Prayers, festivals and weddings still held at historical temple
WHEN our ancestors were brought from India to work as sugar cane indentured labourers in the former Natal Colony, they settled in a number of sugar estates and settlements on the north and south coasts of the region.
Recently, when attending the wedding of a fourth-generation family member on the south coast, I found myself in one of the rural areas where the indentured labourers had settled.
The wedding took place at the Umzimkulwana Shri Siva Soobramoniar Temple in the Langalibalela area. It is about 15km west of Port Shepstone.
When I discovered that the temple was built in 1939, I became interested in the history of the temple and the people who had settled in Langalibalela.
I then spoke to some of the former residents and current temple officials. I found that people of Indian origin had settled in the area since the early 1900s as farmers.
Many of them had also worked in the nearby lime factory.
From the 1920s to the 1970s there were almost 100 Indian origin families there. But since the early 1970s most of them moved out and resettled in Port Shepstone, other areas on the south coast, in Durban, Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa.
There are now only two Indian families living in the area. One person, living in Port Shepstone, is engaged in farming in the district. The temple was originally a one-room, wood and iron hut when it was built 82 years ago.
The main festival held there, the annual Kavady ceremony, takes place in January.
Another Kavady ceremony is also held in April. The Kavady ceremonies attract participants from Port Shepstone
and former residents.
Deven Govender, the current temple chairperson, said Kavady was not held since the Covid-19 pandemic. He said they hoped to hold the religious ceremonies next year.
“The Kavady ceremony is a vibrant occasion that attracts participants from Port Shepstone, Durban and Johannesburg. It brings back memories of the rich history of our ancestors who lived and farmed in this area,” said Govender.
Some of the pioneers of the area were Perumal “Rokard” Govender, his wife, Unamalla, and their large family of 12 children (seven boys and five girls); Manickum “Zoy” Naicker, his wife, Janaki, and their seven children (five sons and two daughters); Palish Naicker; Gundaan Naicker; Appalsamy Naidoo; Kaniappan Pillay; and Nadas Subramoney Naicker.
Perumal Govender, who was born in Tamil Nadu, in India, was six months old when he arrived in Port Shepstone with his mother.
At the age of 3 (in the early 1900s), his family moved to Langalibalele. He lived all his life in this farming area – even after marrying Unamalla.
Perumal Govender and the other pioneers were culturally and religiously conscious, and they ensured their children attained some education.
They built a primary school, and those who passed travelled to Port Shepstone to attend high school.
The primary school building, which is still intact, has been in existence for more than 50 years. But it closed when the families began to move out in the 1970s.
Manickum “Zoy” Naicker was a Tamil schoolteacher at the temple for more than 50 years. He only stopped teaching after they were issued with a notice to vacate when the landowner, G Mungaroo, was forced to sell the land.
The wedding that I attended involved one of Naicker’s granddaughters, Nelo. She followed in the footsteps of her father, Nanda Naicker, by also marrying in the temple.
Perumal Govender and Manickum Naicker's descendants continue to help at the temple along with younger members of other families. They travel to the temple on a weekly basis to clean and prepare the venue for weddings and other functions.
One of Perumal Govender's sons, Soobry Govender of Port Shepstone, said growing up in Langalibalele was a joy despite the tough living conditions.
He said that in addition to the primary school, the temple was used for pre-primary classes and teaching Tamil.
He recalled walking more than 25km from his home to work at the Umzimkulu Sugar Mill in Port Shepstone.
This kind of life was also common with other younger members of the community.
“We miss our early lives because we all lived like one big family. We had no problems,” said Soobry Govender.
The Umzimkulwana Shri Siva Soobramoniar Temple is one of three temples still in operation in the rural areas of Port Shepstone. The others are the Shri Siva Soobramoniar temple in Umbango and the Amsongis temple in St Faiths.
Another historical temple, Masnge, in Oatlands, is no longer open because people of Indian origin have moved elsewhere.