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Village Map & Migration Visualiser

Trace Tamil migration routes from origin villages through colonial ports to diaspora countries across the world.

Tamil Migration Routes

Historical indenture-era routes from Tamil Nadu to the global diaspora

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Routes by colonial powerBritishFrenchDutchKangani
Diaspora Destinations
Trinidad and Tobago
Mauritius
Guyana
Fiji
South Africa
Jamaica
Suriname
Réunion
Guadeloupe
Martinique
Seychelles
Malaysia
Singapore
Myanmar (Burma)
Sri Lanka
Indonesia
Kenya

Origin Villages

Tamil Nadu districts where your ancestors originated

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Major origin regions
Thanjavur
Thanjavur
Tirunelveli
Tirunelveli
Madurai
Madurai
Tiruchirappalli
Tiruchirappalli
Nagapattinam
Nagapattinam
Chidambaram
Cuddalore
Villupuram
Villupuram
Colonial Ports

Historical Timeline

Tamil migration spanned over a century — from colonial indenture to kangani-recruited labour across Southeast Asia.

1834–1870

Early Indenture

First wave of Tamil labourers shipped to Mauritius, Réunion, and the Caribbean after abolition of slavery.

1870–1900

Peak Migration

Largest wave to Fiji, South Africa (Natal), Suriname, and French colonies. Madras and Pondicherry ports busiest.

1900–1920

Final Years

Indenture system wound down. Last ships departed for Trinidad (1917), Fiji (1916), and South Africa (1911).

1820s–1940s

Kangani Migration

Kangani (foreman) recruitment drove voluntary migration to Malaya, Singapore, Burma, Ceylon, and Indonesia for rubber, tea, and railway work.

Colonial Ports

Madras (Chennai)
1830s–1920s
Departures to: Trinidad and Tobago, Mauritius, Fiji, South Africa, Suriname, Seychelles, Myanmar (Burma), Kenya
Pondicherry
1840s–1900s
Departures to: Réunion, Guadeloupe, Martinique
Nagapattinam
1840s–1880s
Departures to: Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Indonesia
Calcutta (Kolkata)
1830s–1920s
Departures to: Guyana, Jamaica

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