Vice-President of Mauritius here for reopening of Hindu temple |18 January 2008

The VP was met at the Seychelles International Airport by Vice-President Joseph Belmont and officials from the Seychelles Hindu Kovil Sangam.

VP Chettiar is expected to call on President James Michel this morning.
Besides VP Chettiar as the main Guest of Honour at the temple’s consecration ceremony on Sunday will be other foreign as well as local dignitaries.

The temple’s consecration comes after almost three years of work to give it a new five-storey tower and to renovate the whole structure.

The construction of the new 16-metre high tower (Rajagopuram), designed by architect Shri Ganapati and his team from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, started in March 2005 and has cost R7 million.

The Hindu temple, with Lord Sri Navasakthi Vinayagar as the main deity, was built in May 1992 and according to Hindu customs, a temple must be fully renovated after 12 years in existence, and the function of Kumbabishekam (consecration) be performed.