Mount Edgecombe Shree Emperumal Temple

By Marimuthu Subramoney One of the first places of worship built by indentured labourers 15 years after their arrival in 1860 is the Shree Emperumal Temple in Mount Edgcombe, north of Durban. The religious monument, first built of wood and iron in 1875, will this year observe 139 years of its rich history. "In the early days when our forefathers had some time away from their oppressive work conditions on the sugar estates, they used to gather on this site to talk about their lives away from their motherland," said Mr Sunny Pillay, spokesperson and treasurer of the Shree Emperumal Hindu Temple Society. "They also used the time to relate stories from the Maha Bharata and the Ramayan in order to pass their time. Then in 1875 they built the original Shree Emperumal Temple out of wood and iron. "The temple was the initiative of the Tamil, Hindi and Telugu indentured labourers." In 1925, the society's officials commissioned the famous temple builder, Kistappa Reddy, who was also an indentured labourer, to build a brick and concrete structure. Over the years this structure has been renovated and improved upon. Kistappa Reddy earlier built the nearby Ganesha Temple, which was declared a national monument in the 1990s. "The new Shree Emperumal Temple was built entirely from contributions made by the people living in the Mount Edgecombe barracks," said Mr Pillay, whose father and mother were indentured labourers on the sugar estate. In the early days the Shree Emperumal Temple was not only a place of worship but was also a centre for social, cultural, economic, educational and recreational fulfilment. The Shree Emperumal Temple had provided an opportunity for the emergence of some of the famous Indian footballers, musicians, and educationists. The famous Kalaivanie Orchestra had its origins at the temple. Pillay, who has been the treasurer of the Temple Society since 1982, said in the early days the temple officials had to report all their activities to the sugar barons who controlled the Mount Edgecombe sugar estates. This continued to until the 1980s when the new officials decided they should have control over the affairs of the Shree Emperumal Temple and other temples in the area. "In the early days also the Chariot Festival, which began in 1890, used to only start after the sugar estate baron, Mr William Campbell, and other white officials gave their blessings. But this practice also came to an end in the 1960s," said Pillay. Mr Pillay said they had no record of the names of the indentured labourers who had established the temple. But he was certain that the descendants of the indentured labourers had contributed to the temple over the past 135 years. Some of the pioneers were H. Sham, Parthab Singh, Perumal Govender, R. Saroopram, A.C. Moodley, Ramurthie Reddy, Narainsamy Munsami Rajoo, Patchappa Moodliar, N. Bairagee Naidoo, Subrayan Govender, R.M. Bluey Govender, J.N. Thathiah Naidoo, R. Gokhale, D G. Govindsamy Reddy, K.N. Moodley, Mrs Panjasram, Mungammah Naidoo, George Chelliah, Chin Pillay, Janakie Pillay, Dorasamy Moodley, Udandi Kanni, Jack Kisten, Willie Pillay, Morgan Govender, Ruthan Letchmiah, P.G. Pillay, K. Govender, B. Aroo Nagappa, K. Navamoney and Agambaram M. Nair. Some of the others were Babes Subramoney, Peripayan Sam Munsamy, Niren Maharaj, Kista Johnny Munsamy, Yogesh Chetty, Nunda Subramoney, Naraindass Tulshi, Kris Moodley, Veerasamy Munsamy, Pushpa Moodley, Ravi Govender, Freddy Govender, Jasendra Naidoo, Venkana Naidoo and Beama Naidoo. He said the Shree Emperumal Hindu Temple Society controlled the main Shree Emperumal Temple, the historical Ganesha Temple, and three other temples in the Mount Edgecombe area - Kaliammen Temple, Soobramaniar Temple and the Gengiammen Temple. ends - Marimuthu Subramoney and this week mark 120 years of tand this week mark 120 years of the colourful situated in the former Mount Edgcombe and spiritually-fulfilling 10-day Chariot Festival Mr Pillay said this year's 120th annual Chariot Festival starting this week would be a major event over 10 years. "The Chariot Festival attracts thousands of devotees from far and wide. It provides an opportunity for devotees to connect not only with their spirituality but also with their rich history."