225th birth anniversary of Chettiar Rama Tiroumoudy
Written by Editor Tuesday, 12 July 2011 11:14
The Mauritian archives indicate that many Tamilians came to the island from Pondicherry in the early years of the French occupation. These first Pondicherians landed in Isle de France from “Le Sirène” in July 1730. They were brought to the island for their craftsmanship as skilful stonecutters, masons and bricklayers. (1)
This trend continued throughout the 18th century with Mahé de La Bourdonnais and Pierre Poivre. The two administrators recruited Tamilian masons, carpenters and ironsmiths for construction and reconstruction works in Port Louis where “le génie dravidien se manifesta par la symétrie de leurs travaux.” (Ibid) Several monuments still testify of the building genius of these artisans. “Des exemples d’architecture laissés par ces ouvriers sont entre autres l’Hôtel du gouvernement, la Citadelle, des églises et autres édifices.”(Ibid)
Arrival of the chettiar Rama Tiroumoudy from Pondicherry
Under British rule, the wave of migration from Pondicherry espoused a new physiognomy with the arrival of traders, merchants and jewellers. Among them was a notorious businessman, Rama Tiroumoudy who came to Mauritius in the first half of the 1820’s. Born in 1786 (which means that this year marks his 225th birth anniversary), Rama Tiroumoudy belonged to the prestigious caste of the chettiars or “grands commerçants” (Ibid) whose commercial flair brought them to open trading posts beyond the frontiers of India, across the whole of south-east Asia.
Tiroumoudy was quite a figure at a time and in a society that was culturally and economically dominated by citizens of European stock. He cut a place for himself in the civil service and was the owner of the ship ‘Latchimi” and the barque “Antoinette” of 186 tons, manned by a crew of 21 seamen. (Ibid)
Proprietor of the Bon Espoir S.E. in Rivière du Rempart
In 1826, Tiroumoudy together with the Irish doctor and estate owner Charles Telfair and a Tamilian merchant dealer Vellivahel Anassamy Moodeliar, acquired the large sugar estate of Bon Espoir in the district of Rivière du Rempart in the north of Mauritius. However, the chronology used in the document of SOS Patrimoine en Péril-Save Our Heritage regarding the accession of Tiroumoudy to the ownership of Bon Espoir S.E. as well as the identity of his associates is confusing. As a matter of fact, in the same document it is asserted that Rama Tiroumoudy acquired Bon Espoir in 1833 (and not in 1826) and his associate was V. Annasamy. On the other hand, Charles Telfair is associated with La Tour & Co. as being the proprietors of Bon Espoir in 1829. One Chauvet owned Bon Espoir shortly before it was acquitted by Rama Tiroumoudy.
So it seems that there was no partnership as such between Telfair and Tiroumoudy.
However, there is no doubt that some sort of interaction did exist between the two sugar magnates. As a matter of fact, although Charles Telfair’s sugar business was in Moka (Bois Chéri estate acquired in 1815) and in Black River (Bel Ombre estate acquitted some time later), there is reason to believe that the northern districts of Pamplemousses and Rivière du Rempart were not unfamiliar to him. His first child, still born out of his wedlock with “Annabella, daughter of Admiral Chamberlayn”, was buried at Pamplemousses. (3) Moreover, “towards 1826 he abandoned Bel Ombre as a residence for a new estate at Beau Manguier”(Ibid), which is near Cap Malheureux in the north. So, can it be inferred that, one point in time, Telfair and Tiroumoudy (both sharing the same interests in sugar and residing in the same district) were intimate to each, if not partners?
The datas regarding the ownership of Bon Espoir from 1829 to 1833 have manifestly been borrowed from Guy Rouillard’s “Histoire des domaines sucriers”, the most reliable reference work so far as the history of the sugar estates in Mauritius is concerned. The partnership between Tiroumoudy and Annasamy lasted until 1840 when the former became the sole proprietor of Bon Espoir and remained so until his death in 1852 when the estate passed on to the Tiroumoudy heirs in Pondicherry. (2) In 1914, the sugar estate was sold to Nemours Harel, the proprietor of neighbouring Belle Vue S.E. The Bon Espoir S.E. was centralized on Belle Vue. The sugar factory of Bon Espoir as such had already closed in 1909.
A benefactor of the sugar industry and of his countrymen
Rama Tiroumoudy acceded to the ownership of the Bon Espoir S.E. at a crucial stage in the evolution of the country, with the abolition of slavery looming large on the horizon. He was seemingly instrumental and played a pioneering role in the import of Indian labour as a substitute for the slaves in the sugar cane fields. “Quand l’industrie sucrière se trouva menacée de faillite en raison de l’abandon presque complet de la culture lors de l’émancipation des esclaves en 1834. Tiroumoudy étant lui-même propriétaire d’esclaves joua un rôle important dans les décisions du gouvernement d’importer des travailleurs engagés. Son avis était toujours recherché et il fut parmi les premiers importateurs de travailleurs indiens dans les années 1835.” (1)
The well-to-do Pondicherian never forgot the land of his Indian ancestors and ever strove for the welfare of his Tamilian fellow citizens. “Le protecteur des travailleurs immigrants Hugon fit ses éloges en disant que ‘M. Tiroumoudy prenait une part active au bien-être de ses compatriotes’. En effet, il siégea sur un comité dans le district de Rivière du Rempart, compose du Magistrat stipendiaire, du commissaire civil, Ravel, de Messieurs A. Aubin et E. Rouillard pour aider ses compatriotes à obtenir des licences pour débuter leur commerce et très souvent il les cautionna.” (Ibid)
The last days of Rama Tiroumoudy and restoration of his tomb
Rama Tiroumoudy breathed his last at Bon Espoir where he was living in the splendid colonial mansion which was unfortunately demolished in the early 1980’s. He died on 8 June 1852 at the age of 66.(Ibid) The following communiqué, probably inserted in a newspaper of the time, was published to inform friends and relatives on the whereabouts of the funeral:
“Les amis et connaissances de feu Monsieur RAMA TIROUMOUDY, qui n’auraient pas reçu de billets, sont priés d’assister à ses convoi et enterrement qui auront lieu aujourd’hui Mardi 8 Juin à 4 heures de l’après-midi aux Pamplemousses.
De la part de sa famille.
Le convoi partira de l’Etabt. Bon Espoir, à 3 heures.”
Lately, on 25 April 2009, the monumental tomb of Rama Tiroumoudy in Pamplemousses cemetery was restored, a timely action undertaken jointly by SOS Patrimoine en Péril – Save Our Heritage and the Tamil League, ably supported by a dynamic team led by Vel Vyapooree. “Les deux associations ont oeuvré à la rénovation du monument de style gréco-romain, dont la taille imposante donne la mesure du pouvoir de cet homme.”(4) On the restored epitaph the visitor can read:
CI-GIT
MONSIEUR RAMA TIROUMOUDY DECEDE SUR SA PROPRIETE BON ESPOIR LE 7 JUIN 1852
AGE DE 66 ANS
Sa famille ci consacre ce monument à sa mémoir
éternellement chère
This action of SOS Patrimoine en Péril - Save Our Heritage and the Tamil League cannot but be commended. The more so as next year will mark the 160th death anniversary of ‘Monsieur Rama Tiroumoudy’.
DODO
References
Document “Le Monument de Rama Tiroumoudy au cimetière de Pamplemousses”, edited by SOS Patrimoine en Péril-Save Our Heritage, 2009. Conception by B. Maurice and documentation by Marie-France Chelin-Goblet.
Guy Rouillard, “Histoire des domaines sucriers”, Port-Louis, 1979, 515 pages.
Dictionary of Mauritian Biography, entry on “Telfair, Charles (1778-1833)”, Société de l’Histoire de l’Ile Maurice, The Standard Printing, 1952.
“Rama Tiroumoudy, propriétaire sucrier” in Le Mauricien, vendredi 29 mai 2009
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