Serial No: IAH0015
Title: Prai Estate
I started organic farming here, at the land of the previous Prai Estate. Now the business is doing well and my worm fertilizer is famous. Prai Estate is a lucky place for me.
Somosonderam s/o Suppiah, born 1950
Prai Estate, Seberang Jaya
I was born in Penang, my father came from India. We lived in the Prai Estate. It was a huge area covering the Pacific Mall, Chai Leng Park and Seberang Jaya today. In the past, there were two more estates near here: Juru and Batu Kawan. They were all owned by the orang putih. Prai Estate was basically coconut and rubber plantations. The entire estate was fenced with a guard post at the main entrance. It was located at where the Pacific Mall is today. There were about 300 families, i.e. about 600-700 people, mostly Indian living in the estate. There was also a small population of people from Jawa. In the estate, we had one Indian coffeeshop, two Chinese sundry shops, a toddy shop, a Hindu temple and a Tamil school in the estate. There were even an Indian graveyard and a Javanese graveyard. Once a week, there would be outdoor screening of Tamil films for entertainment. I missed those days in the estate. In the evening during mealtime, every family would bring out their food and eat together at the five-foot-way. It was like a communal feast.
We had to move out from Prai Estate because it was sold in 1967 and eventually developed into what you see today. I did not move far though. I bought a house at a nearby new housing estate. I did many jobs in my life. Eventually I started organic farming here, at the land of the previous Prai Estate. Now the business is doing well and my worm fertilizer is famous. Prai Estate is a lucky place for me. I’m contended with my life because my family is with me, and my daughter is interested to continue the business.
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