Shree Rameshwar Mahadev Mandir
Lenasia, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Deities
- Rameshwar Mahadev (Shiva)
- Traditions
- shaiva
- Worship status
- active
- Address
- Corner Rose Avenue & Willow Street, Extension 3, Lenasia 1827, Gauteng
- Darshan hours
- Varies by temple and season; consult the temple's own trust/management (www.rameshwarmandir.org.za) for the current daily schedule before visiting.
- Best time to visit
- Maha Shivaratri (Feb/Mar) is the temple's principal annual observance, given its dedication to Shiva under the Rameshwar name.
- How to reach
- At the corner of Rose Avenue and Willow Street, Extension 3, Lenasia, a predominantly Indian-origin suburb of Johannesburg established under apartheid-era group areas policy; reachable by road from central Johannesburg.
- Festivals
- Maha Shivaratri (February/March)
Location
Open in Google MapsLenasia’s Hindu community, together with an organisation called the Divine Life Society, formed the organisation that became the Shree Rameshwar Mahadev Mandir in 1965, per the temple’s own history page; land for the temple was acquired in 1974 and an initial temporary structure built, before a grand official opening ceremony — drawing participants “from all over the world” — took place in 1988. Shree Chotubhai Govan oversaw construction of the main building; later chairmen have included Shree N.G. Patel (from 2004) and Shree Chotoobhai Daya (from 2016).
The temple is dedicated to Shiva under the Rameshwar Mahadev name — the same epithet associated with the Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga in Tamil Nadu, reflecting the South Indian Tamil heritage of much of the area’s Hindu population. Lenasia was established southwest of central Johannesburg under apartheid-era group areas legislation as a designated area for Indian residents, and its temples, including this one, have since served as anchors of religious and community life for Johannesburg’s Indian-origin Hindus. Standing today at the corner of Rose Avenue and Willow Street in Extension 3, the temple continues to host regular worship, festivals, and charitable activities for the local community.
Sources
- historical record: Cross-checked against Wikipedia's 'Lenasia' article: confirms the temple was built by and for the local Hindu community in 1988, for the worship of Shree Rameshwar Mahadev, and that it maintains its own website (rameshwarmandir.org.za).
- historical record: Re-verified and substantially expanded on a later pass via the temple's own website (rameshwarmandir.org.za and rameshwarmandir.org.za/about): gives the address as 'Corner Rose Avenue & Willow Street, Extension 3, Lenasia 1827' (phone 011 854 3887, email info@rameshwarmandir.org.za); records that 'a number of community leaders together with an organisation called the Divine Life Society formed an organisation called Shree Rameshwar Mahadev Mandir' in 1965, that land was acquired in 1974 (with an initial temporary structure), and that 'in 1988 a grand official opening ceremony of Shree Rameshwar Mahadev Mandir took place where people from all over the world participated'; names Shree Chotubhai Govan as having overseen construction of the main building, Shree N.G. Patel as chairman from 2004, and Shree Chotoobhai Daya as chairman from 2016; and states the organisation's purpose is 'to promote, support and perpetuate the worship of Shree Rameshwar Mahadev, to celebrate religious festivals, holy days & charitable events.'