WATCH: Man turns coconut into abode for Hindu deity

Kavithasen Govender with his coconut shrine and, below, some of the intricate detail.

Kavithasen Govender with his coconut shrine and, below, some of the intricate detail.

Published Mar 24, 2017

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Durban – An Umzinto man has turned a simple coconut into an abode for the Hindu deity Ganesha... and social media users are loving it.

Since posting photographs and a video, mechanical engineer Kavithasen Govender said his Facebook account has been buzzing.

“Initially, this started off as a mistake. My younger brother, Leandren, and I were cleaning a coconut for a prayer and he mistakenly removed too much of the outside part that looks like hair. We had to discard the coconut and start all over again.”

Kavithasen Govender with his coconut shrine. Picture: Supplied

The 33-year-old said the initial coconut was left in the kitchen and a day or so later, he noticed it and the idea to make the abode sprang to mind.

“I always look at how I can do things differently and I did not want to waste the coconut. I took a small Ganesha idol that was gifted to me by a friend and started to size it up against the coconut. To my amazement, it fitted perfectly.”

Coconut abode for Hindu deity by Kavithasen Govender

Govender described the process as intricate and said it took him three weeks to complete.

“I drilled a hole at the top and the bottom of the coconut and set it on a cup. I let it rest for about two days to ensure all the water was drained out."

“Once done, I sandpapered the entire coconut and used the Ganesha idol as a guide to cut open the area where the idol was going to be placed.”

Kavithasen Govender decorated the shrine and made these items useing modelling clay and paint. Picture: Supplied

He explained that using a knife, he cleaned the white part of the coconut leaving just the shell.

“I used a sand paper machine to give it an even, smoother finish. Thereafter, I painted the coconut with varnish and allowed it to dry for two days."

“Using tubes from a lifebuoy and colourful ribbon, I decorated the abode. I used modelling clay and paint to make the items we use for prayers, like a banana leaf, fruit and sweetmeats.”

For Govender the coconut represents purity.

“Breaking the coconut for me represents purity similar to how the water inside the coconut is pure and untouched.”

Feeling proud of his creation, Govender said being creative enriched his soul and helped him relax and connect with God.

Since his social media post, Govender has been inundated with messages from users wanting to purchase the abode for their prayer places.

But he is not selling... at least not yet.

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