South Coasters witness historic Ganesha unveiling in Ladysmith

It was a monumental moment for the Hindu community as a 17-metre-tall Ganesha murti, the tallest in South Africa, was unveiled at the Hindu Thirukootam and Shree Ganaser Temple in Ladysmith on Sunday.

Some 60 South Coasters went on a spiritual bus trip organised by the Shree Hanuman Sanathan Dharma Sabha Mandir of Port Shepstone. En route to Ladysmith, a stop was made at the Sri Krishna Goshala in Thornville, near Pietermaritzburg. It’s a sanctuary for nine cows and the South Coasters fed them and offered prayers.

The highlight of the trip was seeing the colossal Ganesha statue and taking part in a prayer with some 4500 devotees. The unveiling process began on November 27, as the temple marked its 115th anniversary, culminating in its Maha Kumba Abishegam and the unveiling of the Lord Ganesha statue.

Devi Govender said the trip was an exhilarating experience. “When a group of us were standing in front of Ganesha, I could feel the powerful energies. My hands began to shake and we the South Coasters were blessed with showers of flowers that were dispersed from a helicopter. Our visit to the Goshala and Lord Ganesha was a blessing and I am grateful for being part of this spiritual journey.”

Veena Lakhan, the chairperson of the Shree Hanuman Sanathan Dharma Sabha Mandir of Port Shepstone, said it was a defining moment for Hindu devotees. “As the chairperson of the mandir it was a honour to offer this spiritual journey to our locals.

Guru Krishnamoorthy, who has served as the resident priest of the Hindu Thirukootam and Shree Ganaser Temple since 2009, said the temple decided on a design for the statue which was made possible through full sponsorship by devotee Tony Pillay and his family.

“Sculptors were brought in from India and everything was done by hand, including the mixing of the concrete. Eleven tons of steel were used to build the statue.”

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