Durban's Early Morning Market - another struggle to keep intact our

By Subry Govender When the early sugar cane indentured Indian labourers of 1860 completed their five-year contracts, some elected to be re-indentured, a few chose to return to India while most sought to remain in the then Natal Colony as free citizens to start a new life. Many of these people rented small plots of land in areas like Merebank, Clairwood, Malvern, Cato Manor, Springfield, Sea Cow Lake and Clare Estate to earn a livelihood as market gardeners. These early market gardeners sold their vegetables in some of the streets of Durban despite the severe restrictions and discrimination practised by the then Durban Town Council. Some 2 000 of these market gardeners also sold their goods in and around the old Victoria Street Market before the Early Morning Market was established in the early 1930s. These market gardeners and traders have been doing business in the Victoria Street area since the early 1890s. Early Market gardeners Many of the descendants - children and grand-children - of these early market gardeners have continued to eke out a living at this market - which is now under threat at the hands of the new democratically-elected city council. "The history of the early market gardeners is one of hardship, toil, discrimination and suffering at the hands of the former colonial town council," said Mr Roy Chetty, chairman of the Early Morning Support Committee. "Do you know that our forefathers and mothers not only toiled to grow their vegetables and fruits, but also used various means such as carts, boxes, baskets, and sacks to transport their goods to the street in the Victoria street area. Before this street market was established, our early people were restricted from selling their produce at a fresh produce market near the old central railway station," said Mr Chetty, whose grand-mother was a market gardener. "At this market they were charged a very high entrance fee compared to that paid by whites. They were also only allowed to sell their produce after the whites had finished selling their goods and they were ordered to sell at lower prices than those charged by white traders. They were prevented from trading here after a short while and the market gardeners were moved to the area around Victoria Street. Clairwood and other areas "Many of these market gardeners would arrive from areas such as Clairwood, Merebank, Springfield, Sea Cow Lake, Springfield, Malvern and Cato Manor by horse-and-cart overnight and sleep on the streets. The area where these market gardeners squatted used to be called the Squatters Market. "Many market gardeners also came from places like Cavendish, Umlaas, Shallcross and Mount Vernon. But these people had a great deal of problem in transporting their goods and a lot of restrictions were placed on them. Despite the restrictions and discrimination, the squatters who moved to the Early Morning Market survived and managed to make a living for themselves and their families," he said. Around 1885, when there was about 2000 market gardeners in and around Durban, and up to the establishment of the Early Morning Market there were a number of organisations that represented the people. They included the Indian Agricultural Farmers Association, the Indian Market Stallholders' Association, the Early Morning Market Squatters Association and the Natal Indian Farmers' Association. Because of the hardships they experienced, the market gardeners and others competed very strongly for space and opportunities. This led to a number of conflicts. "Competition and class differences between traders, farmers and non-farming street traders led to several conflicts and struggles," said Mr Chetty. "This was to impact on even the political struggles of the time. The early Indians were not an homogenous group." Jumma Masjid At this time the officials of the Jumma Masjid (Grey Street Mosque) invited the market gardeners to sell their produce in the mosque courtyard. The mosque officials did not charge any fees for some time but later a small fee was levied for maintenance. Mr Chetty said more than 140 years later, there are hardly any market gardeners in and around the Durban area. Most of the people who ply their trade at the Early Morning Market today purchase their goods through agents from the bulk market in Clairwood. "Sadly, market gardening in and around Durban has all but been destroyed, thanks to large-scale commercial farming and the proletarianisation of the descendants of the indentured. So has the African tenant farmers. "Nevertheless, this does not in any way weaken the case for the Early Morning Market's right to exist. Even a hundred years ago, a section of the stallholders were non-farmers. That agriculture by small producers in the areas surrounding Durban has collapsed over the decades is no fault of the now non-racial marketplace," said Mr Chetty. In an ironic twist of fate, a few years before the descendants of indentured labourers could observe the 150th anniversary of the arrival of their forefathers to South Africa, the new democratic Ethekwini Municipality embarked on a programme to bulldoze the Early Morning Market and in the process destroy the legacy of the indentured labourers. The so-called democratic city council used all kinds of tactics to intimidate the stallholders and to force the poor people to submit. Support Group The Early Morning Market Support Group (EMMCG) embarked on a programme to protect the market and the stallholders. The committee took their fight to the High Court and also presented a theatre production of "MarkeTears" in an effort to continue to defend the right of those who ue the Early Morning Market to earn a livelihood. "The plans by the eThekwini Municipality to evict the stallholders of the EMM together with all street traders from the Warwick Triangle first surfaced in early 2009, almost exactly seventy five years after the EMM was built," said Mr Chetty. "From February 2009 to the end of 2010, the stallholders of the market were subjected to every manner of administrative harassment, threats, beatings, shootings and charges - unprecedented in all of the more than 120 years of trading including the colonial and apartheid times. Police and council brutality "While the world mourns the massacre at Marikana, very few knew of the police assaults and tear-gassing of stallholders inside the market on the night of May 30, 2009 even though the city manager had given permission for the stallholders to be there that night. He had hoped that those would be their very last hours in that historic, holy place "Very few knew that they were violently pushed out into the winter night at about 9:00pm and that they spent that cold Saturday night outside in solidarity with the workers who had no way of going home. Very few knew or acknowledged that for about 2 weeks the market folk were locked-out, and that they pleaded each day, from before sunrise, to be let in – the market had been invaded by hundreds of the city’s armed gendarmerie. "And very few knew of the deliberate cordoning off of the stallholders, barrow-operators and workers into a small enclosed parking lot, followed by vicious police beatings and shootings. The television cameras of the media were not there! Then to justify their brutality the police arrested a group, pushed them into the back of police vans before rushing them to the CR Swart police station. "And strangely, like at Marikana, the private ambulance and paramedics were brought in to attend to the wounded and traumatized, many old women. The cheek of it was that the ambulance services later sent a bill to the victims. Very few know that one day after the shootings, on June 16 2009, an attempt was made to burn down the market. "The struggle for the market was not just about the loss of livelihoods, as crucially important as it is, but is also about preserving our past – Durban’s past. This market could be our living, functioning, working-museum. It is the hot-house for developing a non racial, egalitarian, freedom loving South Africa. This market is a key link with our own history. The early history of the EMM is inextricable intertwined with the history of indenture. Do not forget our legacy "Let us not forget that though the indentured were treated as slaves, they themselves came here with the full sense of their worth, their rich history, traceable unbroken in practice for thousands of years, going back to prehistoric times – some 5000 or so years. Their dances, their ancient history, their religious practice, lifestyle and resistance to foreign domination they brought with them. "Small wonder then, that more than a hundred years ago, Victoria Street was the scene each night of 2000-traders and some 200 horse carts and wagons. Every night must have been a festival in Victoria Street, a hundred years ago." Mr Chetty said the larger community needed to rally behind the market. "Faint heart will not win any victory! South Africans of Indian origin, in particular, must campaign for the Early Morning Market (EMM) to be granted national monument status, and we should strive to upgrade it to also include a museum of the indentured market gardeners. Rather than face being confronted by the ever-present threat of demolition this market must enjoy the permanent protection of the state authorities. Nothing short of that will satisfy us." South Africans - a wake up call He added: "The history of the Early Morning Market is inextricably intertwined with that of the history of the indentured Indian labourers. The standpoint of the Early Morning Market Support Group (EMMSG) is that the building of the EMM structure was struggled for by the early market gardeners and ‘squatter stallholders’ over many decades. It is monument of the indentured, bequeathed to the present and future generations. The Early Morning Market structure is now a 76-year-old grand lady of Durban, and has survived the tribulations of racist colonialism and apartheid, to emerge in the 1990s as a shining example of non-racial workplace harmony. It must therefore be our solemn mission to see the EMM structure declared a national monument, so that it could enjoy permanent protection from the bull-dozers of property developers." ends - subrygovender@gmail.com

Mount Edgecombe Shree Emperumal Temple

By Marimuthu Subramoney One of the first places of worship built by indentured labourers 15 years after their arrival in 1860 is the Shree Emperumal Temple in Mount Edgcombe, north of Durban. The religious monument, first built of wood and iron in 1875, will this year observe 139 years of its rich history. "In the early days when our forefathers had some time away from their oppressive work conditions on the sugar estates, they used to gather on this site to talk about their lives away from their motherland," said Mr Sunny Pillay, spokesperson and treasurer of the Shree Emperumal Hindu Temple Society. "They also used the time to relate stories from the Maha Bharata and the Ramayan in order to pass their time. Then in 1875 they built the original Shree Emperumal Temple out of wood and iron. "The temple was the initiative of the Tamil, Hindi and Telugu indentured labourers." In 1925, the society's officials commissioned the famous temple builder, Kistappa Reddy, who was also an indentured labourer, to build a brick and concrete structure. Over the years this structure has been renovated and improved upon. Kistappa Reddy earlier built the nearby Ganesha Temple, which was declared a national monument in the 1990s. "The new Shree Emperumal Temple was built entirely from contributions made by the people living in the Mount Edgecombe barracks," said Mr Pillay, whose father and mother were indentured labourers on the sugar estate. In the early days the Shree Emperumal Temple was not only a place of worship but was also a centre for social, cultural, economic, educational and recreational fulfilment. The Shree Emperumal Temple had provided an opportunity for the emergence of some of the famous Indian footballers, musicians, and educationists. The famous Kalaivanie Orchestra had its origins at the temple. Pillay, who has been the treasurer of the Temple Society since 1982, said in the early days the temple officials had to report all their activities to the sugar barons who controlled the Mount Edgecombe sugar estates. This continued to until the 1980s when the new officials decided they should have control over the affairs of the Shree Emperumal Temple and other temples in the area. "In the early days also the Chariot Festival, which began in 1890, used to only start after the sugar estate baron, Mr William Campbell, and other white officials gave their blessings. But this practice also came to an end in the 1960s," said Pillay. Mr Pillay said they had no record of the names of the indentured labourers who had established the temple. But he was certain that the descendants of the indentured labourers had contributed to the temple over the past 135 years. Some of the pioneers were H. Sham, Parthab Singh, Perumal Govender, R. Saroopram, A.C. Moodley, Ramurthie Reddy, Narainsamy Munsami Rajoo, Patchappa Moodliar, N. Bairagee Naidoo, Subrayan Govender, R.M. Bluey Govender, J.N. Thathiah Naidoo, R. Gokhale, D G. Govindsamy Reddy, K.N. Moodley, Mrs Panjasram, Mungammah Naidoo, George Chelliah, Chin Pillay, Janakie Pillay, Dorasamy Moodley, Udandi Kanni, Jack Kisten, Willie Pillay, Morgan Govender, Ruthan Letchmiah, P.G. Pillay, K. Govender, B. Aroo Nagappa, K. Navamoney and Agambaram M. Nair. Some of the others were Babes Subramoney, Peripayan Sam Munsamy, Niren Maharaj, Kista Johnny Munsamy, Yogesh Chetty, Nunda Subramoney, Naraindass Tulshi, Kris Moodley, Veerasamy Munsamy, Pushpa Moodley, Ravi Govender, Freddy Govender, Jasendra Naidoo, Venkana Naidoo and Beama Naidoo. He said the Shree Emperumal Hindu Temple Society controlled the main Shree Emperumal Temple, the historical Ganesha Temple, and three other temples in the Mount Edgecombe area - Kaliammen Temple, Soobramaniar Temple and the Gengiammen Temple. ends - Marimuthu Subramoney and this week mark 120 years of tand this week mark 120 years of the colourful situated in the former Mount Edgcombe and spiritually-fulfilling 10-day Chariot Festival Mr Pillay said this year's 120th annual Chariot Festival starting this week would be a major event over 10 years. "The Chariot Festival attracts thousands of devotees from far and wide. It provides an opportunity for devotees to connect not only with their spirituality but also with their rich history."

Mount Edgecombe Shree Emperumal Temple

By Marimuthu Subramoney One of the first places of worship built by indentured labourers 15 years after their arrival in 1860 is the Shree Emperumal Temple in Mount Edgcombe, north of Durban. The religious monument, first built of wood and iron in 1875, will this year observe 139 years of its rich history. "In the early days when our forefathers had some time away from their oppressive work conditions on the sugar estates, they used to gather on this site to talk about their lives away from their motherland," said Mr Sunny Pillay, spokesperson and treasurer of the Shree Emperumal Hindu Temple Society. "They also used the time to relate stories from the Maha Bharata and the Ramayan in order to pass their time. Then in 1875 they built the original Shree Emperumal Temple out of wood and iron. "The temple was the initiative of the Tamil, Hindi and Telugu indentured labourers." In 1925, the society's officials commissioned the famous temple builder, Kistappa Reddy, who was also an indentured labourer, to build a brick and concrete structure. Over the years this structure has been renovated and improved upon. Kistappa Reddy earlier built the nearby Ganesha Temple, which was declared a national monument in the 1990s. "The new Shree Emperumal Temple was built entirely from contributions made by the people living in the Mount Edgecombe barracks," said Mr Pillay, whose father and mother were indentured labourers on the sugar estate. In the early days the Shree Emperumal Temple was not only a place of worship but was also a centre for social, cultural, economic, educational and recreational fulfilment. The Shree Emperumal Temple had provided an opportunity for the emergence of some of the famous Indian footballers, musicians, and educationists. The famous Kalaivanie Orchestra had its origins at the temple. Pillay, who has been the treasurer of the Temple Society since 1982, said in the early days the temple officials had to report all their activities to the sugar barons who controlled the Mount Edgecombe sugar estates. This continued to until the 1980s when the new officials decided they should have control over the affairs of the Shree Emperumal Temple and other temples in the area. "In the early days also the Chariot Festival, which began in 1890, used to only start after the sugar estate baron, Mr William Campbell, and other white officials gave their blessings. But this practice also came to an end in the 1960s," said Pillay. Mr Pillay said they had no record of the names of the indentured labourers who had established the temple. But he was certain that the descendants of the indentured labourers had contributed to the temple over the past 135 years. Some of the pioneers were H. Sham, Parthab Singh, Perumal Govender, R. Saroopram, A.C. Moodley, Ramurthie Reddy, Narainsamy Munsami Rajoo, Patchappa Moodliar, N. Bairagee Naidoo, Subrayan Govender, R.M. Bluey Govender, J.N. Thathiah Naidoo, R. Gokhale, D G. Govindsamy Reddy, K.N. Moodley, Mrs Panjasram, Mungammah Naidoo, George Chelliah, Chin Pillay, Janakie Pillay, Dorasamy Moodley, Udandi Kanni, Jack Kisten, Willie Pillay, Morgan Govender, Ruthan Letchmiah, P.G. Pillay, K. Govender, B. Aroo Nagappa, K. Navamoney and Agambaram M. Nair. Some of the others were Babes Subramoney, Peripayan Sam Munsamy, Niren Maharaj, Kista Johnny Munsamy, Yogesh Chetty, Nunda Subramoney, Naraindass Tulshi, Kris Moodley, Veerasamy Munsamy, Pushpa Moodley, Ravi Govender, Freddy Govender, Jasendra Naidoo, Venkana Naidoo and Beama Naidoo. He said the Shree Emperumal Hindu Temple Society controlled the main Shree Emperumal Temple, the historical Ganesha Temple, and three other temples in the Mount Edgecombe area - Kaliammen Temple, Soobramaniar Temple and the Gengiammen Temple. ends - Marimuthu Subramoney and this week mark 120 years of tand this week mark 120 years of the colourful situated in the former Mount Edgcombe and spiritually-fulfilling 10-day Chariot Festival Mr Pillay said this year's 120th annual Chariot Festival starting this week would be a major event over 10 years. "The Chariot Festival attracts thousands of devotees from far and wide. It provides an opportunity for devotees to connect not only with their spirituality but also with their rich history."

Mount Edgecombe Shree Emperumal Temple

By Marimuthu Subramoney One of the first places of worship built by indentured labourers 15 years after their arrival in 1860 is the Shree Emperumal Temple in Mount Edgcombe, north of Durban. The religious monument, first built of wood and iron in 1875, will this year observe 139 years of its rich history. "In the early days when our forefathers had some time away from their oppressive work conditions on the sugar estates, they used to gather on this site to talk about their lives away from their motherland," said Mr Sunny Pillay, spokesperson and treasurer of the Shree Emperumal Hindu Temple Society. "They also used the time to relate stories from the Maha Bharata and the Ramayan in order to pass their time. Then in 1875 they built the original Shree Emperumal Temple out of wood and iron. "The temple was the initiative of the Tamil, Hindi and Telugu indentured labourers." In 1925, the society's officials commissioned the famous temple builder, Kistappa Reddy, who was also an indentured labourer, to build a brick and concrete structure. Over the years this structure has been renovated and improved upon. Kistappa Reddy earlier built the nearby Ganesha Temple, which was declared a national monument in the 1990s. "The new Shree Emperumal Temple was built entirely from contributions made by the people living in the Mount Edgecombe barracks," said Mr Pillay, whose father and mother were indentured labourers on the sugar estate. In the early days the Shree Emperumal Temple was not only a place of worship but was also a centre for social, cultural, economic, educational and recreational fulfilment. The Shree Emperumal Temple had provided an opportunity for the emergence of some of the famous Indian footballers, musicians, and educationists. The famous Kalaivanie Orchestra had its origins at the temple. Pillay, who has been the treasurer of the Temple Society since 1982, said in the early days the temple officials had to report all their activities to the sugar barons who controlled the Mount Edgecombe sugar estates. This continued to until the 1980s when the new officials decided they should have control over the affairs of the Shree Emperumal Temple and other temples in the area. "In the early days also the Chariot Festival, which began in 1890, used to only start after the sugar estate baron, Mr William Campbell, and other white officials gave their blessings. But this practice also came to an end in the 1960s," said Pillay. Mr Pillay said they had no record of the names of the indentured labourers who had established the temple. But he was certain that the descendants of the indentured labourers had contributed to the temple over the past 135 years. Some of the pioneers were H. Sham, Parthab Singh, Perumal Govender, R. Saroopram, A.C. Moodley, Ramurthie Reddy, Narainsamy Munsami Rajoo, Patchappa Moodliar, N. Bairagee Naidoo, Subrayan Govender, R.M. Bluey Govender, J.N. Thathiah Naidoo, R. Gokhale, D G. Govindsamy Reddy, K.N. Moodley, Mrs Panjasram, Mungammah Naidoo, George Chelliah, Chin Pillay, Janakie Pillay, Dorasamy Moodley, Udandi Kanni, Jack Kisten, Willie Pillay, Morgan Govender, Ruthan Letchmiah, P.G. Pillay, K. Govender, B. Aroo Nagappa, K. Navamoney and Agambaram M. Nair. Some of the others were Babes Subramoney, Peripayan Sam Munsamy, Niren Maharaj, Kista Johnny Munsamy, Yogesh Chetty, Nunda Subramoney, Naraindass Tulshi, Kris Moodley, Veerasamy Munsamy, Pushpa Moodley, Ravi Govender, Freddy Govender, Jasendra Naidoo, Venkana Naidoo and Beama Naidoo. He said the Shree Emperumal Hindu Temple Society controlled the main Shree Emperumal Temple, the historical Ganesha Temple, and three other temples in the Mount Edgecombe area - Kaliammen Temple, Soobramaniar Temple and the Gengiammen Temple. ends - Marimuthu Subramoney and this week mark 120 years of tand this week mark 120 years of the colourful situated in the former Mount Edgcombe and spiritually-fulfilling 10-day Chariot Festival Mr Pillay said this year's 120th annual Chariot Festival starting this week would be a major event over 10 years. "The Chariot Festival attracts thousands of devotees from far and wide. It provides an opportunity for devotees to connect not only with their spirituality but also with their rich history."

Mount Edgecombe Shree Emperumal Temple

By Marimuthu Subramoney One of the first places of worship built by indentured labourers 15 years after their arrival in 1860 is the Shree Emperumal Temple in Mount Edgcombe, north of Durban. The religious monument, first built of wood and iron in 1875, will this year observe 139 years of its rich history. "In the early days when our forefathers had some time away from their oppressive work conditions on the sugar estates, they used to gather on this site to talk about their lives away from their motherland," said Mr Sunny Pillay, spokesperson and treasurer of the Shree Emperumal Hindu Temple Society. "They also used the time to relate stories from the Maha Bharata and the Ramayan in order to pass their time. Then in 1875 they built the original Shree Emperumal Temple out of wood and iron. "The temple was the initiative of the Tamil, Hindi and Telugu indentured labourers." In 1925, the society's officials commissioned the famous temple builder, Kistappa Reddy, who was also an indentured labourer, to build a brick and concrete structure. Over the years this structure has been renovated and improved upon. Kistappa Reddy earlier built the nearby Ganesha Temple, which was declared a national monument in the 1990s. "The new Shree Emperumal Temple was built entirely from contributions made by the people living in the Mount Edgecombe barracks," said Mr Pillay, whose father and mother were indentured labourers on the sugar estate. In the early days the Shree Emperumal Temple was not only a place of worship but was also a centre for social, cultural, economic, educational and recreational fulfilment. The Shree Emperumal Temple had provided an opportunity for the emergence of some of the famous Indian footballers, musicians, and educationists. The famous Kalaivanie Orchestra had its origins at the temple. Pillay, who has been the treasurer of the Temple Society since 1982, said in the early days the temple officials had to report all their activities to the sugar barons who controlled the Mount Edgecombe sugar estates. This continued to until the 1980s when the new officials decided they should have control over the affairs of the Shree Emperumal Temple and other temples in the area. "In the early days also the Chariot Festival, which began in 1890, used to only start after the sugar estate baron, Mr William Campbell, and other white officials gave their blessings. But this practice also came to an end in the 1960s," said Pillay. Mr Pillay said they had no record of the names of the indentured labourers who had established the temple. But he was certain that the descendants of the indentured labourers had contributed to the temple over the past 135 years. Some of the pioneers were H. Sham, Parthab Singh, Perumal Govender, R. Saroopram, A.C. Moodley, Ramurthie Reddy, Narainsamy Munsami Rajoo, Patchappa Moodliar, N. Bairagee Naidoo, Subrayan Govender, R.M. Bluey Govender, J.N. Thathiah Naidoo, R. Gokhale, D G. Govindsamy Reddy, K.N. Moodley, Mrs Panjasram, Mungammah Naidoo, George Chelliah, Chin Pillay, Janakie Pillay, Dorasamy Moodley, Udandi Kanni, Jack Kisten, Willie Pillay, Morgan Govender, Ruthan Letchmiah, P.G. Pillay, K. Govender, B. Aroo Nagappa, K. Navamoney and Agambaram M. Nair. Some of the others were Babes Subramoney, Peripayan Sam Munsamy, Niren Maharaj, Kista Johnny Munsamy, Yogesh Chetty, Nunda Subramoney, Naraindass Tulshi, Kris Moodley, Veerasamy Munsamy, Pushpa Moodley, Ravi Govender, Freddy Govender, Jasendra Naidoo, Venkana Naidoo and Beama Naidoo. He said the Shree Emperumal Hindu Temple Society controlled the main Shree Emperumal Temple, the historical Ganesha Temple, and three other temples in the Mount Edgecombe area - Kaliammen Temple, Soobramaniar Temple and the Gengiammen Temple. ends - Marimuthu Subramoney and this week mark 120 years of tand this week mark 120 years of the colourful situated in the former Mount Edgcombe and spiritually-fulfilling 10-day Chariot Festival Mr Pillay said this year's 120th annual Chariot Festival starting this week would be a major event over 10 years. "The Chariot Festival attracts thousands of devotees from far and wide. It provides an opportunity for devotees to connect not only with their spirituality but also with their rich history."

Mount Edgcombe Shree Emperumal Temple

By Marimuthu Subramoney One of the first places of worship built by indentured labourers 15 years after their arrival in 1860 is the Shree Emperumal Temple in Mount Edgcombe, north of Durban. The religious monument, first built of wood and iron in 1875, will this year observe 139 years of its rich history. "In the early days when our forefathers had some time away from their oppressive work conditions on the sugar estates, they used to gather on this site to talk about their lives away from their motherland," said Mr Sunny Pillay, spokesperson and treasurer of the Shree Emperumal Hindu Temple Society. "They also used the time to relate stories from the Maha Bharata and the Ramayan in order to pass their time. Then in 1875 they built the original Shree Emperumal Temple out of wood and iron. "The temple was the initiative of the Tamil, Hindi and Telugu indentured labourers." In 1925, the society's officials commissioned the famous temple builder, Kistappa Reddy, who was also an indentured labourer, to build a brick and concrete structure. Over the years this structure has been renovated and improved upon. Kistappa Reddy earlier built the nearby Ganesha Temple, which was declared a national monument in the 1990s. "The new Shree Emperumal Temple was built entirely from contributions made by the people living in the Mount Edgecombe barracks," said Mr Pillay, whose father and mother were indentured labourers on the sugar estate. In the early days the Shree Emperumal Temple was not only a place of worship but was also a centre for social, cultural, economic, educational and recreational fulfilment. The Shree Emperumal Temple had provided an opportunity for the emergence of some of the famous Indian footballers, musicians, and educationists. The famous Kalaivanie Orchestra had its origins at the temple. Pillay, who has been the treasurer of the Temple Society since 1982, said in the early days the temple officials had to report all their activities to the sugar barons who controlled the Mount Edgecombe sugar estates. This continued to until the 1980s when the new officials decided they should have control over the affairs of the Shree Emperumal Temple and other temples in the area. "In the early days also the Chariot Festival, which began in 1890, used to only start after the sugar estate baron, Mr William Campbell, and other white officials gave their blessings. But this practice also came to an end in the 1960s," said Pillay. Mr Pillay said they had no record of the names of the indentured labourers who had established the temple. But he was certain that the descendants of the indentured labourers had contributed to the temple over the past 135 years. Some of the pioneers were H. Sham, Parthab Singh, Perumal Govender, R. Saroopram, A.C. Moodley, Ramurthie Reddy, Narainsamy Munsami Rajoo, Patchappa Moodliar, N. Bairagee Naidoo, Subrayan Govender, R.M. Bluey Govender, J.N. Thathiah Naidoo, R. Gokhale, D G. Govindsamy Reddy, K.N. Moodley, Mrs Panjasram, Mungammah Naidoo, George Chelliah, Chin Pillay, Janakie Pillay, Dorasamy Moodley, Udandi Kanni, Jack Kisten, Willie Pillay, Morgan Govender, Ruthan Letchmiah, P.G. Pillay, K. Govender, B. Aroo Nagappa, K. Navamoney and Agambaram M. Nair. Some of the others were Babes Subramoney, Peripayan Sam Munsamy, Niren Maharaj, Kista Johnny Munsamy, Yogesh Chetty, Nunda Subramoney, Naraindass Tulshi, Kris Moodley, Veerasamy Munsamy, Pushpa Moodley, Ravi Govender, Freddy Govender, Jasendra Naidoo, Venkana Naidoo and Beama Naidoo. He said the Shree Emperumal Hindu Temple Society controlled the main Shree Emperumal Temple, the historical Ganesha Temple, and three other temples in the Mount Edgecombe area - Kaliammen Temple, Soobramaniar Temple and the Gengiammen Temple. ends - Marimuthu Subramoney and this week mark 120 years of tand this week mark 120 years of the colourful situated in the former Mount Edgcombe and spiritually-fulfilling 10-day Chariot Festival Mr Pillay said this year's 120th annual Chariot Festival starting this week would be a major event over 10 years. "The Chariot Festival attracts thousands of devotees from far and wide. It provides an opportunity for devotees to connect not only with their spirituality but also with their rich history."