The earliest efforts to establish the Arya Samaj in Trinidad and Tobago were made by visiting missionaries in the beginning of the 20th century. In the 1930s their activities led to the establishment of a new organisation, which first was called the Arya Samaj Association, but later was renamed Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Trinidad. The main activity of the sabha was giving support to the construction of Aryan temples and schools. Unfortunately the organisation was frequently plagued by split-offs, which caused a decrease of its membership. Early history One of the first Aryan missionaries arriving in Trinidad was Pandit Bhai Parmānand in 1910. Later various other pandits followed him. In 1929, Pandit Mehtā Jaimīnī arrived and encouraged the construction of a building in Marabella where Hindi classes were held. In 1934, Pandit Āyodhyā Prasād arrived, and the local Arya Samaj community was so impressed by him that he was asked to prolong his stay for three years. Prasad performed the shuddhi (conversion) ceremony on many people of other faiths. This is very important, because unlike in Guyana and Suriname many East-Indians in Trinidad had converted to Christianity. Now the people who regretted their decision or the decision of their parents were in the opportunity to return to Hinduism. Consequently, the Ārya Samāj in Trinidad had far more former Christians among its members than the Ārya Samāj in other Caribbean countries. The movement even included a small number of members who were not willing to undergo the shuddhi ceremony and, in fact, remained Christians. Pandit Āyodhyā Prasād also laid the foundations of the first Aryan temple, the Montrose Mandir in Chaguanas, which was also often called the Vedic Church. The temple was also used as a primary school and since 11 November 1943 as the headquarters of the Arya Samaj Association. It lasted, however, until December 1943 before the Arya Samaj Association received recognition from the colonial British authorities. Already in January 1937 it was decided to change the name of the organization into Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Trinidad, which at the moment of governmental recognition in 1943 became the official name. In that year it had ten branches. The Sabha ran nine primary schools in Trinidad. Further Developments and Splits A split occurred in the organization In the beginning of 1946. The former president of the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Trinidad, R.R. Ojah, and Pandit Bhogi Dass founded a new