THE “ROYAL” MATHURA FAMILY HISTORY OF KISSOON ROAD IN OTTAWA
A PIONEER OTTAWA FAMILY THAT MADE ITS MARK
(Grandfather Mr Bhatwa Mathura and wife, Dhulari, with their children and grand-children. From L to R: Harilall, Magunlall, Luxmi aka Sursuthie, Leela. Seated centre: Heeralall - father of Shuneel, and grandchildren - Shobna, Anitha and baby Kasturie being carried by Leela.)
By Subry Govender
One of the pioneer indentured families that earned itself the title of “Royal Family” used to live in Kissoon Road in Ottawa, north of Durban in South Africa, since the early 1920s.
The
family in question was the Mathuras', whose ancestors arrived from a village in
the north Indian state of Bihar sometime in the late 1890s.
After
their stint on the sugar estates, the second and third generation descendants
used to live a lifestyle that caught the attention and admiration of their fellow citizens of
Kissoon Road and other parts of Ottawa.
“The
Mathura Family was nick named by the then community of Ottawa as the Royal
Family due to the affluent manner in which they carried themselves out,” a
fourth-generation descendant, Shuneel Mathura, recalled when I interacted with
him about his family’s history.
“The family then owned a jeep and a new powder blue impala chevrolet soft top. This was at a time when life was tough and that is why they were referred to as a Royal family,” says Shuneel Mathura.
Not
much is known about their indentured ancestors who slaved in the sugar
plantations in and around Ottawa and Verulam.
But,
according to Shuneel, his grand-father, Sriman Bhatwa Mathura Ramnath, worked
at Dykes in Verulam in the early days while staying in a wood and iron house in
Kissoon Road in Ottawa. His grand-father and grand-mother, Dhulari, had eight
children – all of them born in Ottawa.
(Mrs Dhulari Mathura with one of her sons, Heeralall, and daughter, Luxmi.)
His
father, Heeralal Mathura, was number four among the siblings. The others in
order of their births were Harilal, Dhropathie, Leelawathie, Muganlall,
Jasomathy, Ganas and Sursathie.
Shuneel’s
sister, Sharomi Dayanand, an Environmental and Teaching professional, who
migrated with her husband, Ravin Dayanand, and two daughters to Australia in
2003, also provided detailed information about their grand-parents, her father
and uncles and aunties.
According
to Sharomi Dayanand, their grand-father was a most respected resident of
Ottawa. He was a second-generation
descendant who distinguished himself as a talented carpenter and builder in
Durban and surrounding areas.
Sharomi says their
grand-father was a registered member of the Building Trade Workers Union of
South Africa.
“His contributions to the architectural landscape of the city are evident in the construction of notable structures such as the Jhugroo State Aided Primary School, mosques, churches, and more,” says Sharomi. The name of Mr B Mathura is engraved on two plaques at the new school.
“His craftsmanship and
innovation are exemplified by the creation of a remarkable 13-bedroom residence
in Verulam in which he showcased his exceptional skill and ingenuity.
“In addition to his
architectural achievements, our grand-father cultivated a deep appreciation for
music and cultural gatherings. His home, built in the 1950s at 8 Kissoon Road,
Ottawa, became a hub for Ramayana recitals and traditional musical sessions.
“Family members and friends
used to gather to participate in the Sathsang and to enjoy the melodic strains
of instruments, including a Sarangi, hand-crafted by his own hands from the resilient
trunk of a jackfruit tree.
“Relics of his
craftsmanship still stands at the house in Ottawa. The relics include a
meticulously hand-crafted 10-seater dining table, fashioned from hardwood.
“Beyond his artistic
pursuits, Sriman B Mathura was a man of diverse talents and interests,
displaying proficiency in fencing, motorcycle riding, taking charge of a Hindi
movie projector in his shed and the reading of Hindu scriptures.
“His devotion to family
extended to his grandchildren, whom he engaged in evening Sandhya prayers,
fostering a sense of spiritual connection and tradition.
“As an entrepreneur he
established a mobile garage, and ventured into photography, capturing moments
of life with artistic flair.
“His wife, Dhulari, with
whom he had eight children, was a woman who provided him unwavering support
during their married life.
“She was an inspiration and
captivated all round her with her heart of affection. Together, they instilled
values of respect, honesty, integrity and resilience in their children,
emphasizing the importance of righteousness and truth, even in the face of adversity.
“The echoes of Dhulari’s
kindness and gratitude resonate in the character of her descendants, a
testament to her enduring influence on the Mathura lineage.”
Both Sharomi Dayanand and Shuneel Mathura, who
is a teacher and the Principal of the Montessori World Pre-Primary School in Ottawa, gave lengthy details of
their father’s involvement in business – a field that led to the Mathura family
in Kissoon Road being described as a “Royal Family”.
They recalled that
their father, Mr Heeralal Mathura, who was born in 1938, was “closely attached to his parents, cherishing their
guidance and wisdom”.
He was “gentle in
nature” and “endowed with qualities of calmness, kindness and affection for all”.
“He commenced his professional journey as a bookkeeper. Despite his early responsibilities, our father pursued a diverse range of educational endeavors, including a Diploma in Hindi studies under the distinguished tutelage of Pundit Nardev at M.L. Sultan Technikon, now known as the Durban University of Technology”, says Sharomi.
“He
also enriched his knowledge through various short courses, including the Dale
Carnegie course on public speaking.
“Beyond his
academic pursuits, Heeralal Mathura exhibited a passion for sports such as
judo, art and musical instruments. He also had a deep appreciation for music
and recitations of sacred texts.”
In his late
twenties, he embarked on a new chapter of his life by marrying Sheila
Jangooraj, the second daughter of Jangooraj (Jobraj) Gurucharan of Charnwood in
Verulam.
Heera Mathura
entered the entrepreneurial field by initiating his own mobile trading venture in
order to provide essential goods to rural communities.
“In 1975, Heera
Mathura expanded his business and entrepreneurial endeavors by becoming the
proprietor of the Continental Cafe on Main Rd, Tongaat. Subsequently, he
ventured closer to home, to acquire proprietorship of Charnwood Trading Store
in Temple Valley. He was also owner of the Evergreen Café in central Verulam.
He worked seven days a week, servicing the local community for more than three
decades.
“At the same time,
he was driven by a great passion for education, He took on the role of a
vernacular (Hindi) teacher with the Department of Education in the 1980s,
imparting knowledge and values to students across various schools, including
those in Phoenix, Terrence Park, Verulam, Redhill Primary, Dianthus
Primary, and Lotusville Primary.”
Their mother, Sheilla
Mathura, was also a strong business partner who managed the business while Mr
Mathura taught in schools. Later they went on to acquire a second business -
Food-to-Go Wholesaler and Cafe operated solely by Sheilla Mathura.”
His
uncles, for their part, worked at Popatlal Kara and Gandhi and Sons as shop
assistants.
According
to Shuneel and his uncle, Ganas, most of the brothers and sisters settled in
other areas after completing their schooling, starting work and getting
married. Dhropathy is now settled in Springvale, Magunlal in Umhlatuzana,
Jasomathy in Avoca, Ganas in Merebank and later Effingham and Sursathie in Cliffdale. The second
eldest, Leelawathy, is now late.
(The eldest brother, Harilall, with the youngest, Ganas.)
Harilall Mathura
was the eldest of the boys. He was a tailor by trade and had a
successful shop in West Street. He also played the violin very well. He
had 5 children - Anitha, Shobna, Kasturie (owner of DLA grain), and Suntosh, who
still resides at 8 Kissoon Road, Ottawa with mum, Leela, and Prathna. Harilall
Mathura passed away in 2003.
The third son,
Magunlall Mathura, also known as Prem, was the father of two boys. He worked at
Popatlal Kara. He lived in Shallcross. He passed on at an early age and is
survived by his wife Shashi and his sons - Nithesh amd Ankesh.
Ganas Mathura is
the only surviving son of Mr Mathura. He has four children - Aashmir, Nirrti,
Jathin and Shruti. Ganas was a lecturer at the Durban University of Technology
(DUT) in anatomy and physiology for the training of doctors. He has since retired
and lives with his wife, Pricilla, in Effingham.
For
all them Ottawa, in the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, was a “close
knit” community. They all took part in the religious and cultural activities
and also participated in educational activities.
Shuneel
Mathura said they were grateful to their second and third generation family
members for their social and cultural guidance and the emphasis placed on
education. They also recognised the importance of the local leaders who
contributed enormously towards the construction of the new Jhugroo Primary
School.
“We must pay our tributes to Mr Sivasanker Badlu, Mr S S Maharaj, Mr Parthab and other community leaders for their untiring efforts in building the new Jhurgoo School,” said Shuneel Mathura.
The
Mathura family also used to help their neighbours, the Moodley family, during
the annual Kavady ceremonies.
“Our early lives in Ottawa
stretches over 75 years and several generations. During this time, we experienced
a great deal of wonderful and joyful interaction. I for one, clearly recall
that as young boys we should run after tractors transporting sugar cane on the
dusty Ramnanan Road. We will pull the sugar cane and chew them without any
problems.”
The descendants have also entered different positions in the working environment as financial managers, hotel managers, teachers, built-in-carpenters, mechanics, IT Specialists and Décor Consultants.
Shuneel Mathura is the owner and runs the Montessori World Pre-Primary School in Ottawa.
The
Mathuras have not yet made any contact with family members in India of their
great-grand-parents who came down to work as indentured labourers in the former
Natal Colony after the 1860s. They, however, are tracking the arrival of their
ancestors.
Ends
– subrygovender@gmail.com Feb
21 2024
More Historical Mathura Pioneer Family Photos:
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