Photograph of Komalavalli at her மங்கல நீராட்டு (Mangala Neerattu) ceremony

This photograph depicts Komalavalli at her மங்கல நீராட்டு (Mangala Neerattu) ceremony (colloquially known as மஞ்சள் நீராட்டு விழா (Manjal Neerattu Vizha)). This is a coming of age ceremony celebrating the transition from childhood into womanhood. It is conducted after a girl first gets her period, and previously served to announce that a girl was of marriageable age. This ceremony was considered to be as important as a wedding. Here, Komalavalli sits on a lotus throne, representing the goddess Lakshmi.Komalavilli was the 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)).