Kendrit Shiri Sanatan Dharam Shiv Temple
Nadi, Fiji
- Deities
- Shiva
- Traditions
- shaiva
- Worship status
- heritage
- Best time to visit
- Not applicable for visiting — the original structure no longer stands. This entry documents a historically significant Hindu temple in Fiji rather than a current visitor site.
- How to reach
- The temple stood in the Indo-Fijian community around Nadi; the building was destroyed in 2008 and, per available sources, no visitor site currently exists at the original location.
Location
Search for "Kendrit Shiri Sanatan Dharam Shiv Temple" on Google MapsThis temple's exact coordinates aren't confirmed yet, so the link above searches by name and city rather than pointing to a verified spot.
Built in 1905 by indentured Indian labourers, this Shiva temple in Nadi stood for over a century as one of the oldest Hindu temples in Fiji, a direct legacy of the community brought to the islands under British colonial indenture. Its age and community significance made it a recognized local landmark among Fiji’s Indo-Fijian population well before its destruction.
On 16 October 2008, the temple was destroyed by an arson fire, the fourth Hindu temple in Fiji burned within a two-week wave of communal violence that year. The Fiji Times editorial board condemned the attack as the loss of a local landmark and publicly urged Christian church leaders to call on their congregations to stop the burnings. This entry documents that history; whether the temple has since been rebuilt is not confirmed in the sources consulted, so it is recorded here for its historical significance rather than as a current place of worship.
Sources
- historical record: Cross-checked against Wikipedia's 'Kendrit Shiri Sanatan Dharam Shiv Temple' article: confirms it was built by indentured Indian labourers in 1905 in Nadi, Fiji, and was one of the oldest Hindu temples in the country until it was destroyed by an arson fire on 16 October 2008 — the fourth Hindu temple burned in Fiji within a two-week period of communal violence. The Fiji Times editorial board condemned the attack, calling it the destruction of a local landmark and urging Christian church leaders to publicly call on their members to stop the temple burnings. Wikipedia's article does not state whether the temple was subsequently rebuilt.
For review
- Whether this temple was rebuilt or the site repurposed after the 16 October 2008 arson is not confirmed in available sources; this entry documents the historical 1905-2008 structure and its destruction, not a currently visitable temple. Current physical status at the original site is unverified.