About Chinmaya Shivam
Chinmaya Shivam Temple – Lord Shiva’s new abode in Durban
With the surrendered efforts of Swami Abhedananda, Chinmaya Mission SouthAfrica reached the cusp of growth where expansion becomes a necessity to continue the momentum. It was evident that the ashram infrastructure needs expansion to enable the progress. With Pujya Swami Tejomayanada’s blessings, Swam Abhedanandaji gave the expansion project a glorious start by building a grand temple for Lord Shiva, in all its splendour and magnificence.
Within the large and picturesque Chinmaya Ashram premise is this magnificent temple of Lord Shiva – Chinmaya Shivam – that has become a monumental structure of Love, Knowledge and Service for posterity to cherish. The temple’s main deity is Lord Shiva who isseated in a meditative posture along with the Shivlingam inside the sanctum sanctorum. In the outer hall of the temple are the idols of Lord Ganesha, Mother Goddess Parvati, Lord Kartika and Lord Nandi.
An internationally experienced construction team put in their dedicated efforts and completed this temple construction in a record time of less than six months in October 2012. With unmatched expertise of specialized temple architects &craftsmen from India and South Africa, a beautiful structure epitomizing the new abode of Lord Shiva, now stands tall in the Durban Ashram. The masterpiece statue of Lord Shiva – with His radiating smile and compassionate looks, has been made by the best sculptors in Jaipur (India). The Shiva-linga, which was originally consecrated by Pujya Gurudev was reinstalled in the new temple in the divine presence of Pujya Swami Tejomayananda on the 4th November 2012.
Swami Abhedananda performs 11 times Rudrabhishek for the Shiva-linga every single day, invoking His grace for the good and welfare of all. Thousands of devotees throng to the temple on special occasions like Mahashivaratri, to offer milk pots to Lord Shiva. Every evening, Aarti is offered to the Lord wherein several devotees come to receive the assuring and benevolent grace of Lord Shiva. With a large hall to accommodate around150 devotees during pujas and special occasions, the temple has become the heart of the ashram.
To devotees who have always been visiting & supporting this ashram, they have now found a new and bigger home to revel in the glories of their beloved Lord Shiva. With this grand temple of Lord Shiva in place, the Chinmaya Mission ashram has become a regular stop-by, to seek knowledge, bliss, tranquillity,solace and immense grace – something that the material world of objects and relations can never provide.