A CENTURY AND A QUARTER: VERULAM TEMPLE’S MILESTONE CELEBRATION

ALONGSIDE their modest bundles of clothes, utensils, and seeds, the Indian indentured people carried invisible treasures which were the rhythms of their culture and the light of their faith, planting traditions and beliefs that would take root far from home.

The majority Tamils carried with them a proverb “Koyil illa ooril kudiyirukka vendam” which translates to "Do not live in a town that has no temple".

While the proverb literally refers to a place of worship, the "temple" in this saying is understood to be more than a religious building.

In traditional Tamil society, temples were the centre of communal life and provided many civic functions.

Temples were gathering spots that fostered a sense of unity and shared identity among residents.

Temple complexes offered shelter during natural disasters, stored surplus grain, and served as fortresses during conflicts.

The temple was also seen as a place that promoted moral discipline and values among the town's people. Imbibed in the teachings of this proverb, the people who were settled in the then small village of Verulam on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast in 1900 decided to build a temple.

Narainsamy Naidoo, Ragavaloo Chetty and Arunajellam Moodley built a wood-and-iron temple at their own cost close to the Umdloti River.

The 1917 floods caused extensive damage to the temple. In 1920 a termite infestation severely affected the wood structure.

A brick structure was built and due to limited financial resources, this was only completed in 1927 when the first Kavady festival was held.

In 1928, classrooms were built for the teaching of the Tamil language and the youth were encouraged to attend.

On October 5, 1953 the first Sunday prayer service was held and more than seven decades later is still going strong.

To provide for community activities such as weddings, variety concerts and memorial services, and to secure income, a hall with a capacity of 700 was opened in 1962 next to the temple.

The hall was dedicated to the arrival of the indentured labourers in 1860 and was named the Centenary Hall in their memory.

Raysellan Naidoo, chairman of the temple committee, said the temple was badly affected by looting during the civil l unrest in July 2021.

The buildings were also damaged during theApril 2022 floods. In addition, the Covid 19 pandemic resulted in the temporary closure of the temple and cancellation of all public religious events.

This resulted in loss of income for the temple.He said more recently the roof and ceiling of the temple was found to be heavily infested with wood borer.

The roof was replaced with a concrete slab and other repairs were done at a cost of R1.5 million. Fortunately present former families from Verulam who have been associated with the temple, sister organisations and the business community assisted in raising the necessary funds.

“This historic temple represents a significant part of the community's cultural identity and heritage."

The temple must be protected at all costs as a legacy of the founding fathers who, despite not being wealthy, were so magnanimous in their donations.

Also, we must ensure that future generations can connect with their cultural roots and understand the evolution of society over time.

“Hundreds of thousands of people have worshipped at the temple since 1900. Protecting sacred sites not only respects the beliefs of the devotees but also ensures the continuity of religious practices and rituals that have been carried out by humble, God-fearing people for more than 12 decades,” said Naidoo.

The temple committee is presently undertaking a fund-raising drive to install Idols and a dome on the roof.

This year marks the 125 th anniversary of the temple and a celebratory event will be held at the temple’s Centenary Hall, Umdloti Drift, Verulam, on Saturday, December 6, at 3pm.

The guest speaker will be Sagren Moodley, CEO of metal products fabricator Metpress. A commemorative brochure will be launched at the event and a Wall of Honour acknowledging donors will be unveiled.

For further information please contact the secretary of the committee, Amres Moodley on083 243 5467 or [email protected]

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