Tableland, Trinidad and Tobago

Tableland
Village
Interactive map of Tableland
Coordinates: 10°16′40.08″N 61°15′27″W / 10.2778000°N 61.25750°W / 10.2778000; -61.25750
CountryTrinidad and Tobago
CountyVictoria
RegionPrinces Town
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total
620

Tableland is a village in Trinidad and Tobago, located in the Princes Town region. It is home to the second oldest Hindu temple in the western hemisphere as well as a pineapple industry.

History

Tableland is located on the Naparima-Mayaro Road between Princes Town and Rio Claro.[2] It is part of the Moruga/Tableland constituency for elections to the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago.[3]

Moose Bhagat Mandir, constructed in 1904, is the oldest Hindu temple in Trinidad and the second oldest in the Western Hemisphere.[4][5][6] It was founded by Moose Bhagat, who came from Rajasthan as an indentured laborer and later owned a plot of land. According to legend, Bhagat found a stone in the stream near his home, drawing blood from it after hitting it with his machete. After seeing the god Shiva in a vision, he decided to build the temple to house the stone. It contains shrines to the gods Shiva and Rama as well as historical murals.[5][6] Bhagat's descendants still care for the temple.[4][5][6]

In 2017, a pineapple farm in Tableland was featured on an episode of Sesame Street.[7][8][9]

Agriculture and ecology

Historically, many farmers grew cocoa, coffee, or sugarcane.[10][4][11][12] The land in Tableland is particularly well-suited for growing cocoa.[13] However, many farmers have switched from cocoa to pineapples due to its higher profit margin.[13][10][4] As of 1994, approximately 60 hectares were devoted to pineapples in Trinidad. By 2000, 250 hectares produced pineapples in Tableland alone.[13] The number of hectares in Tableland under pineapple cultivation was similar in 2011.[14] As of 2023, Tableland hosts many of the pineapple farms in Victoria County.[15] Many farmers are members of the Tableland Pineapple Farmers Association.[13] Commonly, farmers grow the "Tableland hybrid", a cross between Smooth Cayenne and Black Antigua.[13][16]

As part of the rapid increase in pineapple production in the area, farmers have engaged in practices such as bulldozing cocoa fields and cultivating pineapple on steep slopes. This has led to issues with soil erosion, sustainability, and poor fruit quality.[13][17] Efforts have been taken to educate farmers about fertilization and soil conservation.[17] The area experiences landslides during rainy season, leading to damaged roads and property.[18][19][20] There are also frequent issues with water supply due to aging infrastructure and lack of funding for repair.[21][22][23]

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ https://www.citypopulation.de/en/trinidad/admin/princes_town/7108__tableland/
  2. ↑ "MOWT - Naparima Mayaro Road Stabilization Project". www.mowt.gov.tt. Archived from the original on 2025-06-12. Retrieved 2026-02-28.
  3. ↑ "Constituencies for 2025 Parliamentary Elections | Elections And Boundaries Commission". ebctt.com. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "From sugar and cocoa to pineapple". Trinidad Express Newspapers. 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  5. 1 2 3 "The Moose Bhagat Mandir". www.guardian.co.tt. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  6. 1 2 3 "Iere Village mosque first in Trinidad". Trinidad Express Newspapers. 2013-04-27. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  7. ↑ Santoo, Sandhya (2017-12-12). "Trinidad pineapple farmers star on Sesame Street". Trinidad Express Newspapers. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  8. ↑ Doughty, Melissa (2017-12-28). "Agricultural economist chides Government: No love for Sesame Street pine farmers". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  9. ↑ Sesame Street (2019-04-12). Sesame Street: Pineapple Pizza | Cookie Monster's Foodie Truck. Retrieved 2026-03-31 – via YouTube.
  10. 1 2 Superville, Shane (2021-03-01). "Tableland's 'pineapple man' soldiers on in spite of forex challenges". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  11. ↑ Maharaj, Rabindranath R. "The CNQ Interviews «  Canadian Notes & Queries". notesandqueries.ca. Archived from the original on 2010-09-12. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  12. ↑ Bonn, Donstan (2013-06-11). "A celebration of fruit". Trinidad Express Newspapers. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ramkhelawan, Evans (2004). "Strategies to Promote the Sustainable Production of Pineapple (ANANAS COMOSUS (L.) MERR) Cultivation in Trinidad and Tobago". Caribbean Food Crops Society. doi:10.22004/ag.econ.256186.
  14. ↑ Bonn, Donstan (2011-08-08). "Pineapple glut hits the market". Trinidad Express Newspapers. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  15. ↑ "View of An Investigation of Pineapple Farmers' Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions in Trinidad: Perceptions and Repsonses to Production and Marketing Challenges". journals.brandonu.ca. Archived from the original on 2025-08-14. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  16. ↑ "The Fruit Industry in the Caribbean Production, Processing, Marketing & Future Prospects".
  17. 1 2 Ganpat, Wayne G.; Dowlath, Pauline (2003). "Expanding the tool box: Experiences with self-discovery extension in Trinidad". Caribbean Food Crops Society.
  18. ↑ Wilson, Sascha (2021-04-08). "Tableland villagers stage road protest over landslip - CNC3". Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  19. ↑ Kissoon, Carolyn (2019-07-16). "Landslide threatens to cut off village". Trinidad Express Newspapers. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  20. ↑ Wilson, Sascha (2022-11-14). "Tableland residents plead for road repair after landslip". www.guardian.co.tt. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  21. ↑ Wilson, Sascha (2026-03-06). "Tableland residents appeal for help after 7 weeks without water". www.guardian.co.tt. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  22. ↑ Wilson, Sascha (2023-10-26). "Tableland residents happy for rain after weeks without water". www.guardian.co.tt. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  23. ↑ De Silva, Radhica (2019-04-30). "Residents drink boiled river water amid shortage in Tableland". www.guardian.co.tt. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  24. ↑ Reporter, Newsday (2022-07-24). "Searching for Sybil". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  25. ↑ Rodriques, Elias (2025-09-10). "Lifetime Achievement". n+1. Retrieved 2026-03-30.
  26. ↑ Bagoo, Andre (2020-02-09). "Andil's rêvenir". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 2026-03-30.
  27. ↑ Maharaj, Sat (2012-05-09). "Return to tableland". www.guardian.co.tt. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
  28. ↑ "Biographies S-Z". National Library and Information System Authority.
  29. ↑ Clarke, Colin; Clarke, Gillian (2010), Clarke, Colin; Clarke, Gillian (eds.), "Taking Soundings", Post-Colonial Trinidad: An Ethnographic Journal, New York: Palgrave Macmillan US, pp. 43–148, doi:10.1057/9780230106857_3, retrieved 2026-04-02
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