Outrage over theft of 100-year-old deity from temple
DURBAN - The Durban Hindu community is reeling after one of the oldest and most valuable spiritual deities was stolen from a popular Isipingo temple on Monday.
Omeela Moodley, treasurer of the Isipingo Hills Arupta Kazhagam Temple in Platt Drive, said: “It was with shock and sadness that we discovered that our temple was broken into and had been wiped out with all the murthis (deities).”
Still visibly traumatised while speaking to the Daily News, she said the deities and temple were steeped in history.
Moodley said the temple’s caretaker noticed a light fitting was broken on Monday night and, on investigating, discovered the theft.
“I’m lost for words, it is such devastating news. They actually broke the Nataraja, chopped it from the bottom, and stole it, as well as the silver Mother Shakthi, which is more than 100 years old. It’s affected all of us in the greater Hindu community. It is a terrible blow we can’t recover from,” she said.
“Our family home was in Clairwood and we had a little temple in Richborough Road which had to be demolished as a result of the Group Areas Act – they had to close the temple and give away the idols. The silver Amman idol (Mother Shakthi) is irreplaceable and made of solid silver with ruby stones around it. My grandparents, the Naiker family, brought it to South Africa from India in the 1920s, and when they moved to Isipingo Hills they donated it to the temple when it was erected more than 50 years ago.”
Moodley added that all the deities and idols in the temple were donated by members of the public.
Ram Maharaj, president of the South Africa Dharma Sabha (SAHMS), said: “It is unacceptable that criminals can’t even respect the house of God. Places of worship have recently become soft targets. Every human being should have at least some degree of love and respect for God as the creator. Damaging and theft of murthis, which are images of God, is a cardinal sin,” he said.
Ashwin Trikamjee, president of the SAHMS, said: “I can’t understand what value stolen murthis will have to anyone. I pray that these sacred murthis will be recovered soon. It is a sad indictment on the morality of the thieves involved. I have spoken to the temple committee and offered them support and assistance from the SAHMS,” he said.
Daily News