Chanderwathy Lakraj Sewkissoon, who celebrated her 100th birthday on July 9 does not look a day older than 80.
The secret to a long life, she said, was being disciplined and living happily surrounded by family.
Sewkissoon's grandparents arrived from India and worked on the sugar cane fields in Natal. Her parents were born in Durban and so too was Sewkissoon and her three siblings.
“I grew up in Redhill and attended school up until standard 3 (grade 5). I had to leave school after my parents passed away to work on the family farm in Groenberg in Inanda. We grew vegetables, which we sold at a local market,” said Sewkissoon.
She said her marriage to Lakraj Sewkissoon on Valentine's Day in 1941 was arranged. He was a railway inspector.
“My younger sister and I married two brothers. Our wedding was in Malacca Road in Redhill. My husband and I were married for 55 years before he passed away in 1996. We had nine children, who we raised at our family home on Centre Road in Sea Cow Lake."
Their children are: Ashi Kumar Lakraj, Jerry Lakraj, Shakun Singh, Ramesh Lakraj, Robin Lakraj, Roy Lakraj, Teddy Lakraj, Meena Boodoo and Nisha Beosumber.
They have 21 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.
Her eldest child, Ashi Kumar, is 82. Her eldest grandchild, Rakesh Ashikumar Lakraj, is 56; and the youngest in the family is her 4-year-old great granddaughter, Aryahi Bechoo.
Sewkissoon now lives in Woodview, Phoenix, with her daughter Meena Boodoo.
Speaking on behalf of her mother, Boodoo said: “Ma used to do everything by herself but when she reached 97, it became a little harder for her to do things. Now I help her with her daily routine. She wakes up at around 8am and the first thing she does is bathe, then she does her prayers and has breakfast at around 8.30am."
She added: “My mother is disciplined and fussy when it comes to eating. She must have her meals at certain times of the day. She is also strict with what she eats. She does not have anything sweet and as of recently, she prefers vegetable dishes. Her favourite food is dhall and rice but she sometimes enjoys prawns and rice.”
Sewkissoon loves wearing saris and enjoys watching Hindi prayers on TV and listening to Hindi music. In her younger days, she also enjoyed dancing.
She is family oriented and loves nothing better than get-togethers.