JOHANNESBURG, Mar 4 : Blending the landscapes, art and heritage of Africa and India in its design, the sprawling BAPS Hindu temple, the largest in the southern hemisphere, will open its doors by 2027 with work on the first phase almost over.
Envisaged as a place of religion and a hub of culture and dialogue, the BAPS Hindu Mandir and Cultural Complex temple is also testament to the resilience of the South African Indian community, which has overcome the adversities of indentured labour and apartheid.
Built over 37,000 square metres in Johannesburg’s Northriding locality, it includes a traditional Hindu temple as well as a cultural complex spread across 32,000 square meters. The temple is expected to boost tourism as well as the local economy once it is fully open.
The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a globally renowned socio-spiritual organisation, turned its focus to South Africa after a similar complex in Abu Dhabi that opened in February last year.
“In Abu Dhabi we have taken much inspiration from the local culture and its history. Similarly, the rich vibrancy, the tapestry of African art and culture will be side by side with the rich heritage of Hinduism and Indian culture which Indian migrants have brought here,” BAPS South Africa spokesperson Hemang Desai told PTI.
“It will also be a great tourist attraction in Johannesburg to stimulate the local economy. Actually we were ready to go with the construction much before but with the onset of Covid work was put on hold,” said Desai.
The dedication ceremony of the cultural complex was held last month and now the focus is on the second phase — the traditional temple. The complex is envisioned as a hub for multicultural exchange, interreligious dialogue, and the community and humanitarian initiatives spearheaded by BAPS in South Africa.
“It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji who unveiled the plans for this temple on his last visit to South Africa. He already knows about it and we would be very proud and happy to host him when the opportunity arises. Given that G20 is going to be hosted by South Africa (November 22 -23, 2025), we hope Modi ji will be here again,” Desai said.
According to BAPS officials, the temple reflects the South African Indian community’s enduring contributions to South Africa and their confidence in its future as a home for generations to come The project integrates thousands of tonnes of steel and concrete, while prioritizing water efficiency, solar readiness, and environmental conservation through the planting of over 500 trees.
BAPS South Africa was established in 1974 in the midst of the apartheid era by a small group of about 30 individuals. Since then, the community has grown to include hundreds of devotees across seven temples and eight community centres.
“Most of the work on the haveli is complete. For the 2,500 square metre temple, the foundation work has been done. It will take another three years to complete the project. We already have idols of Bhagwan Swami Narayan and his devotee Akshar Purusottam ji, Radha Krishna, Sita Ram, Shankar Parvati, Ganpati, Tirupati Balaji, Hanuman ji, Kartikeya Murugan Swami and all our gurus from various parts of India,” said Mrunal Bhagwan, a member of the board of trustees.
Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781-1830) was a yogi and social reformer who founded the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. His followers believe he was a manifestation of Krishna.
“The idols will be reinstalled once the temple is ready,” Mrunal Bhagwan said.
The land, he said, was purchased in 2012. “It is a beautiful piece of land with an amazing view. It is on the Lanseria corridor which is one of the busiest corridors in Johannesburg. The temple also has a huge sabha hall, banquet hall , restaurant, temple hall and 20 classrooms for various activities.”
Classes on yoga, dance, music and culture will be held on the premises. More than 10,000 people are expected to visit the temple each week.
Asked about the estimated cost of the temple, he said it is difficult to say as the major contribution is from donations.
“Vendors have provided donations. Most of the collections are done by devotees themselves who contribute to the temple monthly. But the government has been very supportive as well from the tax and VAT perspective,” said Bhagwan.
A major attraction will be the ‘satvik’ kitchen serving vegetarian savoury and sweet dishes.
“We have a dedicated team of women volunteers that ensures that the right food is prepared and distributed. Our kitchen is equipped with cold storage and state of art machines. Vessels are imported from India so that we can host big utsavs and festivals,” said Minisha Patel, a BAPS volunteer.
“We serve three meals a day for hari bhakts and it is absolutely free. We are trying to tell the public to come and have darshan of the temple that we have built for the Indians here,” she said.
Patel detailed the contributions of women volunteers, called ‘Pink Helmet group’, who worked day and night to get the complex ready before the dedication ceremony last month.
“We needed to paint the entire and the management team asked all the women devotees to help. There were 200 women on site at any given time. We learnt how to sand walls, prepare walls, prime them and paint them. So 90 per cent of the painting across the complex has been done by the Pink Helmet group. Devotees came from Durban, Cape Town and other cities… By doing, this we have saved millions of rands ,” she said.
The logo features the temple’s domes emerging from the heart of a protea, South Africa’s national flower. The protea is a powerful symbol of resilience: it only blooms after enduring the harsh conditions of the fynbos, shrubland, much like the country itself, which has risen from adversity to blossom in unity. (PTI)
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