THE HUMANITARIAN GIANT OF OTTAWA – SEWCHUL STALEJ ( S S ) MAHARAJ 

S S MAHARAJ AND HIS BROTHERS – DICKY AND D S – WERE PART OF YET ANOTHER PIONEERING FAMILY OF OTTAWA 

(Mr S S Maharaj with his wife, Umee, and other members of the Maharaj family.)

By SUBRY GOVENDER 

One of the South African Indian-origin sporting giants of the 1940s who won the national tennis championship at the age of 21 rose to become a humanitarian of note and leader of the Ottawa village, north of Durban, from the 1950s to the mid 1980s. 

Who was this super humanitarian, who not only owned the Flash Clothing Manufacturers factory at the corner of the Main Road and School Road, but also played a significant role in the school building programme and other community and social projects in Ottawa? 

(S S Maharaj with family members and friends.)

He was none other than Mr Sewchul Stalej or S S Maharaj, who was well-known for his achievements as a national tennis player and his involvement in educational, sporting, cultural and social sectors in Ottawa, Verulam, and other parts of the North Coast in the then Natal province. Mr Maharaj, who was born and grew up in the historical district of Cato Manor in Durban in February 1918, took to tennis from an early age with other youngsters. 

(Mr S S Maharaj's father, Stanley Maharaj, seated first left, who was also  a teacher.)

His parents were recruited from the Uttar Pradesh state in North India to work as indentured labourers in Durban. His father, Stanley Maharaj, also worked as a teacher in the Durban area and his mother, Rajpathee, was a home executive. Here in Cato Manor, Mr Maharaj and two of his younger brothers – Dicky Maharaj and D S Maharaj - and sisters Pulpath and Sarojini – were born. 

S S Maharaj excelled in tennis while his younger brothers showed their prowess in football while growing up in Cato Manor. S S Maharaj won the singles titles 21 times and the doubles titles 19 times. He won a numbner of the doubles titles with a fellow tennis star, Inder Bramdaw. 

When their father passed on in the early 1930s, S S Maharaj, Dicky Maharaj, D S Maharaj and their sister joined their mother when she moved to Ottawa. One sibling, Pulpath, moved to Johannesburg. 

Here in Ottawa, they first stayed in a wood and iron house in Munn Road. 

S S Maharaj continued with his sporting life and played tennis in Avoca, Riverside and Cato Manor. 

(Mr S S Maharaj, extreme right seated, with his daughter Prithima (seated left and carrying her child), and other family members.)

He stunned the South African Indian-origin community when at the age of 21 he won the South African National tennis championship in 1939. At this time the Viceroy of India in London read about his tennis achievements and asked why he did not enter to play at Wimbledon? 

Although he was a world class tennis player, S S Maharaj did not have the opportunities of travelling to England to play in the famous Wimbledon Tennis championships. He was denied the opportunities because of racial discrimination in South Africa at that time. He was of Indian-origin and did not belong to the privileged “white” ruling community. 

 Due to the lack of opportunities, S S Maharaj diverted his attention to business and started the Flash Clothing factory in the early 1940s with the assistance of his younger brother, Balliram Dicky Maharaj. 

During this period, S S Maharaj married Umee Nagin Jeena from Pietermaritzburg. Here in Ottawa, they had five children – Prithima, Pravin, Veeran, Rishla and Santosh. 

(Children - Prithima, Rishla, Santosh and Veeran. Pravin below.)

(Pravin)

At various periods S S Maharaj and his family stayed in a house in School Road that belonged to the “Nurse Partee” Munisami family; in a house in mid Maharaj Road and in a house at the Flash Clothing factory. In the 1970s they moved to a house in Mimosa Road in Lotusville, Verulam. 

                  (Dicky Maharaj as manager of the Natal provincial soccer team.)

His brother, Dicky Maharaj, married his wife from Cato Manor and settled in a house near where Globe’s Shopping Centre is now situated. Their children are Shireen, Tiddles, Navin and Pravesh, also known as Chookie. 

(Dicky Maharaj, third from right, with members of the S A Red Cross Society.)

Dicky Maharaj excelled in top-level football and represented Natal at various levels. Dicky Maharaj, in addition to being a football star, also participated in fishing, and other social and community activities. He was at one time in the 1970s and 1980s a leading official of the Ottawa branch of the South African Red Cross Society.

(Dicky Maharaj as chairman of the Flash Angling Club in 1967.)

The Dicky Maharaj family at one time in the 1970s also moved to Verulam where they settled in Everest Heights. 

D S Maharaj, for his part, who became a famous singer, musician and teacher, married Minora, a daughter of Munoo Maharaj, and settled in the far end of Maharaj Road. Their children are Arveen, Nimala and Sanjay. One child, Shakila, has passed on. 

(Please see a report about D S Maharaj's visit to India in the last part of this article.)

The Maharaj family sister, Sarojini, married E P Juggath and settled in Verulam. 

Ever since moving to Ottawa in the early 1940s and starting his Flash Clothing factory, Mr S S Maharaj took the lead in building the new Jhugroo Primary School in the Tin Town area of the village. Together with other community leaders, Mr Maharaj worked tirelessly to raise funds, establish the voluntary labour system and promote the education culture in the construction of the new Jhugroo Primary School in the early 1960s. 

His humanitarian prowess was not restricted to the construction of the new school. He also took the lead in the social, economic and cultural aspects of the lives of the people in Ottawa, Verulam and surrounding areas. The other humanitarian sectors included the free funeral service for the poor and underprivileged; Flash Angling Club; Flash Entertainers; 1860 Commemoration of 100 years of arrival of indentured labourers in 1960; and the building of the Maddressa Hall in Verulam. He also sponsored and promoted boxing and wrestling matches and swimming competitions. 

His clothing factory at the corner of School Road and Main Road provided jobs since its establishment in the early 1940s for the people of Ottawa, Verulam, Mount Edgecombe and surrounding areas. It was here at the clothing factory that a number of young couples fell in love and married with the full support of Mr S S Maharaj. 

In one instance, Mr Maharaj ensured the marriage of a couple when the boy’s parents opposed the marital union because of caste differences. 

(Mr Veeran Maharaj , seated centre first from right - with cousin Tiddles Maharaj - seated front left - and other members and friends.)

One of his sons, Veeran Maharaj, who at one time also owned a clothing factory called “Jean Jungle” in Verulam, recalled that his father was passionate about promoting the social, educational, cultural and economical lives of not only the community of Ottawa but also people in general. 

“Those days we were very close to all residents of Ottawa,” he told me in a recent interview. 

“We attended all functions in Ottawa without any reservations. There were no distinctions whatsoever on religious, cultural, class or caste lines.” 

Veeran Maharaj made the news in July 1974 when he disclosed that he won the horse-racing jackpot after dreaming the winning numbers. I was working for the Daily News at this time and I interviewed Veeran about his dream and winnings. This was the story that was published on July 23 1974:

                           "DREAM WINS R19 000 FOR PUNTER"

“A dream has come true for factory manager, Veerandarah Maharaj (24), of Verulam. He is one of eight winners of Saturday’s R19 000 jackpot.

“Mr Maharaj, who is the manager of his father’s clothing factory at Ottawa on the North Coast, won the jackpot with a R4 permutation ticket after he dreamed the winning numbers last Thursday.

“An excited Mr Maharaj told The Daily News that although he was a regular punter he seldom dreamed of horse racing.

“ 'In my dream I saw myself standing at a totalisator ticket office with a R4 permutation ticket, bearing the winning numbers. In my first and last legs I dreamt I have the numbers four and five, and in the second, three, and seven and fourteen in the third.

“ 'Remembering the dream the next afternoon I took the same numbers in a permutation at Verulam without telling anybody, not even my fiancée.

“ 'I had no thoughts, however, of ever winning. But when I heard the results on Saturday I was really overjoyed and excited'.”

Mr Maharaj, who is to marry his Pretoria fiancée at the end of August, said that after putting part of the money on a R19 000 building loan he would give some to charity.

He had no plans yet of a honeymoon abroad but would think about it as soon as the money was in his hands.

“ 'I will never forget the dream in all my life and hope that other punters who also dream about horses will be successful like me',” he said.

He is the son of Mr S S Maharaj, national non-white tennis champion of the 1960s. ends – Daily News Reporter July 23 1974

 

 

 

                              (Prithima Maharaj)

I also spoke to Veeran’s eldest sister, Prithima, who now stays in a flat, near the Verulam Post Office, in Verulam. Prithima, who is 79-years-old and a great-grand-mother, recalled that she attended the old Jhugroo Primary School and also the new Jhugroo school that her father was instrumental in building with other residents of Ottawa. 

“I remember being involved in celebrating various religious functions and attending concerts, boxing, and wrestling matches that my father used to organize. 

“We all would visit our neighbours’ homes without any problems. The people were very kind and hospitable. We can never get another place like the Ottawa of the old days. 

“When I leave this world, I want to return to stay in the Ottawa of the old days,” she told me. 

The extended Maharaj family has now reached six generations with at least one descendant still involved in the clothing industry, and other descendants have become medical doctors, academics and scientists. 

PS: The article about D S Maharaj that I referred to earlier was about an interview I conducted with him after he returned from a month-long trip to India in March 1977. 

D S, as he was known, had gone to India to check out his eyes after he became blind.

During the tour he had performed at many functions and mesmerised the people with his musical style. He was invited to return to India after he was offered a number of musical offers.

At this time, I was working for the Daily News, situated at 85 Field Street, Durban, and I interviewed him at his home at the end of Maharaj Road. This is the article that was published:

 

"SINGER HITS A HIGH NOTE"

 

"INDIA WANTS NATAL’S BLIND PERFORMER"

Daily News Reporter

 

Mr D S Maharaj, a talented Natal blind singer, has been invited to settle and work in India as a musician and singer.

Mr Maharaj, of Ottawa on the North Coast, was made the offer during a month-long tour of the country last month.

Mr Maharaj, who was accompanied by his wife, visited India to have his eyes checked by some of India’s top specialists.

He was treated by Dr H D Dastoor, the honorary ophthalmic surgeon to the President of India and consultant to the Armed Forces Medical Service in Bombay.

Dr Dastoor referred Mr Maharaj to the Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital for further treatment.

Mr Maharaj told the Daily News in an interview on his return yesterday that there were tremendous prospects for him as a blind singer and musician in India.

He said he had been invited by the director of the Workshop for the Blind in Bombay to join its band and also to work there.

He had also been offered a singing contract by Mr M Rajani, one of India’s top film financiers.

In addition, he had been offered singing contracts by some of Bombay’s top nightclubs and hotels. On his tour he had performed at Bombay’s Gaylords nighclub, Tanjori Club, Taj Mahal Hotel, President Hotel, Supna Hotel and the Talk of the Town Hotel.

“I think India is the place for me because musically I seem to fit in. There are greater prospects for a blind singer in India.

“Since I came back my whole outlook in life has changed. My tour has given me something to live for which is something very important to a blind man.”

He said his visit to the Workshop for the Blind in India had given him a lot to think about. In South Africa most blind people were taught to weave and make baskets, but the blind in India received training in various aspects of commercial and industrial life.

They were taught to be traffic officials, radio announcers and airport announcers, telephone technicians, motor assembly technicians, teachers, Dictaphone typists and clerks.

There were 250 workshops for the blind in India.

He said there were also women and nursery schools for blind children.

“India is far more advanced in catering for the blind than we are. I am hoping to meet officials of the Natal Indian Blind Society to pass on some of my observations in India.”

He said he would soon be holding shows in South Africa to raise money for his trip to the London eye specialists. Ends – Daily News Reporter  April 3 1977

MORE PHOTOS RELATED TO THE S S MAHARAJ DYNASTY:

(S S Maharaj and his wife, Umee. This photo was taken during a function at the Durban City Hall. Mr Maharaj at this time was deputy mayor of Verulam.) 

(Mr Maharaj's birth certificate. He was born on Feb 2 1918. )

(Pravin, eldest son of S S Maharaj. Previn attended the local primary schools and also the Verulam High School. He became a medical doctor after studying in Durban and in Scotland.)

(Santosh, the youngest son who is now late. He was married to Andisha Maharaj. Their one child is son, Shimil.)

(The Maharaj family members celebrating the 70th birthday of Rishla Maharaj - second from left. She now lives in Johannesburg. Also in the photo are Shireen Maharaj - first right with a red hairdo - who is married to Rusty Maharaj; Prithima with blue hairdo; and Navin Maharaj, who is now settled in Canada.)

(Family members at the home of Prithima and Krish Maharaj in Maharaj Road in Ottawa.)

(Prithima - seated second from left - as a member of the Bluebells Sports Team at the old Jhugroo Primary School now occupied by the Globe's shopping centre. A number of well-known fellow class mates and teachers are also in the photo. Her uncle D S Maharaj is seated first right.)

(Veeran and Tiddles - standing second and first from right - as part of a five-a-side soccer team.)

RAVIN MUNGAL SUBMITTED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ABOUT THE ROLE PLAYED BY MR S S MAHARAJ

August 27 2024

"Further input on flash clothing factory - S S maharaj . Flash entertainers: On Fridays the clothing factory will close at 3pm and the bus will arrive only at 4:30 to transport workers to Mt Vernon. During this time they would practise with the musical instruments - Nithia on the harmonium and that’s how flash entertainers began. Flash free undertakers : Some workers - their immediate families passed on and the cost of funerals could not be afforded - they would come to SS maharaj for loans to pay for funerals, etc.  Hence the Flash free undertakers was founded. My dad was linked with this endeavor and with SS Maharaj's capital - they did hundreds of free funerals.  Vehicles used were the station wagon VW - both SS and Dicky had these vehicles. Later on a WHITE valiant's/wagon was purchased from - teacher - MR H A Behari’s son-in-law from Umkomaas. I had the register of all the funerals but can’t seem to find it now. I draped many coffins under the trees where Globe's shopping centre is now situated and many coffins were stored under the cellar of the house in 1 munn road. "The funerals were done not only for residents in Ottawa and surrounding areas -  old Tin town - Tongaat  - far and wide - all free. A donation box that in the shape of a small coffin that was placed at each funeral - this collection will go for the next funeral - shortfall was covered by SS. Flash angling club: SS maharaj was a keen fisherman and so was many of the workers - hence the flash fishing club . Once again - my dad, S S Maharaj and I went on many trips and we even built a beach buggy. We took the beetle from Dicky Maharaj - used its chassis.  A club house was also used at Tinley manor - fishing outing/galas were held often. My dad and SS were very goods friends and I always tagged along with them  - hence I know all this. A few years ago we had the Ottawa way back reunion at Jhugroo School - it should be noted that almost everyone there had their parents work at Flash Clothing. It provided the basic finance - foundation of so many families .That factory - the owner SS was simply mammoth and so Instrumental to the Indian community."