Malabar to Malaya

by Ravindran Raghavan

The British rubber plantations in Malaya (now Malaysia) created a huge migration of indentured labour from India. My grandpa joined the wave to start a spice business and lost it all. That plunged my generation below the poverty line! I was born in a plantation house (not a hospital) and my birth certificate was "processed" in a police station. That is how I arrived earth in 1965. Grew up in the rubber plantation, soon to become unpaid underaged labour helping my parents tap rubber trees starting at 04:30 in the morning amongst the mosquitoes and snakes while smacking into spider webs between the trees. Our meals starts on a perfect dining table after pay day and dwindles into lack of food by end of the month. The vicious cycle seems to never end year after year. In the years to come I became a Chemical Engineer and that changed this "fate" by placing food on our table consistently. As I set sail on my career, my life took various positive turns that brought me to being a Company Director occasionally signing cheques with six digits in them. This book shares a part my journey that took me through pain, gain, glory and gratification. This is not a history book. It is my story seen through my childhood binoculars.

341 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 24, 2018

About the author

Born in Malaysia. Lived in Malaysia. Worked in several countries across the globe. Travelled to 23 countries.

Reviews

[Hari Govindan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ravindran Raghavan explores a seldom-heard perspective of diasporic Indian life. In this book, written by a third generation Malaysian of Indian origin, one sees an interesting account of how a colonial legacy plays out in the contemporary world. It could even serve as a good handbook for young Malaysian-Indians today who are interested in exploring their Indian origins by inspiring them to scale new heights both personally and professionally. Would definitely recommend.

[Suren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite an interesting book, as it took me strolling down memory lane. Perhaps its rejuvenating since I am experiencing short memory of my past ordeals! Similar experiences which I had gone through, justified the in-depth context of this book which reflects lots of flashbacks, during the journey towards reading the first few pages! Though its a history now, it was really tough to make a living those days. Thanks to the author, as he did include me too!

[Anthony Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book takes readers, especially those who grew up in Malaysian rubber and palm oil plantations, through a very memorable nostalgic path of our childhood days. It actually tells our own little stories that keeps us smiling all throughout the reading.

[Saras · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to read by any Malaysian Indian

[Arjun Rvan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good first point of view on the lives of Malaysian citizens of Indian descent and how they arrived from India, had a tough life and finally made it in life after 3 generations.

Very good read!!

[Azimah Othman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is his-story of his genesis in the Malabar Coast of India and the "diaspora" to the rubber plantations of the then (British) Malaya and then onwards to independent Malaysia. He tells it like it is............ finding the humour and jocularity in almost any situation. I reckon that ability does help one to make life in the plantations somewhat bearable.

A very readable piece but I cant't help feeling/sensing repetitions here and there. I later discover that this is by design.

[Azizraman]

The book bring me back to the wonderful memories of being a student then and bring my own wonderful memories back.

[Chempakaserry GOPAKUMAR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chempakaserry GOPAKUMAR Over the past six decades I must have read more than three autobiographies every year on an average. They were all from extraordinary people doing extraordinary things not attainable by the ordinary fellow trying to keep his head above the waters. But this book carries three humble aspects that touches the ordinary persons existence, decades of turmoil and sacrifice parents go through to lay the foundations, the phenomenon of the exploited and the exploiter surviving side by side in relative harmony for decades and often imposed and ruled by the Nature's unrelenting law of the survival of the fittest and making it impossible to conclude who was the righteous or benevolent and who was the ultimate beneficiary; and how love, fitness, focus and dedication leads an ordinary person to succeed in Life, even under many adverse circumstances and ordeals that others or fate may create to stall his progress. I read the book twice and found the second reading much more fascinating, humbling and thought provoking indeed. Well done indeed......Congratulations and best wishes .....will be on the lookout for more from you !! (less)
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[Suki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Depicts the struggles of those who made is happen here, in Malaya. Great read :)