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Although he was appalled at the treatment of
Indians in Fiji he publicly stated his intention of working through constitutional means to improve the plight of the Fiji Indians. He did not agree with those who were encouraging Indians to return to India. The Fiji Government suspected that he might be
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schools. He donated books to schools and stated that his mission was religious. He came to the attention of the
Government in November 1920 when it became aware of his non-political educational work. The Government wanted to have discussions with him on Indian education but did not manage to arrange
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His deportation did not end the strike, which dragged on for six months. After his deportation to India, he made an appearance at the depot in
Calcutta where ex-indentured labourers had gathered to ask for return to Fiji. He asked them not to return, undertook a hunger strike and publicly cursed
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of Fiji in 1921. Mystery surrounded him during his short stay in Fiji (May 1920 – March 1921) and tales of his miraculous deeds still circulate in Fiji. The
Government could not find out much about him from its sources of intelligence but deported him in the belief that he was an agent of
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in May 1920. His head was shaven, he wore a light orange robe and carried a light pink umbrella with him. He was greeted with enthusiasm by the local Indian community on his arrival in Fiji. Some thought of him as a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu.
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and asked
Government officials to report on his activities. In one such report he was referred to as the "mystery man", as giving sound advice to the people and responsible for the loss of the influence that N.B. Mitter had enjoyed.
227:, whom he accused of being a recruiter. This seemed to have the desired effect as Andrews was able to bring political pressure on the Indian Government to stop further labour ships departing for Fiji.
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and deported from Fiji on 23 March 1921. On the day when he was deported, the
Government House in Suva was destroyed by lightning and the ship on which he was brought to Suva struck a reef.
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Although
Vashist Mini spent very little time in Fiji, his legacy lives on. There are a number of schools named after him, some of which are:
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Although the workers of the north-western districts were organised by N.B. Mitter, the strike which began on 11 February 1921, in
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164:, enrolling boys to study Hindi, as he wanted children to be proud of their heritage. He discouraged Indians from attending
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was struck by lightning and destroyed which only heightened the belief in the power this mysterious
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On 20 March 1921, while he was addressing a gathering of farmers and labourers at a school in
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by walking through the settlements and talking to parents. He built a school in
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were concentrated and is reputed to have doubled the attendance of a school in
287:. Canberra, Australia: Australian National University Press. pp. 53–59.
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fluently. He left
Calcutta on 23 March 1919 and arrived in Fiji, via
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The Fiji
Indians: Challenge to European dominance 1920–1946
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Initially he carried out educational work in areas where
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206:, he was requested to accompany a police party to
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272:. Guru Dayal Sharma, Suva, Fiji. pp. 48–49.
194:. The strike was peaceful and well organised.
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81:when he assumed the leadership of the
239:Vashist Muni Primary School, Maqere,
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364:20th-century Indian philosophers
77:, who came into prominence in
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310:Memories of Fiji: 1887–1987
308:Sharma, Guru Dayal (1987).
270:Memories of Fiji: 1887–1987
268:Sharma, Guru Dayal (1987).
251:Vashist Muni College, Navua
148:Educationist and Missionary
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339:Indian Hindu missionaries
334:Indian emigrants to Fiji
94:. After his arrest, the
283:Gillion, K. L. (1977).
359:Scholars from Varanasi
245:Vashist Muni Primary,
122:, in 1888 and was an
169:a meeting with him.
344:Fiji sugar industry
143:Activities in Fiji
67:Sadhu Vashist Muni
22:Sadhu Vashist Muni
354:People from Navua
87:western districts
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173:an agent of
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106:(holy man).
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329:1888 births
198:Deportation
182:1921 Strike
323:Categories
256:References
126:who spoke
110:Early life
57:Occupation
166:Christian
136:Australia
208:Lautoka
158:Lautoka
132:English
116:Banaras
85:in the
41:, India
35:Benares
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231:Legacy
192:Labasa
175:Gandhi
92:Gandhi
83:strike
69:was a
247:Navua
241:Tavua
204:Tavua
162:Navua
128:Hindi
120:India
104:sadhu
75:India
71:Hindu
51:India
289:ISBN
212:Suva
130:and
100:Suva
79:Fiji
47:Died
31:1888
28:Born
98:in
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188:Ba
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