The history of Indian Delights
ZULEIKHA Mayat was the spearhead of a group of forward-thinking women, who gathered regularly to keep up with the latest happenings.
She and a dozen other women formed the Women’s Cultural Group in 1954, and, 63 years later, Mayat is central to the group’s existence and still empowering and presenting hope to the poor and needy.
Back then they would meet regularly at members’ homes, where talks would be arranged on issues to empower the women of this era.
The topics of discussion usually centred around arts, culture and religion.
But gatherings would be incomplete without the women tucking into the sumptuous meals and snacks that the host provided.
It was during those food feasts that Mayat cooked up the idea of compiling a recipe book with the array of treats and meals they enjoyed at various homes.
She got her friends to rally around and the first edition of Indian Delights was produced in 1961. Mayat was the book’s editor and she used the writing skills she had garnered while working for a newspaper.
It was a struggle to Mayat and her team to raise the cash for the first edition of the book, so they approached a publisher, a Mr Ramsamy, who agreed that they could pay him over six months, but after three months they had cleared their debt.
The book was no flop and flew off bookshelves like hot samoosas at a buffet. Through the enterprise of Mayat and her team, 14 subsequent editions of Indian Delights were produced, with the latest due to be released this year.
What’s remarkable about the almost 350 000 copies printed over the years is that they never carried advertising and the product was able to go the distance on its own steam.
Mayat said proceeds from the book went to the charitable work they did – providing bursaries for needy students.
“It was our way of empowering society,” she said. Mohamed to a particular garage to fetch Mandela.
“The authorities knew what we were up to and ransacked our house a few times,” Mayat said.
While Mohamed had the goodness to extend his medical knowledge to all those in need, he was denied the same courtesy when he was involved in a car crash in 1978.
“We were travelling to Potchefstroom when our car got rammed.
“I got thrown from the vehicle and ended up with broken legs, but Mohamed was pinned behind the steering wheel. He looked fine and smiled at me when I asked if he needed help.
“We were taken to the Leratong Hospital, but he was denied treatment due to his race.
“By the time we got to the next hospital, it was too late.”
After Mohamed’s passing, Mayat looked to carve her own path in life and brought joy to many lives with her philanthropic efforts over the years.
While producing Indian Delights was a defining moment in her life, Mayat prefers to be acknowledged for her other books, which related her worldwide travels and religion.
Authors Golam Vahed and Thembisa Waetjen produced the book, Dear Ahmed Bhai Dear Zuleikha Behn, which related to the exchange of letters between anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada, while he was a prisoner on Robben Island, and Mayat.
“I always remembered Ahmed as a youngster after meeting him in Transvaal. I was shocked to see he was a grown man after he was released,” said Mayat.