Ukusungulwa kwamathempeli eThekwini bekuyinto eyejwayelekile selokhu abasebenzi baseNdiya abasebenza ngokuzikhandla bahlala eThekwini. Kwakungenxa yokuzimisela ukugcina izitayela zabo zenkolo. Indawo engaphansi kwedolobha iChatsworth eningizimu yeTheku inabantu abaningi bomphakathi wamaNdiya ikakhulukazi amaHindu ngakho-ke kunamathempeli amaningi atholakala emayunithi ahlukene eChatsworth. Umlando wamaningi ala mathempeli axhumene nezinselelo zomphakathi wamaNdiya ngokwesimo sezepolitiki nezomnotho.
ISithambaram Alayam Temple
Ithempeli iSithambaram Alayam eliseBayview, eChatsworth ngelinye lamathempeli aqalwa eminyakeni engu-52 edlule. Umlando wethempeli laseSithambaram Alayam uxhunyaniswe ne-Shree Ambalavaner Alayam eyaziwa ngethempeli laseMbilo. Ithempeli laseMbilo lalingelinye lamathempeli amadala amaHindu eThekwini futhi lakhiwa ngo-1869 yizimboni zaseNdiya. Ngo-1904, ithempeli labhujiswa yizikhukhula kodwa lakhiwa kabusha laba yindawo yokukhonza. Kodwa-ke njengoba isikhathi sihamba ithempeli lashiywa njengoba lalizodilizwa ngoba umhlaba wawuzobuyiselwa ngumkhandlu wedolobha laseThekwini ukuqala umgwaqo ongaseningizimu, ithempeli lahluleka ukudilizwa kodwa lashiya umshayeli kagandaganda(bulldozer) elimele kabi.
USoobramoney Thomas wayezinikele ethempelini ngalesi sikhathi futhi wabona kwenzeka okuyisimangaliso ethempelini kufaka phakathi ukubona ukukhanya okungaqondakali ngaphakathi kwethempeli. Leli zwi beliphumile futhi umphakathi wamaHindu waqala ukuvakashela kabusha ithempeli kuze kube yilapho ithempeli ligcina lidiliziwa kuthelawayeka oseningizimu. Ukungeneliseki kwabakhonzi kwawela ezindlebeni zomkhandlu wesitimela wakuleli kanye nomkhandlu wedolobha laseThekwini. Ukuzimisela nentshisekelo yabo ngenkolo yabo kwakungamandla abo. UMnunzane Soobramoney oqale i-Umbilo Road Temple Prayer Group uzimisele ngokuqhubeka nokusinda kwenkolo yabo kanye nefa lethempeli laseMbilo.
Uqale iSithambaram Alayam eBayview ngemvume yomkhandlu wedolobha laseThekwini. Wayefuna ukwakha ithempeli lapho ahlala khona ku-Railview Road, eBayview lapho kuzokhonza khona umphakathi. Ithempeli laqale lakhiwa ngokhuni nangensimbi futhi lalibhekene nendawo elakhiwe kuyo manje. Yasuswa yabekwa ezinkundleni zomidlalo i-Turn Stone Avenue kwaze kwaba yilapho imvume iyakhishwa. Ithempeli labe selithuthelwa endaweni kaSoobramoney futhi wayengumpristi wokuqala wethempeli. Ubeqhuba yonke imicikilisho yokuthandazela umphakathi. Ithempeli lavuselelwa ngesakhiwo sezitini nothayela. Ithempeli lenze imithandazo ebaluleke kakhulu, imikhosi, imishado kanye nomphakathi udlale indima enkulu ngokubamba iqhaza nokuxhasa le micimbi yenkolo. Inkolo yamaHindu yayisaqhubeka nokuqina yize kwakukhona izinselelo, futhi kwabonakala isidingo sokubonga imizamo yokhokho bethu ekuvikeleni inkolo yabo njengengcebo ukuze amasiko adluliselwe ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane futhi isiko lisaqhubeka. UShri Thomas ushone ngo-2002 kanti njengamanje leli thempeli selithathwa yindodana yakhe.
Ibhalwe uYoveshine Pillay
Umthombo: The Sithambaram Alayam 50th Anniversary brochure. Feb 2010, page 4. kanye ne-www.showme.co.za