Bhojpuri was   a language that was  synonym  with the sugar belt cultivators and the ‘geermitiyas’—indentured labours  shipped to Fiji, Mauritius, Trinidad ,  Guiana (earlier known  as British Guiana)  and Surinam.

This book , Jahajin,  written by Peggy Mohan is  laudable  effort in this  direction. Though, I have not read the book  in its original form, yet I find the connectivity very fascinating.

More  research in this  direction  will help  us in understanding the transmigration of the language through thousands of miles its beauty  and folk-lores  and the cultural heritage that  survived and  preserved in  these countries.

I heartily   congratulate the  author for this ‘classical’ direction she  has given to  Bhojpuri –the language of Deshratna Dr. Rajendra  Prasad, Loknayak Jaiprakash Narain, Acharya  Hazari Prasad Dvivedi, Rahul Sankrutyan and  scores of people who had  made substantial contribution not only in the Indian struggle for Freedom but  in the field of Hindi literature  and spread ofHinduism- Buddhism abroad.

Batu K. Dutt

North Vanouver,BC

Canada