From Siruvallur to Malagazi: honouring a legacy of unity and upliftment

IOL News

14 hours ago

Writer Rajendran and wife Nirmala, third and fourth from left, at his ancestral home in Siruvallur with existing relatives Mr Boopalen, right, and family.
In 1898, Tiruvengada (Indenture No. 74871) and his first wife Latchmy (Indenture No. 74872), the daughter of Muniappa, arrived in South Africa aboard the SS Congella XXVII. They were assigned to the Reynolds Brothers Sugar Estate in Umzinto.
Tiruvengada Pillay's story is one of courage, resilience, and compassion. He hailed from the village of Siruvallur, near Polur in the Tiruvannamalai District of Tamil Nadu, India - a region steeped in rich spiritual traditions, most notably the nearby Arunachala Hill, revered as a sacred manifestation of Lord Shiva.
Against this backdrop, a significant milestone will be marked today, when the descendants of the late Tiruvengada Pillay will gather at Woodhurst, Chatsworth, for a grand family reunion. More than a celebration, this gathering is a tribute to a pioneering ancestor and a reaffirmation of the values that shaped generations.
AS SOUTH Africans of Indian origin reflect on the 164 year journey since the arrival of the first indentured labourers, there has been a growing desire to reconnect with family, trace ancestral roots, and honour the legacies of those who helped build our communities from the ground up.
Writer Rajendran Govender celebrating his second birthday in Malagazi with his late grandparents, Tiruvengada and Valliammal Pillay, and late parents, Thangavelu and Patchiamma Govender, and aunts Manormony and Rosy.
Tiruvengada later moved to Malagazi in Isipingo where he established his communal homestead. Their union brought four sons into the world: Perumal, Geevaruthnum, Narainsamy, and Moonsamy. Ten years later, in 1908, Tiruvengada returned to India and brought with him a second wife, Valliammal (Indenture No. 138224), the daughter of Kista Pillay and a relative from the same village.
Her journey to South Africa was not just to join her husband, but to provide care for the ailing Latchmy. Aware of colonial laws that sought to separate unmarried men and women on arrival, Tiruvengada symbolically tied the Thali to Valliammal aboard the ship, that allowed them to remain together on disembarkation. Their marriage produced seven children: sons Govindan, Athimulum, and Balakistan, and daughters Anjalaiammal, Sowbagium, Patchiamma, and Rukmoni.
Together, Latchmy and Valliammal raised 11 children in a unified and nurturing household, exemplifying the strength of cooperative family structures and the continuity of cultural values. The spirit of unity and mutual respect within this extended family has continued to this day. After completing his indenture under the Platt family in Isipingo, Tiruvengada purchased land in Malagazi. Here, he built a homestead that was more than just a residence - it was a sanctuary of culture, hospitality, and tradition.
His sons constructed their homes within the immediate area, ensuring that the family lived as a cohesive unit. The daughters remained with their parents until marriage, continuing the tradition of care and collective responsibility. Food was central to this household. Meals were prepared in large quantities and shared generously. Farm labourers, guests, and wayfarers alike were never turned away. This practice of Annadhanam - the sacred offering of food - was deeply ingrained, and both Latchmy and Valliammal played pivotal roles in this nurturing tradition.
Valliamma was also revered as a healer and midwife, extending her compassion to the broader Malagazi community. Physical symbols of their homeland - nallikai and coconut trees - were planted at the homestead with seeds brought from Siruvallur, serving as living reminders of their sacred roots. The trees stood tall, echoing the strength and legacy of the family that nurtured them.
A tall, dignified man, Tiruvengada was instantly recognisable for his turban and pipe. He was affectionately known in the community as 'Lang One,' and the nearby bus stop was nicknamed the 'Lang One Stop' in his honour - a nod to both his physical height and his social stature.
Despite lacking formal education, Tiruvengada was a visionary. He financed the construction of classrooms at the local Malagazi school - an act commemorated by a plaque that still stands. His contributions to education and his engagement with community leaders like the late Mr Gopalsingh, a respected educationist and community activist, illustrate a man far ahead of his time. While none of his descendants have returned to India to live, their spiritual and emotional ties to Siruvallur have not waned.
Mr Thangavel Boopalen, a relative in Siruvallur, continues to oversee the Perumal Sami Temple and serves as a custodian of the family's spiritual heritage, organising pilgrimages and spiritual programmes across India and abroad. The family reunion this week is more than a nostalgic gathering; it is a restoration of memory and honour. It offers a renewed chance to recognise unsung heroes like Latchmy and Valliammal, whose endurance and nurturing formed the family's earliest pillars.
Countless women like them are foundational figures in our collective past, and their quiet strength deserves remembrance. This reunion also serves as a broader call to society. In an era of fragmentation and individualism, we must reawaken the spirit of communal living that defined families like Thiruvengada's.
The warmth of intergenerational homes, the collective raising of children, and the culture of service are not relics of the past - they are blueprints for a more compassionate future. Communities like Malagazi thrived because people like Thiruvengada looked beyond their own needs and uplifted others, quietly but powerfully.
As we celebrate this legacy, let us take inspiration from Tiruvengada and his family, who have sought to live lives of compassion and kindness. In a world increasingly fragmented by individualism, their example calls us to return to community, to service, and to shared purpose. May the story of the turbaned patriarch of Malagazi continue to inspire generations to come.
Information gleaned from official records and oral transmission of knowledge.