I had my first voyage on S.S.Rajula in 1962, when I was about five years old. We were going to India from Singapore for a vacation. I was very young then and cannot remember much about the voyage now. I do remember watching the other ships on the sea. They were steamships. I noticed the bigger ships had two or three funnels and as a child, I used to draw pictures of ships with funnels. S.S.Rajula had only one funnel. A man would go around ringing a bell to announce that it was meal time. We would then head for the dining room. We had western food. It was an eight day voyage from Singapore to Madras (now Chennai). On reaching Madras, I noticed some Tamil women on board, getting ready to disembark. They had big earrings that stretched their ears. Passengers were accommodated in different classes. The higher classes had cabins. We returned to Singapore after the vacation on the same ship. A man on board sold us a toy musical string instrument. He demonstrated its use by playing some music. After he left, when we tried it we could not produce any music. On March 14, 1972 we again traveled from Singapore to India on the S.S.Rajula. I was fifteen then and my parents had decided to settle in India, so this was my final voyage on this ship. As the ship pulled away from Singapore, I watched the receding skyline and felt sad. There was a TV in the lounge and I saw a cartoon “Felix the cat” for a short time, since the image was getting blurred as the ship moved away from land. When the ship reached Penang, many westerners came on board. They were mostly hippies. Singapore’s strict laws made it difficult for them, but Malaysia was more tolerant. They were headed to India for drugs and a cheap life. A man was holding a roll of toilet paper, one end of which he gave to a woman. The woman held the end of the toilet paper and the man holding the roll, unrolled it as he got down from the ship. He was staying back at Penang. As the ship started pulling away from Penang, the toilet paper tore into two pieces. Both of them rolled up the pieces they held unto. It was their idea of a farewell. There was a 20 year old Australian going to India to study yoga. He had met with an accident and was using the insurance money he got to pay his way.
On some nights movies were screened. I saw a Hindi movie and “Cat Ballou” which had Lee Marvin and Jane Fonda.The captain visited each cabin and talked to the passengers. He asked us whether we were enjoying our voyage.When we reached Nagapattinam in the early morning we could see many small fishing boats in the sunrise. It was a beautiful sight. Soon we reached Madras and disembarked.
S.S.Rajula was sold in 1973 and scrapped in 1974.
I received the following photos from Martin Cotsford ex 3/O SS Rajula.
do you know where i can obtain passenger list for the ss Rajula during the time frame of sept1934.... I am trying to trace my grandfathers steps..... i never meet him... i want to know him.... i know he was on the the SS rajula on 11th Sept 1934 departing from Madras to Penang, Malaysia.....
ReplyDeleteIt was about that time my dad moved to Malaysia on the SS Rajula.
DeleteIt was about that time my dad moved to Malaysia on the SS Rajula.
Deletesorry when ssRajula was sold the second ship by the name state.of madras was sailing to malaysia from madras after some the.third sip was chithambram this ship was fully aircondioned if am not mistaken it is a bigger ship than than othe 2 ships and also had a swimming pool for passengers i have travelled in.theas 3 ships thankyou
Deletethank you for the information about the other ships that sailed after ss rajula.
Deletegeorge
you could search for the shipping company that owned this ship and contact them if they are still operating.sorry,i can't be of more help
ReplyDeletegeorge
the ship not sailng now because of few passengers now malaysians including me travells in flights it only take 3 hrs 30 minutes thanks
Deletewonderful story
ReplyDeletethanks b.c., glad you like it.
DeleteMy mother and father lived in Medan in the 50's and my sister was born there in 1957. They also travelled in this Ship and spoke fondly of their memories from those days. It was nice reading your blog.
ReplyDeletethanks for the comment narasimhan. glad to know that your parents and sister traveled on ss rajula.
Deletegeorge
Amazing. Wait till u hear this. I clicked onto this blog, bcz I wanted to find out more abt s.s.Rajula. Why? In the 2015 movie: Anegan, 20 mins into the film, they show Rajula in 1962 at the Port of Rangoon, bringing back Indian facing expulsion. I saw the Rajula there with 2 funnels (instead of 1). Obviously, the 1962 Rangoon port and the 1962 Rajula has to be made up to portray them historically correct or as close as possible - who is going to check and how? Well, obviously I did. I was curious at how Rajula looked like. Amazed! It only has 1 funnel. The film producers last year when shooting obviously can't find a single funnel passenger ship (guess they don't make any nowadays), so we see a double-funnel Rajula. U must be quick to press the stop button at 20:00, u can only see the 2 funnels in a few seconds. Wonderful reading your blog! Especially, the musical-string toy and the toilet paper roll. Wow! U got to travel on it TWICE? Yeah, Boast, boast! Haha! Lucky SOB! Thanks George! I am Jack from Hong Kong.
ReplyDeletejack, thank you for all the information on the film 'anegan'. glad to know that you liked my blog. actually, i traveled on it three times. first from singapore to india and then back to singapore. next was the final trip to india.
DeleteGeorge, I checked your profile, we share alot of interests. Now, I like not only your blog but u too. Haha! A few years ago, I read Helen: The Life & Times of an H-bomb. Infactuated by it... I am a history buff. Helen, u may know is an Indian Dancer Actress for over half a century, she is still alive at 76, appeared in over 500 films. Well, she was 5 when she fled from Rangoon chased by the Japanese invasion to Bombay on foot, penniless. When I went to Thailand, I went to see the bridge over River Kwai. Hence, when I saw Anegan's scene at the Port of Rangoon, my ears pricked, eyes widened and whispers bristled. Prior to that, I didn't know S.S. Rajula was sent there. Geez! U are getting carried away by telling me now that it was actually 3 times....brag, brag! Yeah, rub it on, dude! I am 100% Chinese, living in HK, learning Tamil (now intermediate), planning to visit Chennai in 1/2016. Would like to communicate with u. My email: orukalai@gmail.com. Cheers! Jack. A photo of me is on MylanguageExchange.com.
Deletejack, thanks again for so much information. i remember seeing helen in hindi movies in the sixties/seventies on tv. last i saw her was in 'sholay'. i read the book ' bridge over the river kwai' and also saw the movie. glad to know that you are learning tamil. in india each state has a different language. in china i think there is only one language but different dialects. tamil is used in the state of tamil nadu. i live in kerala where the language is malayalam. my email: geoper3@gmail.com. will look for the photo.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteAs we all mark 50 years anniversary SS Rajula went against a cyclone that hit Madras Coast on the 3rd November 1966, thank you to bring back the memory of SS Rajula.
ReplyDeleteMy father was in that ship that sails to Madras from Penang. He remind of how a few 'white' 'officers do all their best, including ensure the passenger safety within the ship, so that she sail and dock safely at Madras habour on the 4th Nov 1.00pm. I hope those gentlemen will be accolade with highest honour.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThe link from the 3rd Officer of SS Rajula on the voyage from Penang to Chennai on the day of 3rd Nov 1966.
Deletehttp://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/INDIA-BRITISH-RAJ/2007-09/1190768243
hi vijay, thanks for the comment and information regarding the cyclone on 3/11/66. i was not aware of it. i visited the link you provided and found it interesting.
DeleteHi Vijay Only just come across your blog Those of us who served on her that day,and are still alive also celbrated the 50th Anniversary, I was one of those 'white' officers (third officer) and have written many stories about ss Rajula, some of which I shared with the Indian heritage Museum of Singapore. I remember the 1966 cyclonr vividly as I was the one who ultimately suggested the manouver that prevented her grounding on the Mahabalapore ? coast Palar River, south of Madras. Over 1600 lives were at stake and saved. Thank you for your accolades it is appreciatred after so many years. I am now 77 years old
DeleteMartin Cotsford LCDR RFD**RANR, Master Mariner
Hi Martin.I came to know about the 1966 cyclone only after reading Vijay's comment. Thank you for all that you did on that day.
DeleteDear Sir,
ReplyDeleteWas a wonderful info on SS Rajula. Was wondering which steamers were on the same route before Rajula? around 1870s till 1920s? thanks
thank you RC.i don't have any information about the steamers that operated on the same route before rajula. may be you could search for it on the net.
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmtWq3LQmuc
ReplyDeleteDear George, I traveled on Rajula when I was a 1 year old, obviously with a young mother in 1953. Then again with parents in 1965. We could afford the "deck" class. I remember the long que to the Indian immigration officers to disembark at Chennai. The officers were positioned in obviously the best class. Walking past the more classy surroundings was a kind of revelation. If you traveled in other than the deck class, I would like to know what was it like. What were the furnishings, food, stewards and services to the very detail. I will enjoy the nostalgia. Thank you. Selva
ReplyDeletehi selva, i don't understand what you mean by 'deck class'. we traveled in a cabin which was occupied by only my family.most of the details i remember are in the above post.
DeleteDear George, I was on this ship as a "Deck" passenger in 1959. I donot know what is the "Cabin" passenger niether. I understood now. i used to stay in queue for a rupee plate of rice and dahl. I stayed on deck every day for a week , someday it rained, some day shined, wonderful when you think og it...You met lots of people, making good friends...Someday can not complin....Reminding me of the good as a"Deck" passenger travelling to the United states. By the way, I reached The US on the same year....Thank you.
Deletethank you for the comment and for sharing your experience on ss rajula.
DeleteHi
Deletehi!
Deletei embarked as a visitor at Nagapattinam port which was sending cargo to Malaysia mainly onion, chili and other vegetables in the year 1966 May as guest of the cargo agent Pandian of Nagattinam. There was no pert for the ship to deck and midway in the sea 3-5 km away we were pulled up to be pushed into the ship along with the cargo and later we were dropped after a day spent with the captain.
ReplyDeletethanks for the comment. i find your experience very interesting.
Deleteregards, george
Following is a mail i received from a reader.
ReplyDeleteFw: The shipwrecks that shook Madras - DTNext.in
Narayana n Rajoo Sun, Dec 16, 2018 at 10:56 AM
To: "George Pereira (Maldives)"
15th December 2018
Dear Mr George Pereira,
I came across your blog on BISN's SS (Steam Ship) Rajula a few years ago, and although I felt like adding my comments then itself, somehow other matters took precedence. I received the link below* just yesterday, and hopefully you may find it of topical interest if you have not already seen it - in whch case my apologies. This prods me to write this mail. As the saying goes 'What and what-what thing will when and when-when happen, then only it will happeno-happen"! (literally translated from Malayalam) And that too after almost seven years.
I have travelled a few times on the SS Rajula. I was scheduled to leave Madras on September 3 1948 and was in fact already on board when at at the very last minute, i had to get off through unfortunate circumstances. I made the trip later from Madras on 2 December 1948 and disembarked at Singapore on 13th. My next trip was end-September 1951 to Madras and returnng to Singapore January 1952, both by SS Rajula, which, I think, then was the only carrier plying between Singapore-FMS (as present-day Malaysia was then familiarly known). Air-travel came in not long afterwards to offer faster (about six hours flying time) travel, although at more than double the cost. With my family, I did make one final voyage to Madras end-October 1965 by SS Rajula, but the return trip was by a ship named 'State of Madras'.
Some of the visitors to your Blog have commented on the different 'Classes' and perhaps you (& they) may find these comments of interest.
There were a very few 'First Class Cabins'- exclusively for one or two passengers, and I think right at the top of the ship. Then there were Second Class - 'A & 'B' - 'A' with two - or three - berth cabins, with one of them upper-berth. The 2nd Class 'B' ' cabins were more communal, with 6 or 8 bunks. At the lowest end of the scale, was 'Third' or 'Deck Class' (or as one Kerala politician described not very complimentarily 'Cattle Class'.) where you staked out your space on the deck with ((I think) your own rush-mat, and shared whatever common facilities were available. My father has mentioned he paid Rs 19 (then equal to £1-1/2 = one and a half 'mudra-pavan - gold sovereigns) around 1911 for passage. In the post WW!! years, I think it was Rs 90 = about £7. Of course those small amounts had considerably more value in their respective days than anyone can imagine today.
The lack of comfort and hardships endured by those who had to undergo 'Deck-travel' was summed up by a Hindi short-story writer, who apparently made the just 3-day voyage from Calcutta to Rangoon by deck. He captioned it as 'Khudai ka Masterpiece'!
And to end, a large proportion of the crew were Goanese.
Regards and with all good wishes,
N Narayanan
P.S Please feel free to add this to your Blog if you think fit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From:
To: Narayana N. Rajoo
Sent: Friday, December 14, 2018 10:01 AM
Subject: The shipwrecks that shook Madras - DTNext.in
https://www.dtnext.in/News/City/2018/10/21011454/1092748/The-shipwrecks-that-shook-Madras.vpf
Good sir your notes is astounding 70 years hence
DeleteThanks for this information.My father traveled from Madras to Singapore in this Ship in 1947. I think it was 9 night journey.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your blog and all the comments too🙏🏽😇
thanks for the comment. glad you liked my blog.
Deletegeorge
Gday George from Melbourne.
ReplyDeleteI sed to watch the ship anchored at the Penang port and later at Port Swettenham where we moved to.
Accidentally arrived at your blog via google while looking for info on Jalaballa, State of Madras and Chiddhambaram. Thanks for the write-up.
thanks for the comment. interesting,that you remember watching the ship at port.
DeleteDear George,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Maryanto, I too have travelled 2 times when I was 2 years old & 8 yrs.The last was in 1964 Dec to Madras & in Jan 1965 return to S'pore.
The Captain I do remember was giving to my father some oranges as gift.
We enjoyed a Tamil movie on board the deck named " Then Nilavu " where GeminiGanesan & Vijenthymala was starring....
We had good food at our place and food can be taken from the mess.
A distant relative uncle was working in the shop.
He took me near the door of the engine room.. I was scared of the noise and said I wanted to go back.
It was quite an experience.
At that time I was studying in St Antonys boys school in Singapore and was staying in 37A Chandra Rd near Ferret Park...
It was really good old times.. Which cannot be taken back....
Thanks
hi maryanto. thank you for the comment and for sharing your experience on the ship.
DeleteDear George,
ReplyDeleteI read with interest your blog and comments. I am currently writing a book that starts in India and ends in Malaya. My grandfather came to Malaya voluntarily in 1913 from Tanjore. Would you by any chance know what ship he would have travelled on? Any information pertaining to his sea travel during that time and what it was like for females will be very helpful.
Thank you
jeyalamar@gmail.com
hi jeyalamar. thank you for the comment. glad to know that you are writing a book. i am sorry i do not know of any ship that traveled during 1913. you could search the net for more information.
DeleteHi George
DeleteThere are many queries on this blog most of which I can answer, but I find it difficult to work in this small print. Send me your email address and I will forward to you personally a detailed answer to many of the questions by nominating the blogger and answering indiviually
Salaams/Regards Martin Cotsford ex 3/O Rajula
Hi Martin.
DeleteThank you so much for your offer to answer the queries on this blog. My email is geoper3@gmail.com
I had also travelled on the ship with my mom brother and sister from Penang to Madras in 1968 when we left Malaysia had fond memories of horse races (dummy horses tied to a rope) .I was 9 years old then
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment.
DeleteI started hunting for what had happened to the Rajula some 54 years after a friend and I sailed on it from Penang to Madras in June 1965. WE had a car on board too, which we had bought in Singapore and used it to travel from Madras to London. This was just before the Hippie Trail got going. We were not hippies but we travelled deck class because it was so much cheaper (10 pounds) and we had very limited funds.
ReplyDeleteWE had to sign an undertaking not to complain about conditions on deck class. When we asked why, the B.I. line said it was because there "had been trouble with Europeans travelling deck class then getting into arguments and disturbances with ot, her deck class passengers". Although it was very crowded with 2000 rubber plantation workers (called 'coolies' by those who travelled in the upper class berths) we experienced no "trouble" and found deck class rigorous but once everybody had staked out a patch, it was respected.
Actually although we had booked our car for passage, and it was accepted, when we came to pay for our own passage they said there was no room - it was fully booked. We tried to say that if we couldn't go, then the car couldn't go. THe First Officer, a fellow New Zealander, heard this discussion and said "I'll get you on boys" - and he did. More than that, he assigned us to the Female Isolation Hospital cabin, right at the stern, on the understanding that if any woman fell sick, we would have to move out.
But we kept it, even though there was a fierce typhoon in the Bay of Bengal. I did not know of the Rajula's "excellent seaworthiness" at the time, but it must have been true because it was a horrendous voyage for 5 days, with the bow going underwater, and the stern coming right out of the water day and night. As "Rajula" crested an enormous wave, I thought "Oh no. When we slide down this steep wave, the front will dig in to the water and we will go straight to the bottom". Truly it was a voyage like that shown in the movie "Life of Pi". Yes, the bow did go underwater, and the deck class passengers held on desperately. The ship dived, then, slowly, miraculously, shuddered, and began to rise again. Our fear was the waves that hit us sideways, causing the ship to pitch and roll. I don't know the degree it has to be heeling over to be beyond the point of no return, but it must have got close to that. Furniture crashed about, stuff was washed overboard, but no passengers were lost or even injured to my knowledge.
All the while the crew was attentive and sympathetic to the needs and state of health of the passengers, which was not good. Many were violently seasick (including me) and the doctor was kept busy.
One night we got invited to dine with the captain which was something I did not expect, being a deck class passenger.
I remember the passage as like something out of a Joseph Conrad story crossed with Noel Coward, as the furnishings and attitudes of the last of the Raj (those who had opted to "stay on") seemed to show that we were travelling in a time warp somewhere in the 1920s-1930s.
The experience is still vivid for me more than 50 years later, and the fact that the "Rajula" survived that typhoon only to face another a year later, where 2-3 other ships were wrecked, shows that it was a combination of seaworthiness and good seamanship which kept it afloat in the worst possible circumstances,
So, to any of the crew who may be still alive to read this, I say "Well done you">
Very long and very interesting. Thank you for the comment.
DeleteHello Mr George. My name is Rose Mary. I was born in Tiruvannamalai,India in 1963. I came to Malaysia with my parents the following year. My late mother did tell which ship we came in but i have forgotten because it was a long time ago. But its either SS Ragula or Sithambaram. Do you think there could be a way for me to find out which one of the ship it was? Thank you in advance.
ReplyDeleteHi Rose Mary, thank you for the comment. You must have travelled on the SS Rajula since your came to Malaysia in 1964. MV
DeleteChidambaram was operating during 1973 to 1985.
I went to India as a five year old in 1955 or was it 1954. My mother and I went by SS Rajula and returned by the State of Madras. Still remember the meal times and I think there was swimming pool in one of the ships not sure which one. There were drills but I did not take part, or did I. Too long a time to remember. Where can I find statistics on both these ships, like weight and so on. I think the Rajula only weighed 5000 tonnes which would caused many of the passengers to get sea sick. Read somewhere that the Rajula was used by British Army in the 40's.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment PR Samy. I still remember the meal times too. I don't remember a swimming pool in SS Rajula. You could check the Internet for more information on the ships.
DeleteThank you George. The jetty from which we boarded Rajula was in existence for a long time and later was damaged by fire. Parts of it may still be in existence in Port Klang. A lot of the travellers those days were the babourers who were brought to then Malaya to clear jungles and work in the rubber plantations. They travelled cheapest, sleeping on their own mats spread at the bottom deck. I think the fare one way then was about rm100 or so.
ReplyDeleteThank you PR Samy for the additional information that you have provided.
Deletei am looking for passenger list when my grandfather traveled in 1918 as a young boy.
ReplyDeleteAny idea please ?
Please email me puvan1@hotmail.com
You could try searching the net for the passenger list. I am sorry I can't be of much help in this.
DeleteHi All, I am coming back to this blog since I last posted in 2017! Did not know there are so many postings since! PRSamy is right. I remember the deck fare as RM100. My father could afford that much for a family of six. The email from Narayana n Rajoo and kindly posted by George Pereira is very revealing on the classes information I asked for. My uncle was an accounts clerk at Malayan Airways. He was the only person I know of who travelled by air to Madras. His wife travelled 2nd class. But I remember it as C. Vaguely remember that pax cannot move from deck class to 2nd Class. There was some type of 'barrier'. I was 12 then. So not matured enough to understand the economics and social divides that 'structured' the pax accomodations. I remember well the descriptions above of deck class 'staking' out one's territory! Part of the 'must have' was an iron trunk suitcase. Still will like greater details of the 1st and 2nd classes. Believe the 2nd class cheapest fare was RM250. Great Blog!
ReplyDeleteRaju gobor report Interestingly there was this iron trunk maker Nadimuthu of Petaling jaya later Petaling tin who used to make this for his clients mostly to India..
DeleteNow I also remember the 1st class fare as RM400. Theis blog jogs lots of memories!
ReplyDeleteThank you Selva. Good to see another comment from you and the additional information that you have provided.
DeleteThank you George, But all thanks goes to you. Sent this link to my siblings yesterday. All excited with the memories now. My memories comes from the trip in Dec 1965. School holidays. But my first trip will have been in 1953 as a 1 year old cradled by my mother! The movie I remember screened was Kabhi Andhera Kabhi Ujala 1958 movie. Open air on upper deck at night. Opportunity to get out from the lower deck! The fares data came from my mother then. I had no idea on finances or monetary values then. Believe landed at Nagapattinam. Got to disembark via a kind of rope ladder unto a junk like boat tossing up and down in the swells. The trunk box had to follow. Believe the dock facilities were not deep enough like Madras to dock Rajula. Whilst waiting for immigration clearance onboard, pax were tossing coins ito the sea. There were people sitting on logs going up and down with the waves and will dive after the coins. Was a spectacle to see.
ReplyDeleteMy family lived in the then Port Swettenham. Govt quarters. Favorite layover for all relatives and friends who travel by Rajula, State of Madras or Chidambaram. Ship will leave dock at about 1900HRS for Penang.
ReplyDeleteThank you once again for another interesting comment. I remember watching movies on the upper deck too. We got down at Madras and so did not have to use a rope ladder.
DeleteRe coins being tossed into sea, I remember as a 4 year old. I remember boys about 15 -16 years old diving into the sea to retrieve the coins. Remember coming back from Penang after the quarantine to KL by the then steam engines. Oh yes, smell of the food being served for the 3rd class passengers. I think there were people who were sea sick but not me. I survived sea sickness. Remember the flying fish, competing with the ship.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment PRSamy. I don't remember seeing coins being tossed into the sea but I do remember the flying fish in the sea.
DeleteHi Mr PRSamy, I wanted to add in that thing about the 'food smell' yesterday. But then thought it was not appropriate as it could be just me and family. Glad to see we are in agreement! Must have been a common thing to put up with! But the fish pieces in the curry were big though. Could be the flying fish? Also the 'balancing act' when walking on land after 7 days at sea on a ship that kept swaying sideways. Going by Physics, the 'rocking' motion would have been magnified in the upper deck First and Second classes. Wonder whether it was the same.
DeleteHi there,
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to get details of my father in law's trip on the Rajula from Singapore to Colombo. He says he travelled there sometime in 1946. Does anyone know how we might get more information on passenger list etc. My hubby is trying to write my dad in law's biography and so we want info on when he travelled etc. any ideas?
Thank you
Anna
Thank you for the comment Anna. Unfortunately I don't have the details that you have requested.
DeleteThe following is from a mail I received from Martin Cotsford ex 3/O SS Rajula. He was on the Ship during the 1966 cyclone that hit Madras and played an important role in saving the Ship.
ReplyDeleteVijay Asir October 29, 2016
Hi Vijay. I have already replied on May 25, 2020 but will add, go and visit the Indian Heritage Centre (Museum) Singapore if you haven’t already it opened 07 May 2015.
RC March 25, 2017
RC The BRITISH INDIA STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY first operated a service from Calcutta to Straits via Rangoon & Moulmein in 1875, there was a link from Madras to Rangoon at that time.
Direct service Madras to Straits commenced in 1911 with the building of seven “E” class ships (Ellenga, Ellora, Egra, Ekma, Edavana, Elephanta Erinpura)
All carried 50 1st ,50 2nd , 1800 Deck class passengers. All were about the 5,200 g weight. Went off the joint runs Calcutta/ Straits or Madras/Straits during WW1 & WW2. Ellenga was the last ship to depart Rangoon 24 hrs prior to invasion by Japanese. Edavana (Features in you-tube PENANG 1930) was sold to Scindia S N Co in 1933 renamed Jalagopal. Erinpura was sunk with loss of 664 lives bombed in Mediterranean sea. The rest were scrapped 1948/50.
Rajula and Rhona commenced dedicated service in 1926. Both carried 37 1st 135 2nd 4,300 Deck class. 8,600 g weight. Rhona was sunk in 1943 again in the Mediterranean with the loss of 1,170 lives. However Rajula broke all records. Longest serving 1926 to 1974 ..48 years. Most passengers 5,114 in 1928 on a Hadj run. Refitted with new lifeboats in 1962, deck passengers reduced to 2,000. Survived a cyclone in 1966, she was the Queen of the BI fleet and became a household word in ports she serviced. She had a cruiser stern, unlike many others of her age which had counter sterns, terrific seaworthy ship, Triple expansion steam up & downer, twin screws 12 knot service speed
The following is another mail from Martin Cotsford (Australia). I have posted it in 2 parts.
ReplyDeleteSS RAJULA : A VOYAGE AS A DECK PASSENGER
Selva, your questions have prompted me to make my answer into the form of a short story, which gives me the opportunity to elaborate by introducing how and why two Scots colonialists William MacKinnon and Robert Mackenzie introduced the concept of a Deck Passenger Ship. Both were agents of the notorious East India Company based in Calcutta, founding the British India Steam Navigation Company in 1856. Initially they introduced ships onto lucrative Royal Mail contracts e.g. Calcutta- Rangoon. By 1872 the company was profitable enough to expand and the first deck passenger ship was built aptly named Calcutta on the Calcutta-Chittagong service.
India (including Pakistan) had one export in abundance, that is manpower as the commodity. This labour in the form of itinerant workers was originally utilised by countries within the British Empire, but with the advent of oil, extended to the Arabian Gulf states. The first purpose built deck passenger ship for the Madras- Straits (Settlements) run was the Loodiana in 1885,tonnage 3269g, 42 cabin-3000 deck passengers. She was a steamship but had provision to sail. This was followed by the seven E Class ships in 1911, then came the Rajula/Rhona in 1926 which extended to 1973. BI’s very last ship was Dwarka which continued until 1982 on the Bombay -Gulf service, completing one hundred years of this special category of passenger ships. There would have been at least 100 individual ships in that period, all without exception had four hatches for cargo. (See you-tube RMS Dwarka- Arabian Voyage- BBC The World About Us)
Rajula, without a doubt was the most famous, due to her longevity of service spanning 48 years. The period I sailed aboard this magnificent old lady was 1966/67 when I was a senior third officer with a First Mate’s certificate of competency.
To describe the conditions aboard Rajula lets start from the top and work down. My accommodation at the boat deck level was very basic which is commensurate with the age of the ship. My cabin had bare steel bulkheads, a sink with cold water only, and a door opening to the open deck. It was on the starboard side and I had to walk around to the port side for the single bathroom. First class (40 person max) cabins on the immediate deck below were similar but two berths (bunks) while mine was single. These cabins opened onto an internal passage and there were two bathrooms to service approx. twenty cabins. All had overhead fans. In addition we all had the services of the Goanese stewards who serviced the cabins, polished shoes and gave silver service in the decorative first class dining saloon. There was also a communal lounge with library/TV and bar facilities.
Second class (135 person max) had four up to eight berth cabins with no sinks, possibly a couple of two berth cabins, but the larger ones were the majority, situated aft of first class with separate dining facilities but no silver service. Cabin service was also limited. All cabin passengers could watch communal movies at least once a trip. While first class food consisted of many European dishes there was always a curry on the menu. These curries tended to be rather bland, even for the officers, and we looked forward to our chicken curry cooked by the crew’s Bhandari once a trip. Six live chickens were brought aboard in Penang and lowered into the holds containing onions, if they came out alive the holds were considered gas free and safe for labour to enter. Due to quarantine they could not be returned ashore, they became the officer’s special curry.
The next two decks which consisted of the weather deck which was 50% covered from rain and storm, the other 50% was sheltered from the sun only at sea, in way of the hatch openings by canvas awnings. The next deck down was the tween deck which ran from forward to aft. This deck was completely protected from the elements, lighting and ventilation effected by large watertight scuttles (openings in the hull). Both decks had a multitude of port holes, all were teak wooden sheathed. The hatch opening in the tween deck had permanent iron bars to prevent passengers falling into the hold. At sea when the hatch was covered these made ideal places for the unaccompanied ladies to sleep on the canvass covered hatch lids, they had the security of a cage. We jokingly referred to these areas as the virgin’s cages. These two decks were certified to carry 1600 passengers in the fair season, reduced to 1400 in the foul season (cyclone/monsoon). Rajula also had two to three hundred hinged wooden platforms attached to inner bulkheads which one could sleep on instead of the deck or hatches. Asian toilets (squat over) were numerous as were gender segregated open showers which were basically a row of shower heads. Toilets throughout the ship were flushed by salt water but showers were cold fresh water, thus the ship had high consumption of fresh water.
DeleteThis multitude of passengers was looked after by the following crew. A petty officer known as the Gunner was in charge, he did rounds with the chief officer twice daily, and handled any problems /complaints as well as security. He was in charge of a brig/lock-up which was rarely utilised. A Supplementary Deck crew (Low caste Hindus) swabbed the decks daily and cleaned showers and toilets. Cooks known as Vichy Walla’s prepared the meals in stifling hot iron galleys, offering vegetarian as well as meat diets. Comparable to the opposition (State of Madras) the food was considered excellent. Numerous signs depicting a kerosene cooker with a large red X cross were displayed so that passengers would not do their own cooking. Tin trunks were popular for carrying possessions, many passengers utilised them to sleep on especially if the decks were wet. Myself and the second officer did rounds through the ship at the completion of our night watches (2400hrs & 0400hrs).Consequently the passenger decks were well patrolled. And any reports were officially logged .
Three medical staff serviced the whole ship. A three- ring Officer / Doctor, two Petty Officers a mature age female nurse, plus a male medical/orderly /dispenser. There was a small hospital. Births were discouraged, heavily pregnant women were barred from embarking and the female nurse was very good at picking them as they came aboard, she would feel their stomachs under their saris. Anyone born on a British ship could claim British citizenship. Deaths on a Haji voyage were numerous, but on this run only occasional. There was insufficient refrigeration aboard to accommodate dead bodies so they were buried at sea. The body was sewn up in weighted canvas, a short service of prayers according to their religion, engines were stopped and the body committed to the deep. The engines were stopped so the propellers did not chop up the body.
Deck passengers were not allowed into cabin passenger areas and vice versa , barred gates served as barriers. The only exception if abandon ship was declared they were opened for access to lifeboats. If the vessel was alongside, separate gangways were utilised but in Nagapatunam, passengers embarked via a watertight door just above the waterline pulled up from surging dhows with the assistance of two sturdy seamen standing on a platform. Trust this answers your questions Selva ? Martin Cotsford ….ex third officer SS Rajula
Hi George,
DeleteI'm also looking for someone precious who sailed to Singapore in 1940.
Hi hm
DeleteI hope you will find the information that you seek.
Actually I too like to have some information on my trip to Madras, most probably in 1955 or could be 1954. Saw my maternal grandmother for the first and the last time then.
ReplyDeleteGood to see your comment again. Unfortunately I don't have any information regarding the voyages in 1955.
DeleteHello Mr Pereira,
ReplyDeleteMy Name is Raj Kumar and I was born on board the ship SS Rajula on the 21st of March 1962 when my parents were travelling back from Madras to Penang in Malaysia.
I have a birth certificate/log from the captain and also a birth certificate from Somerset house in UK since I was born in the international waters therefore I have British citizenship and have stayed in UK since the mid 80's
I am trying more information about my birth and hoping you can point me in the right direction
I am trying to find the passenger manifest and if there were any other persons who were born on board SS Rajula
Thanks
Raj Kumar
Hi Raj Kumar
DeleteThank you for the interesting comment. Unfortunately I don't have the information that you seek. You could search the net for the Shipping Company that owned the ship and contact them if they are still operating.
Just read the detailed account from Martin Cotsford. Excellent work. Thank you very much
ReplyDeleteHi Selva,
DeleteGood to see you here again.
Dear George,
ReplyDeleteI was searching for some material for my book following my family trail from Singapore to India then to Britain. Reading your blog brought back many memories. I have travelled three times, both on Straits of Madras and the
SS Rajula in1965/66 as a five year old and in1969 landing in Madras. Thank you for your blog which has reignited the fire in me to write the next book. Anyone here who have shared a similar passage in life, I’d be happy to hear from you. alamailbooks@yahoo.com
Thank you for the comment. My best wishes for your book
DeleteI was 4 yrs old in 1964, when I accompanied my dad from Penang to Nagapattinam on this ship.
DeleteThank you for the comment Ramu
DeleteCool and I have a keen provide: House Renovation What Order complete house renovation cost
ReplyDelete