What is Kala Pani ? ''काला पानी'' ( Kala pani ) translates literally as 'black water'. A hindi phrase, it refers to the taboo practice of crossing the seas and leaving India, prohibited in the Manusmriti (The Laws of Manu), a prominent legal, religious and moral Hindu text. Kala Pani was specifically banned as it was 'associated with contamination and cultural defilement' [Mehta], usually meaning a breakdown in the caste system present in Indian society throughout history. Kala Pani and Transoceanic crossings Today, the term Kala Pani is used to refer specifically to the crossings made by indentured labourers originating in India, with many ending up in the Carribean. As described in Ramabai Espinet's The Swinging Bridge , those considered as occupying a lower rung in the caste (in this example, widows, or rands ) were often the people who undertook the Kala Pani and became indentured labourers. As a result, there are many communities of descendan
This blog will explore the indentured labour histories of India, its cultural impact, and the resulting diaspora communities across the world, with specific emphasis on Ramabai Espinet's 2003 novel, 'The Swinging Bridge'.