N. Sivanand

Snapshots from a life in retrospect

N. Sivanand was a golden-ager among Kuwait's expatriate oil sector employees. After having served in the British Indian Army in Burma and Indonesia and the private sector in Bombay, in January 1948, Sivanand was one of the early Indians expatriates to arrive in the then British protectorate of Kuwait. Journeying from Bombay in a small charter aircraft that landed on a gatched mud airstrip inside the walled city of Kuwait, Sivanand was part of a British Petroleum managed team formed to launch the commercial oil operations of Kuwait Oil Company (KOC).

Sivanand worked for KOC up to 1966 and after construction of the Shuaiba refinery, he moved to the new set up of Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), from where he later retired in 1986, after 39 years of service for the oil sector in Kuwait. Popularly known as ‘Siva’ during his days in Ahmadi, Kuwait, he was founder member and patron of various socio-cultural organisations such as the Kuwait Photographic Society (KPS), Unity Cricket Club (UCC), Kerala Samajam, Kerala Dramatics Society (KDS) and the Gardeners' Club of Kuwait.

Siva’s three greatest passions were photography, cricket and gardening. His aptitude for art and his outstanding talent for black & white photography were behind the lens that captured hundreds of artistic portraits and priceless images of the history of early Kuwait from the 1940s through to the 1970s.

Birth and early childhood

Sivanand was born on 20th November 1924, at Kallumala, Mavelikara, as the eldest son of his mother Paapyamma, a school teacher, and father M. C. Narayanan ("M. C."), a social reform activist and later Judge of the Village Panchayat Court and honorary Second Class Magistrate.

Sivan spent most of his early youth in Mavelikara, going to school mostly in the company of his many cousins and friends from Kallumala. Of the several incidents he recalled from his youth, were those days around the historic Temple Entry Proclamation of Travancore in 1936, when he and his cousins for the first time walked into the until then forbidden enclosure of Sree Krishnaswamy Temple at Mavelikara, only to be blockaded and challenged by some of his own schoolmates, thus leading to his squad of cousins overpowering those who resisted their entry.

In 1941, on graduating from Bishop Hodges High School in Mavelikara, it was Sivan’s desire to take up higher studies. However, at that time, his father had suffered losses in a furniture manufacturing unit that resulted in accumulating liabilities, which threatened to attach the family properties and home. As the eldest son, Sivan felt obligated to support the family and assist with the education of his younger siblings.

An underage in the British India Army

Pressed by social pressures and daring youth, Sivan moved in search of employment, leading him to a friend in Calcutta. In Calcutta, at age sixteen and aware of the risks of war, young Sivan enrolled in the British India Army, which was recruiting for the Allies’ Asian resistance in World War II. Sivan soon found himself being moved with platoons through North East Frontier Area and into the midst of the war in Rangoon, Burma. For months his money order remittances would promptly reach home, but in line with the army’s secrecy over its troop movements Sivan’s whereabouts was unknown to his parents, as his letters were never delivered home. Meanwhile Sivan was never alone, as he made many good friends and acquaintances from the army; those that influenced his outlook on life and to later venture abroad. Noteworthy among his close friends from Calcutta were two brothers, Sunil Kumar Lahiri and Sujit Kumar Lahiri (whose first names Sivan later adopted for two of his sons). So also an older soldier and compatriot from Travancore, Louis Chettan (fondly called ‘Chettan’, meaning big brother) became a friend and mentor, - their friendship lived through to the late nineties until the passing of Chettan. Sivan also maintained friendships with his British comrades, such as Major Beavers who introduced him to the art of photography.

Sivan’s service in the army did not however last long. Towards the end of the second year in the army and based on a petition from his mother to the Army Headquarters, despite the war, Sivan was duly discharged from the army on grounds of his mother’s claim that Sivan had enrolled in the army as an underage recruit, at sixteen.

Bombay - Tough times and aspirations

Moving to Bombay, in 1943, Sivan initially worked in the private sector for JK Mills, Impex and other short-term clerical jobs, often having to live in poor boarding facilities. Sivan, who by nature never complained of his difficulties, once recalled those days as some of the toughest having to spend the nights in makeshift sleeping bags to ward of the swarms of mosquitoes that troubled him more than the enemies in the warfront! That boarding, although mediocre, it seems was located near a pig sty in the suburb of Chembur.

Around 1945 Sivanand was better employed in Air India and was counting on the number of years of savings needed before he could go back to Travancore or Madras and continue with his studies. At this juncture came an offer of employment in the Middle East, then infamous for its extreme weather and harsh living conditions in the desert (before the days of electricity and water supply). British Petroleum (BP) was offering a salary of Rs 275 plus all-found accommodation and bi-annual leave travel, for work in the desert sheikdom of Kuwait. The offer sounded attractive to Sivan, as at that time his thinking was that, at double the current savings he could get back to studies in half the number of years of his working life.

Willingness to adventure to Kuwait was mustered, but financial ability was still in question. Sivan having supported his family and siblings over his working years had no liquid cash in savings to spare for the initial expenses for the venture to Kuwait. On hearing of Sivan’s plans, Louis Chettan encouraged Sivan; and without asking handed over Rs 400 (a substantial sum of money in those days) for Sivan’s expenses and remittances home during the job transition period. Louis Chettan, before his death, in a letter to this author, recollected this incident and how Sivan duly returned the money over the first two months, mailing currency notes back to Chettan in two envelopes (as there was no banking and remittance facilities from Kuwait in those days).

Life in Old Kuwait

In January 1948, flying from Bombay on a small charter aircraft that landed on a gatched mud airstrip inside the walled city of Kuwait, Sivanand was part of a British Petroleum managed team that arrived to launch the commercial oil operations of Kuwait Oil Company (“KOC”). Sivan more than once reminisced hearing the news of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination whilst Sivan was in the midst of his initial journey to Kuwait. Sivan’s plans of working abroad were short-term, but destiny had it that Sivan would be there a lot longer.

Living conditions in the first year in Kuwait were tough. Camps were in canvas tents with just kerosene lamps for the night. Electricity was yet to come. Even the ruler’s palace had just begun to enjoy the privilege of electricity supply from a generator operated by KOC. Potable water was transported in sheepskin water bottles from Basra carried on the backs of donkeys. KOC used to have makeshift seawater filtration units until later the first distillation plant was set up by the British.

Weekends were days that Sivan and his collegues used to drive from Ahmadi to the walled city of Kuwait. Sivan often taking the opportunity to capture the city scenes on camera. On such occasion, strolling with his camera and clicking pictures around this ruler’s palace, Sivan was summoned by the palace guards. Sivan thought he was being led into the palace because of the sensitivity of having taken pictures of the palace gate. However, he was to meet a senior royal family member, H.E. Sheikh Abdullah bin Jabir Al-Sabah, who requested that a few pictures be taken of H.E. and a teenaged daughter.

Pursuit of passions

In retrospect, Sivan’s life was all about making the best of what was possible in a place without many social openings or conducive living conditions. From childhood, Sivan was fond of reading books, as he grew up in a home (a. k. a. “Vaayanashaala”) that housed a public library set up by his father. Sivan took to reading; and his exposure to books and magazines triggered an avid interest in art, photography and gardening, which he took up as a passionate hobbies and challenges in his life in Kuwait. As more Indian and British expatriates came into Kuwait, Sivan cultured a large circle of like-minded friends from across communities, including Indians, British and Kuwaitis. He kept himself busy with cultural activities and building social networks where they did not exist.

Sivan and his friends founded organisations such as the Kuwait Photographic Society, Cricket Club and the Gardeners' Club of Kuwait. He also played active roles in Malayalee organizations such as the Kerala Samajam and Kerala Dramatics Society (KDS).

Sivan’s Photography

From the 1950's through to the 1970's Siva’s house was outfitted with latest photography equipment and gadgetry such as still cameras, exposure meters, flashes, floodlights and dark room equipment like agitators, enlargers, washing trays and stock of chemicals and consumables; all essentials of a professional photo studio. While most of the photo shoots Siva undertook was in pursuit of his hobby, he was also occasionally engaged as a freelance photographer by KOC and KNPC on special occasions. Some of the early aerial photographs of Ahmadi township in Kuwait were shot by Siva.

Siva was several times winner of trophies such as the Scott Shield, Agfa Gevaert Trophy, Magwa Shield, Asad Shield from the 1950s through the 70s. In 1976 alone, before retiring from his passionate hobby as a photographer par excellence, Siva won all three, the gold, silver and bronze medals in the annual KPS competitions. His photographic works on the desert life of Kuwait have also won him prizes at the Rotary District 320 photographic competition in India.

Principles and Ethics

At home Sivan used to occasionally reiterate his own of values and ethics of dealing with people. He often told his children not to be afraid of seeking what was rightfully theirs; but never to seek or keep anything outside the bounds of righteousness. Sivan cited his reason for leaving home to work at the age of sixteen was because he wanted to free his family of debts.

In later life too Sivan and his father M.C. set in practice their ethics and moral values over and above opportunities. An exemplar of such values was shown in the early 1960s when the family had for over 25 years held under lease (paattom) possession five acres of agricultural dry land within Mavelikara Municipal limits; land that was rightfully owned by members of the Kaleeyikal family of Mavelikara. Under the Kerala Land Reforms Act of 1963, the property could have transferred ownership to the tenant, but both M.C. and Sivan took a moral stance. They approached the owners and offered to either buy the property or return it. The owner (family's son-in-law, a head constable of police and friend of M.C.) was taken aback by the gesture and was gladly willing to sell it for next to nothing. After ensuing discussion and putting the property on the market, it was then purchased by Sivan at a premium to the price offered to them by the MKV family; and with the full goodwill of Kaleeyikal family. Both Sivan and M.C. held to their own moral high ground, which prevailed over benefits offered by the law.

Retirement and Passing

Follow retirement from his service in Kuwait in 1986, Sivan was keen on spending time as an agriculturist back in Mavelikara, the family’s hometown. As an extension of his passion for gardening—which earned him many prizes from the Gardener’s Club in Kuwait—Sivan earnestly took to becoming a planter. He kept his interest in vegetables and fruits (one giant banana bunch he grew using a tissue-cultured sapling, was subject of a news report in Malayala Manorama) and went on to develop a rubber plantation around the present-day main Elavanthi property. He also took to farming other crops. After spending 20 years as a planter and agriculturist, age-related health problems gradually disabled Sivan towards the end of 2006, after which he lived in Cherthala with his daughter’s family.

Despite his disabilities, Sivan held on to his resolve to live to participate in the lives of his children and grandchildren, never complaining or being disheartened about his deteriorating physical condition.

The ailing Sivan peacefully passed away on 14th November 2009, just a week short of his 85th birthday.

Sivan’s last rites and final farewell rituals were performed by his sons (including Anil who grew up as Sivan's son) and grandsons at the Elavanthi house, Mavelikara, on 18th November 2009. As a mark of respect and in keeping with the age-old family tradition of retaining footprints of ancestors, a pādha-palaka (foot board) bearing Sivan’s foot imprint in sandalwood paste is preserved at the Elavanthi house.

By Sujit Sivanand
19 July 2008 (as updated on 19th November 2009)