Family Photographs: Memories and Histories

A Profile of my Indian Immigrant Ancestors

My journey started 18 years ago. Over these years, I have traced over 50 ancestors belonging to myself and my wife, who arrived from India. They hailed from all over India. Bombay, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Bhojpur. An intricate web of unique individuals which created my family. I am here, because they came to Mauritius looking for a better a life for them and their family. Leaving behind fathers, mothers, wives, and children, hoping they would see them again. Many of them saw their families again. Some of them unfortunately never saw their faces again.

Behind each and every ancestor, there is a story. Whether simple and short or long and complex. We will truly never know. We will never know the pain and anguish our forefathers suffered for us to be here. We will never know the blood, sweat, and tears. We can only be thankful and indebted to these true heroes and heroines.

Nundaramdoss 367871 was my great-great-grandfather and Sookhooda 367946 my great-great- grandmother. They arrived from Mokunpore, Midnapore, West Bengal as a married couple on the British Navy on the 20th October 1873. Nundaramdoss was 26 when he arrived and had a distinguishing scar in the centre of his forehead. Sookhooda was 24. The couple had two children. Sookhoda passed away in Terracine, Savanne in 1921 aged 72 years old.

His grandparents were Beejasit Nundramdoss and Hurbussea Choytun, descended from Choytun 205746 of Burhabazar, Purooleea, Kossypore. He had arrived on the Hyderee in 1858 aged 13 years old. Choytun married Immigrant Suhocharry in Mauritius. Suhocharry passed away in Beau Bassin in 1901 and Choytun in Port Louis in 1913.

TAUKOORDASS 102536 of Auwasgur, Midnapore, West Bengal is the ancestor of Bobby’s Nundramdhoss’s mother. Taukoordass arrived as 9 year old on the Futtay Salam on the 9th March 1852 with his mother Keeny and uncle. Keeny was a 30 year old widow who returned to India in 1858. Taukoordass married Immigrant Sandoo 257216 (from Bancoorah, Bistoorpore) in 1861. They lived and worked at the Beau Champ Estate, Riviere Seche, and had 4 children. Sandoo returned to India in 1900.

By Bobby Nundramdoss