Hindus of Zimbabwe are gearing up to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Shree Omkar Mandir in Ridgeview area of Harare on April 15-16.
This event is being organized by The Hindoo Society Harare (HSH) which is a registered welfare organization whose history goes back to 1916.
The event would also have performances by renowned Indian musician Anup Jalota and Samastha Bhajan Samelan and ghazal evening etc would also be organized.
Many non-Hindus may also participate in the events.
The Temple, completed in 1992 is a landmark of sorts and it conducts daily aarti.
Hindoo Society Harare works to promote universal brotherhood and to preserve Hinduism. Hinduism is the third biggest religion in the world with almost 1 billion people as the adherents.
Bulawayo24.com also states that the Hindoo Society Harare also runs Cameron Street Omkar Mandir, Westridge High School (“character building” is one of whose missions), Westridge Primary School, Gujarati School (foundation stone laid in1928), Mahila Mandal, Shishu Mandal and Yuvak Mandal. It conducts various bhajan events, twice-weekly yoga classes, Hindi lessons, cultural/social activities; organizes daily aarti at both the temples, Havan on Sundays; and offers funeral assistance for bereaved families; etc.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, commended efforts of HSH and Zimbabwe Hindu community.
Hindus live mostly in Harare in Zimbabwe.
In 1990, there were said to be about 3000 Hindus in this nation and Brahma Kumaris have several centres in Zimbabwe too.
Omkar Temple of Zimbabwe:
Omkar Mandir stands on Cameron Street, Zimbabwe, and it was on Vasant Panchmi day in 1929 that the foundation stone for the Hindu Temple was laid by Laljibhai Dayalji Vashee.
The Temple construction also brought it with a big question; which deities to place?
Haribhai N Patel, another person then put forward the idea of dedicating it to Aumkar or Omkar.
He said that Om being the imperishable symbol of the Supreme God, was Universal and beyond the worship of individual personal Gods and their manifestations. Furthermore, an Om Temple would always be a source of unity and harmony amongst the small Gujarati Hindu community comprising of families from different castes and backgrounds.
At that time it was no less than revolutionary and there was no known precedent anywhere in India (or anywhere else in the world) of the existence of an Omkar Temple, yet the community elders quickly agreed on it as they felt that it was the most appropriate way of providing a universal place of worship for all Hindus, irrespective of their castes, regions, personal religious beliefs, and practices. Thus was born the Omkar Temple and the source of unity among Hindus of Zimbabwe!
