Presentation of the Dynaudio Lounge / cold lab project

Chatsworth Hotel, once a symbol of luxury, is now in a state of decline. The author recalls the atmosphere of this hotel in the mid-1960s when he visited it as a child to buy a newspaper, as home delivery was unavailable in Umlatuzana.

In those days, especially on Fridays, a news vendor accompanied by two girls at the bar entrance created a picture of daily life. These girls offered snacks—roasted peanuts and boiled beans—and collected coins from drunken patrons, displaying fragile innocence amidst the hustle and smells of the bar.

Memories of the once majestic hotel returned to the author when he saw an advertisement for the property being sold for a substantial sum of 26.5 million rands. However, experienced appraisers consider this price highly inflated, believing that even one-third of it would be excessive given the current condition of the building.

The context of the area's development is linked to the fact that the author's father moved to neighboring Umlatuzana in 1962 after the expropriation of his banana plantation in the Cavendish area, now known as Bayview. Umlatuzana was the first planned settlement for Indians in South Africa, developed by surveyor T.S. Shelin.

When rumors surfaced about the construction of a hotel near his home, the author's father, a staunch abstainer, felt uneasy, as he sought peace in the new settlement that could be disturbed by noisy revelries. He believed that dancing should be sacred forms, such as Bharatanatyam, Kolattam, and Kummi.

The 1960s were characterized by expansion and population movement. Chatsworth itself transformed into a vast Indian township due to forced relocations carried out under apartheid. Families evicted from places like Cato Manor, Bellair, Siviy, Riverside, Rossburgh, Clairwood, and banana plantations in Cavendish were dispersed into rows of municipal housing lacking proper infrastructure.

In the 1940s and 1950s, Munsemi Jivarautnam 'MJ' Naidu worked as a porter and loader at the historic Langham Hotel in Durban. His mother sold snacks, such as vada and murukku, from Puntans Hill, a small Andhra enclave, directly at the hotel.

Munsemi Naidu managed to rise from a porter to the owner of the hotel. Together with his brother Stanivasan, he opened a modest tea room on East Street, Overport. Profits were carefully accumulated, forming the basis for his ambitions.

By 1961, the brothers were able to acquire land for a hotel in developing Umlatuzana. Munsemi Naidu's father-in-law, SP Chetty, was a builder, and together with his sons, he built the first hotel in Chatsworth. The Chetty family already had experience in constructing landmark buildings, including the Sri Vaiyatanatha Yeswarar Alaiyam temple and the Naaz cinema.

Chatsworth Hotel opened in early 1963. This hotel was a statement of ambition: it included a spacious reception area, 12 stylishly furnished rooms, a public bar, three service bars, a dining hall, and the Lyric ballroom, capable of accommodating 400 guests. It became a symbol of Indian craftsmanship and the two brothers' pursuit of perfection against the backdrop of forced migration.

On Fridays and Saturdays, the surroundings shone with anticipation. The Lyric ballroom became a center of attraction, drawing hundreds of visitors, predominantly Indians, to forget the harsh conditions imposed by Group Areas and Separate Development Acts. Entry with breakfast cost only 3 rands.

From 8:00 PM until late at night, the air was filled with music from groups such as Crescendos, Dukes Combo, Hot Shots, and others. Their music made people dance, and the sounds reached even the author's father, who was studying textbooks. To him, cheerful melodies, such as The Beatles, were an unwelcome intrusion into his studies.

The hotel's dining hall offered a diverse menu, combining Western dishes with Indian classics, with samosas and fish cutlets being particularly popular. Fish curry with tamarind was a constant star, and offal dishes attracted regular customers.

On Sundays, restrictions were placed on alcohol sales to non-white people, but 'Sunday sessions' took place in the dining hall. Buyers could drink if they purchased food for 10 cents, which was a way for the community to gather and spend time together despite the minor rules of apartheid.

The hotel basement received a new lease on life thanks to the rental space by gambler Dhanpal Naidu to work with a totalisator agency. By 1970, the roof was converted into a glass pavilion, which became a popular venue for weddings and social events, as well as a site for sporting competitions.

The bar had regular patrons, including the author's uncle, Harry Naidu, who came daily. For him, it was a ritual of socializing and relaxation, and bartenders like Scampi Naidu and Chin Naidu knew all the regulars and served them with care.

As the hotel prospered, other brothers of Munsemi and Stanivasan Naidu—Harihara (Harry) and Devaraj (Tumba)—also entered the hotel business. They founded the company Forbros, which expanded its portfolio to include numerous establishments, including clubs and cinemas. This empire was built on resilience and vision.

However, the fame of Chatsworth Hotel began to fade when the hotel doors started opening to all races. Visitors came less often, and young people sought trendier spots in the city. The music industry also transformed: dance groups faced losses, and the advent of digital audio changed the landscape.

Yogas Nair states that change is not a disruption to progress, but its very essence, as it is impossible to move forward without it. This drive for development prompted her to step down from leading the publication POST, which was both a privilege and a passion for her.

The decision to leave was not easy, but it is linked to the pursuit of personal growth and taking on new, broader responsibilities. Currently, National Media Group (NMG) has acquired licensing rights from Sagarmatha Technologies for a portfolio of iconic South African newspapers, signaling the emergence of a new national newspaper and other significant developments.

Yogas Nair's career has been connected with POST for a quarter of a century, beginning in 2001 as a young reporter. After gaining experience in various group publications, she was appointed the first female editor of POST in 2016. She later held other leadership positions, including Press Ombudsman at Independent Media.

In November 2023, she returned to POST to facilitate its transition to digitalization. Now, due to the group's restructuring, she has been assigned the role of Provincial Editor for IOL (Independent Online) for KwaZulu-Natal, where she will oversee the content of six KZN publications, including POST's websites.

Despite some sadness over giving up the 'nurturing mother' role at POST, she is confident that she can continue to guide the publication remotely while expanding her editorial oversight to other long-standing newspapers in the province.

For over seventy years, POST has served as a reliable voice for the Indian community in South Africa. Its vibrant headlines have long attracted readers to its front pages, reflecting the pain, passion, trials, triumphs, joys, and pleasures of its audience.

In today's rapidly changing information landscape, digital publications and media platforms have become the foundation of public discourse. They determine how communities receive news, ideas, and culture in real time, regardless of devices or borders. As the audience demands immediacy, accuracy, and engagement, these platforms require competent editorial oversight so that speed never compromises integrity.

Even as news consumption methods shift through social media, POST intends to counter the flow of disinformation by offering readers a quality newspaper that will not conform to fake news. Despite the overall industry trend of declining circulation, POST has demonstrated resilience and adaptability, surpassing the one million online page view mark, confirming its relevance and effectiveness in a complex media environment.

Change may alter the management structure, but it does not diminish the spirit of the newspaper. POST remains a living testament to resilience, relevance, and the pulse of progress. The author wishes POST continued growth, prosperity, and inspiration for future generations.

Italian archaeologists have discovered an unusual Etruscan well during excavations in the ancient city of Caianua. This structure was created approximately 2,500 years ago. Bronze votive offerings were found inside the well, which were apparently placed there before the well was put into use. Human remains were discovered in connection with the cessation of this site's function.

The region of Tuscany preserves the remains of one of the best-preserved ancient cities built by the Etruscans. According to rare inscriptions, this city was called Caianua, which may mean 'New City,' similar to Novgorod or Naples. Archaeologists working at this monument since the 19th century have been able to uncover residential quarters, roads demonstrating the city's layout, as well as ruins of artisan workshops, necropolises, and ritual structures. It is presumed that Caianua originated between the late 6th and early 5th centuries BCE.

In recent decades, research on the ancient city has been conducted primarily by specialists from the University of Bologna under the direction of Etruscologist Elisabetta Govi. She reported on the results of the last field season. Archaeologists were working in the sacred zone of the city, where temples dedicated to the goddess Uni (analogous to Greek Hera and Roman Juno), her consort Tinia (analogous to Zeus and Jupiter), and Vei — the goddess of fertility and earth, similar to Demeter and Ceres — had previously been identified.

Near these temples, researchers discovered an ancient well, to whose original bottom level they reached this year. Various artifacts were found as a result, including bronze figurines of women that have remained in good condition despite their age. According to scientists, these items were thrown into the well as ritual gifts at the very beginning of the new structure's use, about two and a half thousand years ago, i.e., at the time of the city's founding.

Other findings indicate that another ritual took place before the well ceased to be used. Archaeologists extracted two human skeletons, which, in their opinion, were intentionally left there during the ritual closing of the structure, although details confirming this have not yet been revealed. It was also noted that the well likely served not only as a water source but also held a sacred significance related to worship.

Other notable objects were found near the well. For example, the remains of a child were discovered, who was apparently sacrificed by the ancient inhabitants of the city before the construction of the temple of the goddess Uni. Analysis of these bones showed that they belonged to a local boy who died either shortly after birth or late in utero development.