Gran marks 100 years
A POSITIVE attitude, resilience and an energetic nature are what saw a Kwazulu-natal South Coast great-gran reach 100 years.
Sarasvathi Govender, affectionately known as Partie, reached her century on Tuesday.
Govender’s family marked the milestone occasion with a special lunch and cake for her and the residents of Lakeview Frail Care Centre in Scottburgh, where she lives.
The mother of four was born in 1922. She had four sisters and three brothers and is the only surviving sibling.
At the age of 19, she married Thangevalu Govender, a businessman and sugar cane farmer.
Sarasvathi Govender, who lived in Umzinto, was involved in the temples and in cultural work in the community.
Her granddaughter, Kameni Chetty, said her gran was a free-spirited woman, who showed great resilience and independence.
“It is these very traits that are so mind boggling to me, especially living in a time where women’s rights were barely acknowledged and division among the sexes was even more prevalent. Whatever had come my grandmother's way, she was hardly ruffled up, she always remained strong and soldiered on.
“My grandmother has indeed reached a pinnacle in her life. She may not understand everything that is going on. But she has certainly made history in our family,” she said.
Chetty said her gran taught her forgiveness, the art of good food, about courage, to be assertive and respectful.
Her eldest grandchild, well-known media personality, Devi Sankaree Govender, said being the eldest of the 11 grandchildren, she thought she was the luckiest.
“My grandmother was always ahead of her time. Despite growing up in an era when there was a clear distinction between boys and girls, my Partie didn’t believe that us girls needed to be domesticated and boys not. She is a firm believer in education and even now, continues to push us.
“Her adage of not letting anything worry you together with her remarkable spirit, has brought her to 100 – I have no doubt of that,” said Govender.