By Tasnim Langry
An early morning stroll along Blythedale Beach near Stanger in KwaZulu-Natal turned into a fascinating experience for two sisters when they came across a statue of the Hindu God Hanuman, slightly embedded in the sand and facing the rising sun.
The hand-painted statue, which weighs around 25kg, has the words "Shri Raam" written on a painted pendant around its neck.
Around the waist is a piece of red material which had a softened piece of beetle nut tied in a knot. Just above the base, which appeared to be broken off its mount, is the name "Shri Lanka", neatly hand painted.
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| 'It was such a beautiful looking statue' |
"It was such a beautiful looking statue and I think its find is symbolic. When we read the words "Shri Lanka" painted near the base, our immediate thoughts were that it could have been transported by currents after the tsunami disaster," said Jennifer Anne Ruttledge, 56, who with her sister, Greek Island resident Jill Kehagia, 58, made the find on Monday morning. The tsunami struck South East Asia one month ago on Wednesday.
Ruttledge, who owns a beachfront holiday resort said: "Although it would look beautiful on my mantle piece, I will donate the statue to a local temple. If Hanuman made the long trip from Sri Lanka to Stanger, then here is where he will stay."
Speculation is rife as to the origins of the statue. Professor Frank Shellington of the University of Cape Town oceanography department said there had been reports of shoes and other items being transported via sea from the Pacific to the Atlantic in recent years so there are possibilities that could arise.
"However, I feel it is unlikely that a 25kg statue could have been transported by currents over such a great distance. More tests should be conducted to ascertain exactly where the statue could have originated," said Shellington.
Selvan Thaver of the Umgeni Road temple said he didn't think the tsunami's debris could have reached South African shores.
| 'There, among the rocks and debris, was Mother Mary' |
"It could have been discarded by a family that had converted, as we have found, on numerous occasions, murthis in the Riverside area as well as the Blue Lagoon. But, in the last six to eight months we haven't discovered any discarded religious statues."
The discovery has also prompted some religious leaders to consider the finding as a reminder to mankind to regroup themselves spiritually.
"There is a degeneration of moral and religious values among our youth and this could well be a reminder that we should live our lives spiritually," said Madan Singh, of the Hanuman Temple Group in Rose Road, Stanger.
Singh said that the deity may not be the only thing surfacing after the tsunami and said that there could be more discoveries at beaches in the near future. "Never doubt the power of God," said Singh.
During the height of the tsunami in Sri Lanka, a church there not only lost some of its congregation, who were swept out to sea, but a statute of Mother Mary as well. The resident reverend told television viewers how he had prayed for the statue's recovery.
"Three days after tsunami, I walked in a particular direction to the beach, and there, among the rocks and debris, was Mother Mary, the crown intact. God brought Mother back to us," said the reverend.
- This article was originally published on page 1 of The Post on January 26, 2005
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