Fiji's national anthem gets Gujarati touch

Gujaratis in Fiji started the centennial celebrations of their arrival in Fiji by launching a CD that includes a Gujarati translation of Fiji's national anthem.

Gujaratis in Fiji started the centennial celebrations of their arrival in Fiji by launching a CD that includes a Gujarati translation of Fiji's national anthem.

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Over 3,000 people attended the function last weekend at Lautoka, Fiji's second largest city, on the island of Viti Levu.

Indians constitute around 44 per cent of Fiji's population of around nine million. Gujaratis were among the first Indians brought as indentured labour to work in sugar plantations in this Pacific island nation 100 years ago.

Apart from the translated version of the national anthem, the CD, titled 'Chaalo Bollywood', also contains a compilation of Hindi songs sung by renowned and upcoming Gujarati singers based in Fiji and others who have moved overseas.

According to a report in the Fiji Times newspaper, the national anthem, 'God bless Fiji', was translated by Anandilal Amin after an idea from Mukesh Bhagat of Lautoka.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of my team who have worked extremely hard on this national anthem and congratulate them for their talent, time and great effort," the report quoted Jagdish Punja, entertainment committee chairman of Fiji Gujarati Centenary Utsav Lautoka 2006, as saying.

Punja told the daily that the proceeds from the sale of the CD would go to the Lautoka Gujarati School project fund.

He also claimed that the opening ceremony of the yearlong celebrations was a grand success.