Shanbavavelli Kistnasamy Naicker, who has reached one hundred years of age, cited her faith, prayer, and loving service to people as the main secret to her long, healthy, and happy life.
Life Path and Philosophy
The resident of Morton, who celebrated her anniversary on Friday, is the great-grandmother of 22 grandchildren. She celebrated her birthday with the help of her family. Naicker, an avid reader, spends her days praying for the sick and advising young people and couples. She believes that helping others was her life's purpose, which sustained her youth.
She stated: 'I feel young because I pray for those who are sick or in need, and I advise young people and married couples. I also give advice on family problems.' Naicker emphasized the importance of respect from youth towards parents and elders, as well as the significance of education. She advised children to strive for good grades and a university degree as a key to a successful career, adding that vocational skills are also important to learn.
Daily Routine
At her age, she manages most daily needs independently. Her routine includes waking up at 8:30 AM, showering, dressing, and having breakfast, which usually consists of cereal, fruit, and tea. After this, she goes to her prayer room. Then she reads newspapers and inspirational literature, after which she eats a vegetable lunch at 2:30 PM, watches television, which mainly shows international news, and naps for a few hours.
For dinner, she consumes a glass of Ensure Health drink, a slice of toast, and two Marie biscuits. She then continues reading a book and goes to bed around 9:30 PM. Among her favorite dishes are fresh vegetables, fruits, and Jelly Tots sweets.
Family History and Culture
Naicker was born on July 24, 1926, in Sidnchem. Her maternal and paternal grandparents were immigrants from India. Her paternal grandfather, Narayanan Nair, was from Kerala. He arrived in South Africa in August 1890 at the age of 19 aboard the Congella VI and worked on the Ellingham Estates plantations near Umzinto. Her grandmother, Vellamma, was from Tamil Nadu and arrived in South Africa in 1878 aboard the Umvoti.
In childhood, from one to eleven years old, her father Venketappa Raja, who was an Indian contract worker from India, took her to the Caistor hotel on Musgrave Road to teach her to play the sitar and harmonium. Her love for Indian culture prompted her to establish a Tamil school class called Jaya Jothi Thamil Padasalai in the early 1970s. Through this school, she was able to spread the love for Indian culture among many young people in her area, regardless of their religion.
However, she had to close her Tamil school after almost 40 years because the children began to get accustomed to the pleasures of mobile phones and social media, and their attention was diverted from their studies. She regretted how modern technology takes away the youth's interest in their homeland's culture.
Service and Legacy
She also links her long life to instilling a love for the Tamil language in many young people. Naicker created musical theater productions and indigenous Indian dance shows. Furthermore, she spent time volunteering at Chatsworth Hospice, caring for the sick and assisting with fundraising. She claimed that her service to humanity and passion for constant prayers for the suffering sustained her for many years.
Naicker and her husband, Sam Naicker, raised eight children. They both tried to invest all their resources in the education of all their children so that they could become professionals. She currently has 15 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren living in Durban, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Dubai, and the Czech Republic. Naicker concluded her life relying on her faith in God, which served as her strength to overcome any adversity. She stated: 'I am still standing tall and ready to meet God whenever He calls.'
