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CALCUTTA, INDIA, August 26, 2004: A priest in a dhoti greets you at the entrance of Sri Ganesh and Sri Murugan Kovil (Temple). The hospitable fragrance of camphor, coconut oil and flowers makes the visitor feel transported to a remote village in South India. The near half-million South Indians in Calcutta have enriched the country’s cultural capital and have themselves become bona fide Bengalis. The city now has six South Indian temples – Sri Ganesh and Sri Murugan Temple, Sree Guruvayurappan Samajam, Rama Mandir, Veda Bhavan, Shastha Samooham and Shankara Institute of Philosophy. T. S. Srinivasan of the Ganesha and Murugan Temple trust says South Indians are proud to be associated with the city. “We are more Bengali than South Indian. But we’ve maintained our identity. Local residents, Bengalis, Marwaris and Jains, have recognized our efforts and are helping us run the temples.” T. Ranganathan adds that the Gurvayurappan Samajam – built on the lines of the main temple in Kerala – is visited every day by devotees from all communities. The temples mainly belong to two denominations – Shakta and the Vaishnav. Priests – Shantis from Kerala and Gurukal from Tamil Nadu – perform the abishekham and pujas before the traditional South Indian deities. There are nearly 300 visitors daily and more than a thousand devotees on festival days. Temple trusts also contribute to social causes. Priest Meenakshi Sundaram Gurukkal said: “I have fallen in love with the city and its people. Though I cannot communicate with all of them, as I do not know any language apart from Tamil, I feel at home and have realized that Bengalis and Tamils share similar values and are rich in culture.”



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