On 24 August 2024, SA Hindus proudly hosted the Utsav of Devotion, an event celebrating spiritual growth, community service, and cultural preservation. The Utsav, held at SVDS Vishnu Temple Hall Lenasia, was a gathering of spiritual leaders, community members, and supporters who came together.
The event began with a heartfelt prayer by Aarti Panday, a qualified aeronautical engineer and aspiring priest. Aarti has been a vital part of SA Hindus since its inception, contributing to the organization’s first public prayer for rain in Mayfair in 2016.
One of the event’s key highlights was the handover of 11 sets of Vishnu Lakshmi Murthis to the PSVDS Vishnu Mandir Laudium. This historic Mandir, a cornerstone of the community since its opening on Maha Shivaratri in 1982, received these sacred statues as part of SA Hindus’ ongoing commitment to preserving and promoting Hindu culture. The Murthis were presented by Nalini Maharaj, an accomplished legal professional and humanitarian, alongside Gaura, symbolizing the unity and continuity of spiritual traditions to Sunita Singh (PRO) and members of the PSVDS Vishnu Mandir Laudium.
SA Hindus in partnership with Shereno Printers, proudly launched the 1 Million Hanuman Chalisa initiative. Shereno Printers, a family-owned business with a legacy of excellence since 1966, has been a steadfast supporter of SA Hindus’ mission. Niran Singh, owner of Shereno Printers, was honoured at the event for his company’s invaluable contributions to this project, printing the smallest Hanuman Chalisa in South Africa. The initiative aims to distribute 1 million copies of the Hanuman Chalisa by 2029, furthering the organization’s dedication to spiritual education and outreach.
One thousand Hanuman Chalisas were handed to the following organizations: SVDS Vishnu Temple Lenasia, Lenasia Yuvak Mandal, Gayatri Pariwar SA, PSVDS Vishnu Mandir Laudium, Sivananda World Peace Foundation, Sivananda Yoga Centre Parktown, Shiv Shakti Mandir, Gauteng Sanathan Mandir, Tamil Federation of Gauteng and HUFSA.
The Utsav was enriched by a musical performance from Virosh Harideo, a celebrated artist in the South African music scene, known for his vibrant rendition of the Hanuman Chalisa. The Maza Academy of Dance also captivated the audience with a semi-classical Kathak dance of the Hanuman Chalisa, bringing the sacred verses to life in a truly captivating way. The event featured powerful messages from leaders, amongst others including Prince Ishwar Ramlutchman Mabheka Zulu who travelled from KwaZulu Natal and international photo-journalist Fakir Hassen.
The event concluded with the announcement of the winners of the 6th Annual Wear Red Campaign. Eight of the winners each received a voucher worth R1000 from Rand Funerals, Rand Financial Services, SK Boutique, Electro Online Media, Goodies Funeral Directors, Dr Suhina Deochand and SuryaDev Consulting. Congratulations to the winners of the SA Hindus 6th Annual Wear Red Campaign: Owen, Diego, Joshua Rugan (Lenasia), Dhaksha Hemraj Anand (Laudium) Nalini Moodley (Phoenix) Kamala Ganpath (Reservoir Hills), Rekha Rohan (Pietermaritzburg), Vanessa Kahlik (Lenasia South), Akashnie Gowrie (Springs) and Simran Kisoon (Stanger).
For more information about SA Hindus and their initiatives, please contact them via WhatsApp at 067 638 2008.
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