Sri Gopallal Hindu Temple
Temple Valley, Verulam, South Africa
Also known as: Sri Gopalall Hindu Temple
- Deities
- Gopallal (a name associated with Krishna; specific iconography not detailed in available sources)
- Traditions
- vaishnava
- Worship status
- active
- Address
- Temple Valley, Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal
- Coordinates
- -29.65, 31.05
- Darshan hours
- Varies by season; consult the local Hindu community/temple management for the current daily schedule before visiting.
- Best time to visit
- Year-round; still used for prayer and wedding ceremonies, per available sources.
- How to reach
- In Temple Valley, a suburb of Verulam, on South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal coast north of Durban.
Location
Open in Google MapsOpened in 1913 in the Temple Valley suburb of Verulam, on South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal coast north of Durban, the Sri Gopallal Hindu Temple holds particular historical distinction: Wikipedia’s article on Verulam records that it was opened by Mahatma Gandhi himself, during his decades of activism among South Africa’s Indian community before his return to India in 1914-1915. It is described as one of the oldest Hindu temples in South Africa.
More than a century later, the temple remains active, still used for both regular prayer and wedding ceremonies according to available sources. Its name, “Gopallal,” evokes Krishna in his cowherd form, though the specific iconography and founding community behind the temple are not further detailed in the source located this pass.
Sources
- historical record: Cross-checked against Wikipedia's 'Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal' article, which states the Sri Gopallal Hindu Temple in the Temple Valley suburb was 'opened in 1913 by Mahatma Gandhi,' describes it as 'one of the oldest temples in South Africa,' and notes it 'still caters for prayer and wedding ceremonies' today. Note: Wikipedia's own article spells the name 'Sri Gopalall Hindu Temple' (double-L), recorded here as an alt_name; this entry keeps 'Gopallal' as the primary spelling per its established id/name.
- historical record: Re-verified on a later pass: no dedicated Wikipedia article for 'Temple Valley' exists, and no temple-specific coordinates or street address could be found via Wikipedia or general web search; the only related landmark found was a school named 'Temple Valley Secondary,' confirming Temple Valley is a real, named locality within Verulam but not pinning down the temple's own precise coordinates. The coordinates recorded here remain Verulam's general town coordinates and should still be treated as approximate.
For review
- The source names the temple and its 1913 opening by Mahatma Gandhi but does not detail its presiding deity's iconography beyond the name 'Gopallal' (a name for Krishna as a cowherd/child form); this deity identification is inferred from the name and is not independently confirmed by the source text. No precise street address or coordinates for the temple itself were found on a fresh verification pass; the coordinates recorded here are Verulam's general town coordinates, not the temple's own, and should be treated as approximate pending a source with the temple's exact location within the Temple Valley suburb.