By Thivanni Naidoo
In the 1860s,established by an indentured labourer named Narainsamy Moodley, the Isipingo Shri Mariamman Temple started off just as a simple “Puthu” (snake sand hill) that he believed to house the snake incarnation of mother Mariamman. When their sugar baron bosses gave them time off during Easter, indentured labourers would gather at this Puthu to pray and give offerings to the snake mother to show their devotion. Noticing this, the sugar barons decided to give them this piece of land to continue their prayers and that’s when the temple was built around the Puthu that still stands there to this day. Thus, began the annual tradition of the Easter Mariamman pilgrimage.
Over the Easter weekend, there was a Hindu devotees tradition of a pilgrimage that has become a celebration at the temple. Almost like a fair, the temple grounds are filled with stalls that sell food, religious items and many religious/cultural items. Live traditional music which are called “Bhajans”, are performed by many groups in the form of singing their devotion for the goddess mother.
Devotees take offerings around the temple a total of three times before offering it to the goddess Mariamman. Offerings include fruits, milk, eggs, small metal idols and sometimes chicken, goat or sheep sacrifices to appease the goddess mother and ask to grant their wishes. Mother Mariamman is the mother of fertility, healing and rain and most times devotees take vows or promises when giving their offerings/sacrifices to her, to ask for wishes relating to what she represents.
Although Mariamman is the main deity worshipped at this temple, as the years went by, many other hindu deity “Murthis” (Idol statues) have been built within the temple grounds. One particular deity that has also garnered much devotion after each Mariamman prayer, is the goddess Lakshmi. Set standing on a lotus flower holding a golden pot, she floats within her own pond. Devotees take the time to pray to her for wealth and prosperity as she is the goddess that represents this. Devotees also shower her with coins and if it lands at her feet or inside the pot she holds, it is said to be that your wishes will come true.
The Isipingo Shri Mariamman Temple stands at the heart of Hinduism in South Africa and holds a rich history of devotion, traditions and cultural endurance through the centuries that it stood tall and became a prominent religious landmark in KwaZulu-Natal.
