Source: www.tehelka.com
GHANA, WEST AFRICA, August 10, 2009: The African Hindu Monastery is a simple white structure in Odorkor, a suburb of the Ghanaian capital city of Accra. Started in 1975, it is headed by Swami Ghanananda Saraswati. The gentle-voiced Saraswati was born into the traditional African faith. Although he converted to Christianity when both his parents became Christian priests, he continued his search for truth. Attracted by Hindu beliefs and the practice of yoga, he travelled to India. While staying at Swami Sivananda’s ashram in Rishikesh, he decided to embrace Hinduism. At 35, he returned to Ghana and acquired his first disciples, holding lectures to educate Ghanaians about this ancient and foreign religion.
Today, Ghana’s population of 23 million includes 12,500 Hindus, of which 10,000, like their Swami Ghanananda Saraswati, are indigenous Africans. While an older Sindhi temple still exists in Accra, the African Hindu Monastery is now Ghana’s largest center of Hindu worship.
Contrary to its name, the monastery currently has only one monk. Saraswati explains, “Hinduism is a new thing in West Africa.” More photos (in higher resolution) of Swami Ghananand’s ashram can be found on the photo-journalist’s public gallery at http://picasaweb.google.com/smruthig