Praneil's Personal Girmit Story

Patan

Patan - Praneil's 6 year old great-grandfather served Girmit in Fiji. He left India on 19th July, 1905 on board the Steam Ship Fultala from Calcutta and arrived in Nukulau Island, Fiji on 17 August, 1905 with 790 other passengers. He was registered in Alipur Bihar on the 23rd of June, 1905. Patan's father's name was Bhagalu who did not travel to Fiji for reasons unknown. Patan travelled to Fiji with his uncles and cousins. According to the Girmit Pass Number 31036, he was of the Kurmi community - a traditional agricultural people. On the Immigration Pass, his occupation was listed as a labourer. Patan was from the village of Piparpati, in the Kalwari Thana, in the district of Basti, in the state of Uttar Pradesh. He appeared before the Emigration Agent on the 26th of June 1905.

Upon arriving in Fiji, Patan settled in Namaka, Nadi, opposite Natali's shop where two mango trees still stand today. He lived with his uncles and cousins. Patan's family sold the Namaka land and settled in Yako, Nadi because they did not want to be near the Nadi Airport as World War II and the Pacific War began in 1941.

In Yako, Patan together with his uncles and cousins, started operating a Bus which used to service the Sigatoka to Nadi route. Sigatoka is where Praneil grew up (Cuvu, Sigatoka) and where the majority of Praneil's father's siblings were born (Ciri, Sigatoka). Praneil was born in Ba.

Patan marries and settles in Nacovi, Nadi where his wife Mahedei had 50 acres of Crown land which the couple used for sugarcane farming. Patan left the bus business and started a truck business. He fitted the truck with two big benches at the back which was very popular with the native customers who would use the truck to transfer their produce to the market. Patan named the truck - WAQAVUKA.
According to the Fijian-English Dictionary, With Notes on Fijian Culture and Natural History BY RONALD GATTY,
Waqavuka is defined as:
Waqavuka (Anglicism) n. aeroplane. rara ni waqavuka or iroro ni waqavuka airfield, aeroport. vuka to fly.

In 1942, Sarla Wati was born. Sarla is Praneil's aji (Praneil's Aja's (Latchmi Chand's) sister) who has narrated all these old historic stories to Praneil. Sarla was educated up to Form 4. Additionally, Patan was the First man in Nacovi, Nadi to buy a tractor - a Massey Ferguson.

Very interstingly and unique to the times, Patan did not have any addictions and lived into his 80s. His second youngest brother - Rameshwar Prasad was the first person in Fiji to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree via correspondence from a New Zealand University.

Patan - Praneil's Great Grandfather (Par Aja)

Mahadei - Praneil's Great Grandmother (Par Aji)

The Waqavuka! - Aeroplane (Artist's Impression)

Nacovi, Nadi's first tractor - a Massey Ferguson (Artist's Impression)

Latchmi Chand

Patan's son Latchmi Chand - Praneil's grandfather - aja, was born in Nacovi, Nadi on 4th January, 1925. He married Janki Chand but this marriage ended. Latchmi's mama Ram Prasad (Ram Newaj's father) from Ciri, Sigatoka organized some land in Ciri where Latchmi settled with wife Veer Mati - Praneil's grandmother - aji. In the 1973, Latchmi sold his Ciri land and settled in Nukuloa, Ba where he established a very large sugarcane estate. The estate was located on 56 acres of leased Native land which harvested on average 1000 tonnes of sugarcane. He allowed his children to study as much as they wanted to - many of them have attained great success and some have settled here in New Zealand. Latchmi was a skilled carpenter with a reputation to build a small comb, a boat, a house and anything in between! He was equally skilled culturally being renowned to offer rot pooja at his Hanuman Ji thaan all by himself! He used to drive the iconic 1970s Yellow Toyota Liteace. Latchmi Chand's sugarcane estate continues to run till today - it is fully self sufficient - it does not rely on any external infrastructure!

From Top Left: Latchmi Chand (Praneil's Aja), Mohan Prasad (Praneil's Nana), Tara Bai (Praneil's Nani), Veer Mati (Praneil's Aji).
From Bottom Left: Denesh Chandra, Partiva Chandra (Praneil's parents).