How we came together: Our parents came to Singapore from Namakkal in Tamil Nadu, India, in the late 1950s and early 1960s to seek employment in Harbour Board Singapore (now Port of Singapore Authority). Their common heritage ancestry, hailing from the Kongu Vellalar Kaunder (KVK) group united them. When they moved to the one-room HDB rental flats at Jalan Bukit Merah, a new community emerged with the first generation (children) ‘cliquing’ together as childhood friends.
How we grew up together: Our childhood memories were made in Bukit Merah in the seventies. We grew up together. Though we attended differe
nt primary schools (Silat Primary School, Radin Mas Primary School, or the furthest away Peck Seah Primary School), we had common pastime. We congregated after school to go to the playground. Occasionally our parents would bring us to Tiong Bahru Park. There, our ‘mums’ would sit and talk about their childhood years in villages around Namakkal and share news of India while we (the children) would run around playing ‘Police and Thief’, ‘Catching’ or chasing butterflies. Our other activities included watching movies, walking through the Bukit Merah railway track to a Murugar Temple, go jogging, and playing soccer over the weekends. This continued til mid-eighties when our families bought HDB flats in different parts of Singapore and moved out. We lost touch and only met for KVK weddings and functions.
How we reunited after many years: When social media platforms like email, Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp appeared, the ‘Bukit Merah Boys’ reunited creating groups, catching up with chats. We started a WhatsApp group called ‘Forever Young Brotherhood’ which is very active with chats, discussions, and fellowships.
How FITNESS BINDS US now: As age caught up with us, we realised the importance of keeping ourselves fit and healthy. Back in our childhood days, soccer and play occupied our time. The reunion has prompted us to start a hiking group. Every Saturday, we go hiking to various locations around the island followed by short fellowships at any nearby eatery. To date we have covered MacRitchie, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Coney Island, East Coast Park, Rail Corridor Walk, Labrador Nature Reserve, Mount Faber. Hort Park Trail and Canopy Walk. In addition, we share articles on health, diets, and fitness. As the saying goes, ‘Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much,’ and ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ We are motivating one another and growing old together. Sadly, we lost one of our comrades, P. Kalimuthu!
We have witnessed many wonderful, funniest, craziest and precious moments of our formative years together. We value those memories which will bind the ‘Forever Young Brotherhood’ making our relationships special. Our friendship is a blessing showered through our Namakkal-hailed parents in Singapore. We are still in touch with our roots in Namakkal, India and would love to go to Namakkal and do hiking there and visit our ‘Kula Theiva’ temples in and around Namakkal!
Written by: Tamilselvam Kaliannan
The Bukit Merah Boys (Forever Young Brotherhood): K. Tamilselvam, C. Panneerselvam, K. Kalimuthu, A. Chandrasekar, P. Sivanandam, P. Kalimuthu (deceased), Chandrasekar, L. Mani, L.Tamilselvan S.Sukumar, Chandra Segaran, S. Chinnakannan, S. Chandrasegar