A PRICELESS traditional Indian sari and antique Bibles found their final ‘resting place’ at the Durban Cultural and Documentation Centre in Durban this month.
Durban resident, Cecile Kathan, delivered the items to the Centre on 8 October, following her Celebration of Life service at St Peter’s Catholic Church, where the bridal sari and Bibles were blessed, something she felt her parents would’ve wanted.
The 184-year-old Kanjeevaram sari was brought to South Africa on the SS Truro by Cecile’s great-grandmother, who arrived in Durban as an indentured labourer in 1860.
The sari originated in the 1840s in India. The sari, which has been in the family for eight generations, was handed down to Cecile, however as she had no daughter to inherit it, it was encased and handed over to the Centre in 2004.
The Bibles date back to 1889 and 1914. They were printed in South India.
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“These are priceless treasures which need to be enjoyed. These Bibles have been in my family for generations, and one even survived a flood in Port Elizabeth in 1968! Saris like this were only used for very important occasions. These are now heirlooms and need to be preserved for the younger generation to see something of their culture,” said Cecile.
Over the years, Cecile has taken the items out of the Centre on loan to use for talks, however following her Celebration of Life service this month, Cecile decided to leave the heirlooms at the Centre, their final ‘resting place’.
“I would like people to visit the Centre to view the sari and Bibles, and to find out about our cultural history,” she said.
The Durban Cultural and Documentation Centre is in Derby Street, Durban. Contact 031 309 1858.
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