Source

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, May 13, 2005: Hindi, Gujarati and Tamil speaking Hindus celebrated a decade of unity in a South African town as they marked the 10th anniversary of a temple where they have prayed together. The small Hindu community lives in the township of Roshnee, some 70 km south of here. The Roshnee Siva Soobramaniar Alayam has served the religious needs of Hindus there since its inception. The Alayam is believed to be unique in South Africa in that it is the only temple that was designed from the start to cater for Tamil, Hindi and Gujarati speaking Hindus. Joint services there are conducted in all three languages. “This has been the biggest strength of our Alayam – our versatile approach that ensures that nobody is left out, as there have always been excellent relations between the different linguistic groups in Roshnee even before the temple was built in 1995,” Percy Mestry, chairman of the Vereeniging Tamil Association, told IANS. In 1995, these communities came together to build the multilingual worship center because none of them could afford to construct exclusive ones. The Maha Kumba Abhishegam (reconsecration) at the temple to mark the occasion was led by Guru Nadaraj Sharma of Johannesburg, as the Alayam is currently without the services of a resident priest. Swami Nathan, the priest who originally came from India and had served at the Alayam since its inauguration, left last year to join the South African Police as chaplain for the Hindu members of the force. “While he would have liked to attend the function, Swami Nathan was already committed to another event at which he was officiating in Pretoria (more than 150 km away),” said Mestry.

Post Views: 758