The 26th of May was a landmark event for Mohanji Foundation South Africa with the prana prathishta (energy inducing ceremony) of Shirdi Sai Baba on the foundation’s own land in Nonoti, KwaDukuza.

This is the culmination of three years in waiting from when the idols of Lord Ganesha, Lord Dattatreya and Shirdi Sai Baba had arrived to South Africa.
This is no ordinary event, as the pranaprathishta was conducted by Sulakhe Maharaj who served Shirdi Sai Baba as the chief priest in Shirdi and has over 40 years experience at the temple. The entire event was presided over by Mohanji.

The day started with Sulakhe Maharaj conducting ceremonies with expert precision, clarity and sanctity. From time to time, Maharaj also explained the significance of the various poojas performed.

The energy in the temple was tangible throughout the pooja and the intensity showed in the lamps that burnt like furnaces. Although the ceremony of the prana prathishta (inducing life force energy into an idol) lasted many hours, it felt like only a few. Mohanji explained how being in the presence of such an event was extremely rare, rarer than once in a lifetime.

He further explained that when the energy is brought into the idol, is also reaches every cell of the people present, which can clear many blockages for people.
The event was graced by several dignitaries who came to give their support for this occasion and the future of the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Durban. These included Mr Narend Singh (Member of Parliament), Prince Ishwar Ramlutchman Mabheka Member of Parliament) and Mrs Dolly Govender (Speaker of KwaDukuza Municipality), Representatives of Dr Imtiaz Sooliman and Min Ravi Pillay also attended and shared heartfelt messages of support for this sacred project.

After the event, the dignitaries were honoured with special gifts brought from Shirdi. This was followed by honouring members of the Mohanji family that had contributed to this project in their own ways and capacity.

Mohanji Foundation also honoured and thanked Sulakhe Maharaj for his constant support and advice, without which this event would not have been possible. After the Pranapratishta ceremony, Sulakhe Maharaj also led the team in the bhumi puja (consecration of the land). Thereafter, Mohanji. and Sulakhe Maharaj planted three sacred tree saplings (audumbur or cluster fig to be the home of Lord Dattatreya, a neem tree that will eventually grow into a Gurusthan (a space honouring the Guru, like in the Shirdi temple) and a Bilva tree, auspicious for Lord Shiva.

The program concluded with lunch for all the participants. In parallel, our team also arranged for distribution of lunch as well as food rations for the children of a nearby school, signifying our intent to commence daily annadaan at the temple in due course, ??

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all of the team who have dedicated themselves as instruments of selflessness to make this occasion such a success. The temple will have it’s own presence web at www.shirdisaibabadurban.org where updates on the temple will be made.