the influence of East Indian culture on Caribbean music, ganja culture and spirituality is massive and hugely underappreciated

attached is a 19th century photo from Jamaica of an Indian indentured labourer with dreads; and also a photo of a Kali temple in Trinidad

Leonard Howell, a central founder of Rastafarianism, wrote the first Rasta tract The Promised Key under the name, GG Maragh ... as in Maharaj... Gangun Guru Maragh or "teacher of great wisdom"

"In 1940 he formed the Pinnacle community in St. Catherine's. This was the first Rastafarian community. One of Howell's early followers was an Indian man remembered only as Laloo. It has been suggested that his influences on Howell may account for some of the similarities between Hinduism and Rastafarianism. Howell preferred to be referred to as Gunggunguru Maragh. The name is a combination of the three Hindi words gyan, wisdom, gun, virtue, and guru, teacher ,or translated to teacher of famed wisdom. Maragh means king (Bishton 105,1986.)"

Kali in particular is the central object of devotion in East India and Bengal

I'll put more infor up here later about Kali weed ("Collie weed") ganja and so on later

from Nature in the Rastafarian Consciousness
Erin David
April 22,1998

Hinduism's Influence

Rastafarianism began as the beliefs of four men: Leonard P. Howell, Robert Hinds, H. Archibald Dunkley and Nathanial Hibbert. All were clergymen and all claimed to have had a revelation that the coronation of Haile Selassie signaled that he was the black messiah foretold of in the scriptures who would lead Africans out of Babylon into redemption. Howell was the most outspoken of the group and proclaimed the divinity of Selassie to all that would listen (Clarke 33,1986.) Howell's main goal was the establishment of a community of followers. In 1940 he formed the Pinnacle community in St. Catherine's. This was the first Rastafarian community. One of Howell's early followers was an Indian man remembered only as Laloo. It has been suggested that has influences on Howell may account for some of the similarities between Hinduism and Rastafarianism. Howell preferred to be referred to as Gunggunguru Maragh. The name is a combination of the three Hindi words gyan, wisdom, gun, virtue, and guru, teacher ,or translated to teacher of famed wisdom. Maragh means king (Bishton 105,1986.)

An account of the possible influences of Hindu philosophy on early Rastafarianism thought has been given by Dr. Ajai Mansingh in an article in the July 18, 1982 Daily Gleamer. Dr. Mansingh states that roughly 36,400 indentured servants were brought to Jamaica from India between 1845 and 1910, bringing with them a new religious, cultural, and social outlook. He also hypothesizes that because the Indians had a similar outlook on nature and its forces in terms of faith healings, herbal medicine, and animalism as the Afro-Jamaicans that it sparked an interest in Hindu philosophy. It has also been noted that within the Afro Christian religions there is a great respect given to the"Great Book of Magical Arts, Hindu Magic and Indian Occultism (Bishton 105,1986.)

The Rastafarians like the Hindus believe in a system of reincarnation . Rastas believe that from one birth to another the same spirit persists. Therefore, all the prophets from Jesus to Garvey to Selassie are in a sense the same. This belief is central to the understanding that they, as Africans in exile, are the chosen people- the Israelites of the old testament (Clarke 69,1986.) Dr. Mansingh also reflects on the relationship of Rastafarians to ganja, or marijuana, which was brought to Jamaica by the Indians who had used it for herbal medicine and as a hallucinogen to be used as a meditation aid for centuries. Rastafarians often refer to it as Kali- a Hindu goddess whose name means "'great black mother' - whose invoking is usually associated with the lifting of sagging spirits (Bishton 116,1986.)" Also, Reddington (1995) states that "the dreadlocked, ganja-smoking saddhu or wandering ascetic is a well known figure in India, and bands of saddhus often live in Rasta-like camps and smoke marijuana from a formally-blessed communal chalice pipe." The influence of Hinduism on Rastafarianism, though most likely not as significant as the African influences, definitely should not be overlooked when considering the development of the movements ideology.

Never been into rastafarianism nor hinduism,but I did once sit in a huge tent filled with sadhu's at the Khumba mela,very fond memories.One thing I have also noticed is the numbers of Thai and Filipino youths now sporting dreadlocks,when I first used to go there I never saw any,try visiting places like Boracay now,loads of dreads wandering around

I think the original is in Urdu but it still killer,and sort of related.

ha excellent yeh I think that track is on Lee Perry Arkology, top tune

some Lee Perry is knockout, some just does my head in

my favourite album has to be Kung Fu Meets the Dragon - I know I'm smoking too much when I start listening to that album - full on sensi overload

you can watch the original movie the track above is from at veoh.com - it's Babul by Raj Kapoor (prob. in Hindi I would think)

probably some very nice tunes on there --- I can picture Lee Perry watching that in an Indian cinema in Kingston stoned out of his gourd and digging the Indian beats

Indian film music is a mixed bag, sometimes shite, sometimes blindingly good

I am a big fan of Lee Perry,mainly 70's black ark,so many fantastic productions.my favourites are the congos,super ape,jah lion.etc.
i watched a lot of bollywood as a kid,some where terrible some were funny as fuck,like indian version james bond.

yeh, Lee Perry is amazing sometimes --- I think King Tubby is more consistent though --- some Keith Hudson tracks are great too --- probably the best dub label is Pressure Sounds, veeeery good stuff on there - you can't go wrong with any of the Sounds and Pressure compilations... Blood and Fire is also an excellent label

for early 80s dub On U Sound are good... I think a lot of people who are into Lee Perry would go wild for early Mad Professor... the first four Beyond the Realms of Dub albums are an essential part of every serious dub collection... Mad Professor was on fire in the early 80s - his later output didn't even com close to the stellar dub on his first albums

there are some unbelievably deep beats and sounds that have appeared on bollywood soundtracks over the years - not just cheesy funk covers, but wild and heavy street beats from India... some of the drumming I have heard on the street in places like Banaras, Bihar and Calcutta has been mindblowing... a lot of the Caribbean beats use their original Indian names like chapati etc.... Calypso is based on Indian rhythms, but is nothing like as funky as some of what is out there... I can't remember any of the names for the good Bollywood composers, but I think most of the good stuff was in the 70s and 80s, you can almost smell the clouds of ganja and charas when you listen to it

the artwork on Kung Fu Meets the Dragon is one of my favourite album covers - I think that is a Black Ark era album --- it was during the '70s Kung Fu craze

Namkha,I actually remember sitting upstairs in the Golden Temple,right in the middle of the lake as the sun was setting and listening to the most incredible Tabla and Sitar session echoing around the place Even now if I hear certain Hindi songs,like Jai Ho from slumdog millionaire,I remember that evening.atmospheric.

yeh India is not short on atmosphere that's for bloody sure --- and Punjabi beats are out of this world (not that Bhangra stuff though) - did you visit Shah Jamal on Thursdays in Lahore? wow for me that has to the quintessential South Asian drum experience --- it's a massive Sufi smoke up with two pairs of legendary dhol players - Pappu Saen and another player whose name I forget, and Goonga and Mitthu Saen ---- there is a good quality recording a friend of mine has of two of their nights and if you hear the full set it is unbelievable... and the place is under this massive cloud of Afghani and NWFP charas... Shah Jamal was a Sufi saint who spread Islam in Pakistan through playing the dhol --- and that is the kind of Islam I would say the overwhelming majority of Pakistanis are into esp. in Punjab and Sindh - but I saw Sufis on the streets of Peshawar too

I thought some of the Slumdog soundtrack was excellent (Jai Ho does not do it for me though) - I've liked A R Rahman's stuff ever since I heard that track of his on Anokha... some of Anokha sounds pretty dated these days, but it is a good example of the influence South Asian sounds have had on UK music

Nope,been to lahore a few times usually when crossing through at Waggah from amritsar,never really liked lahore as much as peshawar or 'Pindi,I didnt really appreciate the music back in those days though I do intend to take my kids there for a visit when things settle down just to show them a few places I found interesting,as you said,very atmopsheric

Beautiful song!

Milte hi aankhein dil hua deewana kissi ka
Milte hi aankhein dil hua deewana kissi ka
Afsana mera ban gaya afsana kissi ka
Puchho na mohabbat ka asar, haay na puchho
Dam bhara mein koyi ho gaya, parwaana kisika
Afsaana mera ban gaya, afsaana kisika

I dunno why i thought it was Urdu,
Hindi translation;
As soon as eyes met, somebody's heart went mad

My tale has happened, somebody's tale

Don't ask me love's effect, ask "is it [love]?"

I took a breath and somebody happened, somebody's lover.