Indian immigration History of Penang

the mahamariamman temple (also known sri mariamman temple), in george town

already in 1790s, light mentions chulias (that is, people coromandel coast of india) shopkeepers , farm labourers in penang. light estimated 2 thousand men came work in manner each year; however, in contrast chinese, these labourers did not settle permanently in penang. would, rather, work long enough save money , return families in south india. group of migrants comprised ‘adi dravidas,’ group of impoverished labourers originating in hinterlands of tamil country , andhra desa who, facing insufficient work in homeland, went abroad survival.

another class of indian migrants class of people hailing kaveri delta areas (from ramnad district of madras) known ‘nattukottai chettiars’ occupation money-lenders. presence in penang , elsewhere plantations sprang aided merchants, miners, , planters, these chettiars advancing required working capital in absence of effective banks. light encouraged migration chettiar community part of plan create cash economy on penang.

unlike tamil migrants, telugu migrants northern coromandel coast came penang families. reason, many did not leave when work terms expired, rather continued working on plantations or merchants. on 1,500,000 south indians worked in malayan plantations, more three-fourths returned india, of them tamil.

beginning light, penang boasted tradition of religious tolerance; races practice respective religious faith , social stability in multi-racial society achieved.