Durban — During this month of love, couples throughout the world will be celebrating their affection. Most will plan a special experience for their significant other, especially on Valentine’s Day, which takes place on Wednesday.
But a couple who have been married for 55 years say celebrating the love for your partner should be demonstrated every day.
Poobalan, 83, and Krishnaveni Moodley, 74, say that this is the case in their relationship.
The Moodleys, who live at the Verulam Day Care Centre, were married on November 27, 1966, in a traditional Hindu wedding at the Madrasa Hall in Verulam. Poobalan was 24 years old and Krishnaveni was 15.
Poobalan worked in a pharmaceutical company as a salesperson while Krishnaveni worked in promotions and later became a housewife.
Krishnaveni says they knew each other from a young age.
“We were an arranged marriage, our fathers knew each other. Both my father and my father-in-law owned vegetable stalls at the Victoria Street Market. They would buy and sell from each other. Soon they matched us both and we got married. We knew each other well, so when we got proposed, he would visit often until we finally got married.”
She says her husband is a hard-working man, always making life better for his family.
“Although we did not have much, my husband always made a way for us. He spoiled us and my children and I was never left short of anything. This is why I fell in love with him. He is a strong and intelligent man,” says Krishnaveni.
The couple faced many challenges including the death of their daughter.
“We lost our daughter during Covid. It’s hard to lose a child. We went through a hard time and we take each day as it comes, but we are now closer after our loss and we talk about her all the time.”
Poobalan reminisces about how much his wife helped and sacrificed for him.
“We used to own a supermarket in Phoenix called Clayfield Superette. I left many years in sales to open the shop and it was tough, but my wife helped and encouraged me through it all. We opened the superette to make more money and without my wife, it would have been hard.
“She would come early in the morning to help me, and when I was tired she would let me take a break and she would take over.
“We really started from scratch with the superette and it was good for 20 years until the Phoenix Plaza opened and took our business away. We were forced to close. When that happened, I was almost 60 years old and I had to go back to my sales job until I resigned many years later. But through all our ups and downs, my wife has always stuck by my side.”
The couple also went on many adventures together, which added to the strengthening of their marriage.
Poobalan says: “Our marriage is amazing. My wife is very homely, which means she always helped me without hesitation. Today’s life is too fast-moving compared to our days. When we met we only had eyes for one woman but the world is different now. We valued marriage and each other.
“For a successful and happy marriage, you have to care for each other and help each other, no matter what. Always spend time together. In our case when my wife cooks, I cut the vegetables. When my wife shops, I push the shopping cart. It’s the little things that show our happiness and love for one another.”
Sunday Tribune