Remembering the Milk Carnival and the legacy of Amichand Rajbansi

I WAS fortunate to have attended the premiere of The Bengal Tiger - The Rajbansi Story. Watching the film unfold, I was reminded of just how complex, remarkable,] and often misunderstood Amichand Rajbansi was as a leader.

- DR ARADHANA RAMNUND-MANSINGH

For those of us who grew up hearing stories about the Milk Carnival he championed, the memories still bring broad smiles to the faces of elders who narrate them. These stories are not just nostalgic recollections of song and dance; they are powerful reminders of the importance of social cohesion within the indentured Indian community of Durban during apartheid.

The Indian community in South Africa has long occupied a precarious and in-between position, one that fostered both uncertainty and remarkable endurance. Out of this space of ambiguity emerged determination, as leaders, cultural organisers, and everyday families invested effort in binding their people together. For them, social cohesion was essential, not optional: without it, the community risked splintering, fading into invisibility, or being erased altogether.

It was the rhythms of cultural life expressed through temples and mosques, neighbourhood schools, music halls, and vibrant carnivals that served as connective tissue, sustaining identity, offering inspiration, and ensuring that Indianness remained visible in the broader South African mosaic.

Against this backdrop, the Milk Carnival emerged as more than just an entertainment event. Organised in Durban in the 1970s and 1980s, often under the patronage of Rajbansi and the Durban Milk Publicity Council, the carnival attracted thousands. Reports recall audiences of 50 000 to 80 000 people gathered at the Unit 3B football ground in Chatsworth to watch artists perform.

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