15th birthday of temple celebrated
The Springs Sanathan Ved Dharma Sabha (SSVDS) celebrated their 15th anniversary from Monday until Sunday last week.
Preshen Singh, from the SSVDS, gives a little history on the temple.
“The Springs Sanathan Ved Dharma Sabha was established over 100 years ago by the pioneering Hindi families within the Bakerton community,” he says.
“Our forefathers refused to be colonialised and demanded to follow their own religious practices and to promote their own culture.”
He adds that this desire led to the building of a room of about six square metres in Third Avenue in the old Bakerton area over 90 years ago, which served as a mandir for the worshipers.
Soon the other Hindu linguistic groups united and the room became too small to accommodate the rapidly growing number of worshippers.
“Eventually a wood and iron building was erected in Third Avenue in Bakerton and this building was consecrated as ‘The Shree Vishnu Mandir’ and the main deities were those of Shree Vishnu and his consort, Mother Laxmi.”
In the 80s, the SSVDS purchased a site zoned for religious business in Bakerton Extension Four.
The Shree Vishnu Mandir was officially opened on December 3, 2000.
“We are proud to be celebrating our 15 year anniversary and to mark this milestone, the SSVDS will be erecting the Nau Graha (nine planets) murthi’s, as well as a Hanuman Baba murthi,” says Preshen.
On Sunday, a procession will commence at 8am, leaving from the Shree Vishnu Mandir, allowing the community to view these new additions.
In addition to the procession, a Mata’s pooja together with a Sath Narayan Katha will be performed and members of the community are invited to participate.
“The Shree Vishnu Mandir is a tribute to the achievement of the entire Hindu community of Springs who so willingly gave, and still give, of themselves in some way or the other to encourage togetherness and to leave a legacy for the future generations,” Preshen concludes.
