From 1967, UAE has always been ‘home’ for this family from Kerala
NA Revi landed on the coast of Dibba Khor Fakkan, over 53 years ago
Noorankulangara Revi decided to head to the UAE over 55 years ago in search of opportunities. His first attempt in 1965 went bust when the 17year old from Thrissur was arrested and jailed in Gujarat, and later sent back to Kerala. However, Revi did not give up and he tried again in 1967 and landed on the coast of Dibba Khor Fakkan, six days after he left Mumbai. 53 years later, his family identify UAE as home more than any other place, including their native state in India.
“When he first came here, the [Gulf] rupee system was still being used,” Revi’s eldest daughter Ragi (43) said in a Zoom call with Gulf News. Revi’s daughters were born in the UAE and grew up here, and two of them continue to live in the UAE along with their children, who make up the third-generation of this Malayali family.
“He would tell us about this leather pouch that he carried everywhere and how he put his documents in a plastic bag to keep them from getting wet… he [Revi] even lost a friend towards the end of the journey because he [the friend] didn’t know how to swim,” Ragi said, adding that he loved recounting stories of his journey to the UAE.
Starting a family in UAE
Revi’s life in the UAE started with a year’s stint in the Sharjah Royal Air Force (RAF), followed by informal jobs in the private sector. In 1969, he started working in the Dubai Defence Force. Soon, Revi decided to start a family and brought his wife to the UAE. “On his first or second trip back home he got married and later brought my mother over in 1975 or 1976… I was born in 1977 in Rashid Hospital,” Ragi added.
“He brought a lot of his family members [to the UAE] … he brought his own brother who also worked in the Dubai Defence Force. That kind of saved his entire family from debt and all of that… he played a big role in making the entire family financially independent.”
Reminiscing about their childhood, the sisters talked about how economical and sustainable their life had been. Ragi, who currently lives in Abu Hail, said, “It was not as easy as it is now. Only my dad was
Revi, who will turn 73 in a week, left the UAE in 2013, after 46 years in the UAE, and is currently living with his wife Girija (65) in Thrissur, their hometown.
working, and [I think about] how my mom helped in keeping [life] very sustainable, and raising us and putting all of us through school and college on one person’s salary.”
Life in Jumeirah
The family lived in Jumeirah for over 30 years, which was in the 70s a prime residential area for Western expatriates. “That is one way we saved money, as we paid no rent,” Ragi said. Revi and his family lived in a guesthouse on a property with renowned British civil engineer Nevil Grant Allen.
The Allens lived in the main house, allowing Revi to live in, and later expand the guesthouse as the family grew.
Ragi added: “That was kind of our first interaction with a different culture than ours. Mrs. Allen would invite us over to bake cookies and I still make cakes using her recipes. We would cook idly and sambhar and take it over to their place. Their grandkids would always be at our place.”
The youngest sister of the three, Bhindu (35) said, “It was a mini-zoo, it was crazy. Our friends would make fun of us saying here comes the zoo family. We all loved animals.”
Smitha (38) said, “We would use the water from two wells for bathroom and kitchen purposes, since it was salty water and we couldn’t drink it. Daddy made us use that so we wouldn’t just be using DEWA [Dubai Electricity and Water] water.”
While the Revis would have continued living in the home, the main house reportedly burned down in 2007 in a fire from a short circuit, after which Revi and his wife moved to Sharjah.
Revi, who will turn 73 in a week, left the UAE in 2013, after 46 years in the UAE, and is currently living with his wife Girija (65) in Thrissur, their hometown.