Wedding Invitation of Lakshmana Perumal and Komalavalli

Collections
1605515
Title
Wedding Invitation of Lakshmana Perumal and Komalavalli
Year/Period
1943
Region
Singapore
Object Type
Dimension
Object size: 22.7 x 25.8 cm
Accession No.
2025-00705
Credit Line
Gift of Mythili and the family S L Perumal

This wedding certificate documents the union of Komalavalli and Sundarajulu Lashmana Perumal. Komalavalli and Perumal married in 1943 during the Japanese Occupation. Their wedding was modified due to occupation conditions, taking one rather than three days. However, Perumal described it as "the biggest marriage of the Occupation", which was attended by Dr Benjamin Sheares, the first local obstetrician, Lim Boon Keng, a physician and social reformer, and members of the Indian Independence League.Komalavalli was the eldest daughter of Balaguru Govindasamy Chettiar, a pioneer Singaporean who ran the Indian Labour Company, the main contractor supplying workers to the Singapore Harbour Board (now Port of Singapore Authority (PSA)). Lakshmana Perumal was Govindasamy's nephew, and was an assistant at the Indian Labour Company when he married Komalavalli. Lakshmana Perumal remained at the company until the Singapore Harbour Board discontinued the system of contract labour to the port in 1948. Lakshmana Perumal also assisted in and continued Govindasamy's work for the Vadapathirakaliamman Temple after Govindasamy’s death in 1948. He oversaw major renovations and the temple’s expansion in the 1970s.