Pritivi Bheem’s “Shaam Sundar” (2016) is considered a modern classic in Indo-Caribbean circles. But the younger generation might be unaware that it is actually a cover of Prematee Bheem’s original chutney hit from the 1980s. Prematee, Pritivi’s paternal grandmother (Aji), was a popular singer in Trinidad at the time and often wrote her own lyrics. The song is about the hardworking nature of the Indian joint family unit, where multiple relatives would live under one roof or on a single property and gradually build their homes and temples alongside each other. The erection of houses, mandirs, and mosques were seen as symbols of economic progress and social mobility in the Caribbean. This composition is from the perspective of a young Indian woman who would have a first-hand view of these familial dynamics while residing with her in-laws after getting married. The track is a great tribute to how our ancestors pooled their money and/or resources together to survive and establish themselves in a region where they arrived as the last major migrant group and were placed in the lowest socioeconomic class.
Translated by Vinay Harrichan as part of the Caribbean Hindustani team:
Shaam sundar gagari uthawe
I pick up the beautiful dark water pot
Hamar gale munge ke mala
A garland of coral on my neck
Munge ke mala munge ke mala
Garland of coral, garland of coral
Shaam sundar shaam sundar
Beautiful dark, beautiful dark
Balma uthawe mahala do mahala
My beloved husband erects two palaces
Dewra uthawe siwala
My younger brother-in-law erects a temple
Jetha uthawe mahala do mahala
My older brother-in-law erects two palaces
Balma uthawe siwala
My beloved husband erects a temple
