Today the Dharm Shala Home of Benevolence celebrates its 103rd anniversary and the granddaughters of the founder say that it continues to serve those who are in need.
Kella and Pamela Ramsaroop continue the tradition of their father Hari Saran Ramsaroop Maharaj who died in 2013. He had taken the mantle from his father, Pandit Ramsaroop, who opened the home in 1921 with his own funds.
“The 11 Dharm Shala buildings are all solely devoted to humanitarian charity, free of charge,” the two sisters said in a brief release to mark the anniversary.
The aims and objectives of the organisation when it was formed, were to feed, house, and clothe the indigent. And for the past 100 years, it has remained steadfast in its mission. “We look after the social, the religious, the educational side,” Kella Ramsaroop had said during an interview to mark the 100th anniversary. The Dharm Shala was in charge of a nursery school for 75 years before it was closed.
In 2021, Kella Ramsaroop had said that within the two homes, there were about 40 residents benefitting from the “holy humanitarian charity” work offered by the private institution. The two women are the sole managers of the institution and have taken up multiple roles to ensure that the residents are comfortable. They are assisted by a small staff of about five.
In 1941, the Dharm Shala extended to Berbice, where a building of similar capacity to that at Albouystown was built, the sisters explained. Accord-ing to the Ramsaroop sisters, both homes were built with a Hindu temple and a Christian chapel. They had said that the thought of including a mosque was discussed but due to a land issue it was not built.
The mantle of leadership was then taken over by Pandit Maraj’s son, Harry Ramsaroop, the women’s father, following his father’s death. Harry Ramsaroop fulfilled services for many years until his passing in 2013 at the age of 97.
Kella had told this newspaper that the journey to 100 years was not easy but she believed it was a privilege to serve and that God provided them (all who assist) with a conditioned mind to undertake the task. “It’s not easy to manage a place like this. You have people of diverse personalities and I tell you, for me, my life was on the line about five times,” she had disclosed in 2021. She had added that people who take up residency sometimes seem normal but as time passed they did strange things. She recalled several instances when such people acted in an unsettling manner toward her, however, they were then transferred from the institution. For this reason, they are very particular about the type of people who can stay. The women had explain-ed that people who cannot look after themselves and are psychiatric patients were often turned away, but that there were a few who got accepted and had thus far caused no such trouble. “We have had all sorts of people. My father used to entertain all sorts of people whether they are sane or insane but you can’t do that these days,” Kella had explained.
As for funding of the Dharm Shala, the women had said that aside from donations from business firms and other charitable foundations, they completely fund the service. There is also a subvention from the government of $1 million, but much more is needed.
