Durban - For the first time in the 157-year history of Indians in South Africa, a Durban temple has installed stone idols of 63 Hindu saints from India who devoted their lives to Lord Shiva.
Known as the Nayanmars, the group of 63 male and female saints, who lived in South India between the sixth and eighth century, became the vehicle of popular devotion through their songs, stories, poems and miraculous deeds.
Four of the saints - Manickavasagar, Sambandhar, Thirunavukkarasar and Sundharamurthi - are the more prominent of the 63 saints.
However, in an effort to honour all the Nayanmars, the Siva Manram, a Saivite spiritual centre, will consecrate the murthis or idols of all 63 saints on Sunday at their premises at Havenside Drive, Havenside, Chatsworth, at 3.30pm.
A guest speaker at the event, to which the public is invited, will be a visiting swami from Coimbatore in Tamilnadu, Thavathiru Marudachala Adigalar.
Hymns composed by some of the 63 saints will be rendered by Othavur Sathgurunathan, also of Coimbatore.
Saivite scholar Thiagarajan Govender said the Siva Manram would be the first temple outside India to house the idols of the 63 saints.
He said a group of devotees of Lord Shiva from Durban, who requested anonymity, had commissioned the idols four years ago.
Govender said the 63 saints served the devotees of Lord Shiva and thereby earned deep reverence and respect.
“They believed in worshipping God in a temple. They cleaned the temple premises, made flower garlands for the Lord, lit the temple lamps, maintained the gardens and fed the devotees of Lord Shiva.
“Worship of the devotees of Lord Shiva was regarded even superior to the worship of Lord Shiva himself.”
He said the 63 saints hailed from various communities - high and low, rich and poor.
They ranged from tribal hunters to emperors of vast domains.
“They had no caste distinctions.
They regarded a life of devotion to Lord Shiva as much more important than the little distinctions of caste and prejudice.
The trials and tribulations that the 63 saints underwent and the incredible sacrifices they made for the Lord’s sake displayed the deep sense of devotion they had for the Almighty.
“The life of each and every saint is a grand illustration of the emancipation of the soul in its search for the Supreme Divine Being.”