{
  "id": 6211269,
  "title": "A grandfather’s village, a granddaughter’s search for her roots",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/a-grandfathers-village-a-granddaughters-search-for-her-roots-6211269",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-08T01:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2026/09/08/a-grandfathers-village-a-granddaughters-search-for-her-roots"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Yasotha Jegathesan, a 58-year-old author, has been traversing decades to trace her roots and locate her grandfather's village in Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu. She spent 14 years in Bangalore, India, working in corporate life, and has now documented her ancestral search in her book, \"Soul Return: A Spiritual Memoir of Ancestral Remembrance\". Her grandfather did not immigrate through the British system; instead, he worked as a teacher, teaching astrology, Tamil, and Sanskrit. Her search is driven by a desire to reconnect with the customs, traditions, and values that once formed part of her family's life. While Yasotha's family celebrated traditional Tamil festivals like Pongal, Vinayaka Chaturthi, and Deepavali, there are gaps in the family history that could be filled by focusing on the Kula Deivam, or ancestral deity. Understanding one's roots, according to Yasotha, is about more than ancestry or race; it is also deeply connected to everyday practices such as language, food, rituals, and religious practices. She hopes her memoir will inspire younger generations to explore their ancestral heritage, and she is working on adaptations for theatrical and film productions. Despite the challenges, Yasotha remains committed to her journey of reconnecting with her roots, understanding that the process does not always require all the answers, but rather starts with asking the right questions.",
  "summary": "Yasotha Jegathesan’s memoir 'Soul Return' follows her attempt to reconnect with the Tamil ancestry and traditions her family carried to Malaya.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "A grandfather’s village, a granddaughter’s search for her roots",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/a-grandfathers-village-a-granddaughters-search-for-her-roots",
        "published": "2026-09-08T01:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}