Durban — From gender equality to drilling boreholes at schools and hiding Nelson Mandela during the Struggle, for almost 100 years, the Arya Samaj South Africa has been at the forefront of positive development in the country.
Now, preparations are under way for “two years of great celebration and introspection”, says Swami Vedanand Saraswati, the spiritual head of the organisation in the country.
In two weeks, it will commemorate the 200th birth anniversary of its founder, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, who was born in India on February 12, 1824. The celebrations will culminate in simultaneous events in Durban, Pietermaritzburg and Johannesburg on Sunday, February 11. Next year, the Hindu reform organisation celebrates a centenary in South Africa and 150 years since it was founded in Mumbai, India.
Swami Vedanand said Swami Dayanand was murdered by his detractors for preaching that the Vedas are the true source of knowledge, stressing that there was one omniscient God and speaking out against idol worship.
For our Then and Now feature this week, the Independent on Saturday visited the head office of the Arya Samaj South Africa based at 87 Harbottle Road in Overport.
The building started out as the Shree Ramayana Sabha and was offered to the Arya Samaj when it was looking for new premises. At one stage, the headquarters was at the Vedic temple in Carlisle Street in Durban.
Arya Samaj South Africa president Pandit Arthi Nanackchand Shanand said the organisation had flourished across the world wherever Indian indentured labourers were shipped.
She said that in 1860 when indentured labourers arrived in SA, they were sent to various parts of the country. Because of the upheaval, many broke away from their traditions and customs and had forgotten their way of prayer and worship. She said they missed the Ratha Yatras (Festival of Chariots) in India so much that they joined Muslims when they held their Tajiya or procession of religious floats during the month of Muharram.
“The followers of Swami Dayanand in India decided to go out to the countries of indenture and put right what is wrong,” she said.
In keeping with its motto of “Krinvanto Vishwam Aryam” (Make the World Noble), the Arya Samaj has two roles: the spiritual side and its humanitarian aspect. In South Africa, many bodies emanated from the Arya Samaj, such as the Hindi Shiksha Sangh which promoted the Hindi language.
It also gave birth to the Hindu Maha Sabha, the overarching body of all Hindu organisations in South Africa.
The Aryan Benevolent Home was started in Mayville by members of the Arya Samaj.
Through Project Tripti, it has established several boreholes at schools in KwaZulu-Natal. At Westville prison, the Arya Samaj has a study programme for inmates, known as Umuntu Omusha. Its youth, through the Heal (Humanitarian, Environmental and Animal Liberation) Foundation, provides thousands of cooked food and food parcels to thousands at schools, homes, ECD Centres, disaster-ridden areas and communities in need.
Arya Samaj members also played a pivotal role in the freedom Struggle.
“Nelson Mandela, when he was caught at the capture site, was coming from a meeting held at our premises in Plessislaer at the time because we had opened our doors to the ANC to have their underground meetings,” said Swami Vedanand.
Many of them were jailed and beaten by the police for their roles in the ANC and the Natal Indian Congress.
Nanackchand Shanand said her uncle, Gopalall Hurbans, from Tongaat, hid Mandela from the police by disguising him as a worker on his farm. Her mother, Pandita Prabhawathi Nanackchand, was the Hindu priest who officiated at the multi-faith wedding of Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel in Cape Town.
“Even that was top secret for the family. My brother (Ami Nanackchand) was a journalist at the time and even he didn’t know that. She (mother) said I was sworn to secrecy.”
Swami Vedanand said that over the next few years, they would focus on issues like gender-based violence, food security and climate change. Their goal was to get families to plant as many trees as possible.
Independent on Saturday