaigning for the Saint Lucian government to officially
declare the 6th of May as Indian Arrival Day.
May 05:
In Guyana the holiday is celebrated on this day commemorating
the first arrival of indentured labourers from India to the
country, on May 5, 1838. On this day, the workers arrived in
Guyana to work in sugar plantations
May 01:
On 29 April 2009, the Government of Grenada declared that the
1st of May would officially be designated as Indian Arrival Day
and observed annually alongside the existing Labour Day.
Apr 29, 2009:
On this day, the Government of Grenada declared that the 1st of
May would officially be designated as Indian Arrival Day and
observed annually alongside the existing Labour Day.
Mar 26, 2007:
The Parliament of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines enacted an
Act of Parliament on this day officially declaring the 1st of
June as Indian Arrival Day. The first official commemoration of
the event was held on 1 June that year
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