Shri Mariammen Temple, Mount Edgecombe, South Africa

Shri Mariammen Temple, Mount Edgecombe, South Africa

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When the Indian indentured labourers settled in Durban, they were faced with a challenge of maintaining their rich culture and tradition in a foreign land. Their first priority was in setting up an area of worship wherever they settled. The majority of the labourers were Hindus and there was always a need to set up a place of worship.

In the early days the areas of habitants for them were generally near their labour sites, for example the barracks in Mount Edgecombe, near the sugar cane plantations. In Mount Edgecombe there were a few temples that were built by these labourers that are now declared as heritage sites.

The Shri Mariamman Hindu temple and The Emperumal temple were two of these historical temples. According to research, the Shri Marieamman Temple was started by a female indentured Indian labourer named Velatchee, in 1890. She was an ordinary gardener at the site when one particular day she found an anthill. The anthill in Hindu culture mythology is known as a puthu. The puthu is a sacred mount of earth which is believed to be inhabited by a godly snake which is related to deities. She decorated the puthu with a sari which is an Indian drape, and thereafter community members became alerted at this discovery. They built a tin around it and began worshipping it.

Velatchee was the first female priest of the temple conducting Hindu prayer rituals. Every year the temple conducted Mariamman prayers and porridge prayers. In 1920, the owners of Natal Sugar Estates helped the community to build a wood and iron structure and a road to the temple. The nearby population of the Phoenix area was increasing and there was a sudden rise of devotees at the temple. The major highlight of the temple which has made history in Durban occurred when the Tongaat Hulett Group Estate wanted to dismantle the temple and there were numerous failed attempts, and also recorded incidents of people who got sick while attempting to destruct the temple. Eggs and milk were part of offerings daily to the snake and deities, and when a construction worker found two eggs that he broke that were empty inside, there was a change of plans. It was then beyond any capitalist control, the faith of the people and the power of their faith were immeasurable – they were finally made to keep the temple.

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Shri Mariammen Temple, Mount Edgecombe, South Africa


Religious organisation

email - smtsme.co.za

address - Siphosethu Road, 4302 Mount Edgecombe, Durban, South Africa

Contact - 0315392137