Declared a National Monument under old NMC legislation on 18 February 1977. Believed to be the oldest surviving ‘solid’ temple in Africa and one of the finest examples of temple architecture in South Africa, the 'Ganesha Temple', was built in 1898 by indentured bricklayer and temple architect Kristappa Reddy. Situated on the road to KwaZulu-Natal’s, Wild North Coast, the temple is a classical arrangement enclosed within a walled courtyard, with 'Nandi the bull', guarding its corners. The temple has an axial entrance through a low gopirum (entrance tower) which leads past a kodi pole (an external altar and flagpole) to the central cella, the domed structure which houses the elephant-like deity Ganesh. The Shiva Temple was built in 1912 by master temple builder Kothanar Ramsamy Pillay. Crowned by a deeply modulated barrel vault, the temple’s design shows a strong appreciation of architectural elements, although these are now diffused by arbitrary use of colour. The recent addition of the Hall has been insensitively executed, with little integration of the deities into its structure.
"Woven into South Africa's diverse and rich cultural fabric, Hindus' maintain and express their own set of beliefs, customs and traditions in the form of Festivals such as 'Deepavali' ( the festival of lights). My attention in this paper is focused on the awareness of Hindu working, married women and how they represent themselves during 'Deepavali' to maintain their cultural identity. Cultural identity in this sense encompasses Religion, culture and traditions." an extraction from the JOURNAL ARTICLE-The Festival of "Deepavali" as Marks of Tradition and Identity for Working, Married Hindu Women: Continuity and Change Author-Sheila Chirkut