Caribbean Beat — September/October 2019 (#159)

If you visit Trinidad in the days leading up
to Divali, you must visit the Divali Nagar, a
ten-day event that showcases the best of
Indo-Trinidadian culture. It’s a full-on experience,
because of the number of exhibits,
tents, and the sheer volume of people
there. Obviously, the lines are longest at the
food stalls, many of which sell freshly made
dishes — like legendary pepper roti.
As the name implies, pepper roti is
extremely spicy. But it’s not just about the
heat, it’s also bursting with flavour. This
type of roti is not widely available in commercial
roti shops — it’s generally found in
homes where mothers and aunties have the
special knack for cooking it.
Pepper roti dough is made to be stiffer,
with a texture akin to flaky paratha roti. One
round of dough is rolled out and covered
in a vegetable mix that includes mashed
potatoes, carrots, hot roasted peppers,
and pimento peppers, seasoned with garlic
and chadon beni. The vegetable mix is then
covered with a layer of grated cheddar
cheese and another rolled-out round of
dough is placed on top of that before the
whole thing is cooked on a hot tawah or
griddle. Making pepper roti is truly a labour
of love, and for some, the excitement of
seeing the cooks in action makes the long
wait for a slice of cheesy pepperiness truly
worthwhile.
like cilantro and parsley), curried spinach, pumpkin
(roasted, mashed, and generously seasoned
with geera and garam masala), curried chataigne
(a chestnut-like seed), curried channa, potato,
carailli (bitter melon), all served with silky paratha
roti and huge helpings of salad. As I was eating,
I wondered, is it just me or does eating with my
fingers from a banana leaf make the food taste
better and earthier?
Divali is meant to be an extremely happy event,
but there are times when circumstances
prevent that. Because the holiday occurs
during the rainy season, it’s not unusual for heavy
rains to affect the celebrations.
One of the beautiful things about Divali
in T&T is the outpouring of love and
generosity shown by members of the Hindu
community
In 2018, some parts of rural Trinidad were literally washed away when the
equivalent of a typical month’s rain fell over a three-day period just two weeks
before Divali. Many homes were extensively damaged, and some people lost
everything.
What happens then? In Penal, the Penal Debe Foundation, a community
group started by some civic-minded friends, was able to bring cheer to
families who were affected, with the aid of generous donations from the
public. “Our group is four years old. We are a group of friends who wanted
to do more for the community,” says Khemraj Seecharan, a member of the
foundation. “We’ve done various projects with schools and for people who
needed assistance.
“Where there were floods in 2017, we were first responders and we got
a lot of help, so it was no surprise when the devastation took place in 2018
that we would be there. The same people, plus more, donated to the cause,”
Seecharan explains. “For Divali, we recognised that many people were not
going to be able to cook, so we made meals that included buss up shut [paratha
roti], channa, pumpkin, and mango talkari.”
In addition to the food distributed on the day, the Penal Debe Foundation
organised a Divali celebration at the Bakal Recreation Ground, which was like
“an oasis” from the destruction of the floods. “We had the celebration in the
heart of the flooding, and did everything including food and sweets like kurma
and prasad. Over a thousand people came — we even had pepper roti. It was
well received,” Seecharan adds.
He explains that the celebration will take place again this year, but they’re
praying — of course — for no rain.
So in one celebration, you have the perfect demonstration of the Trinidadian
spirit of generosity, and a true triumph of light over the darkness of
catastrophe. n
The Penal Debe Foundation has partnered with the Living Water Community to help rebuild homes in their
community. So far, nine houses have been rebuilt. If you’re interested in assisting, visit their Facebook page for
more information: www.facebook.com/thepdf
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