India Post News Service
HARARE: Both the Hindu temples in Harare (Zimbabwe)—Ridgeview Shree OmkarMandir and Cameron Street Shree OmkarMandir—have been shut down “until further notice” due to coronavirus outbreak.
The Executive Committee of The Hindoo Society Harare (HSH), which runs both the temples, in an email to the members on March 24, said: “The Society Priest alone, will continue to perform the daily aarti at the two Temples.” Shree OmkarMandir celebrated its 90th anniversary in February 2019, while the 25th anniversary of Ridgeview Shree OmkarMandir was observed in 2017.
“All events, meetings, gatherings and visits of any nature” are “either cancelled or postponed”. Schools run by the HSH—Westridge High School, Westridge Primary School, Gujarati School—have also reportedly been closed.
Commending HSH for attempting necessary precautions and actions to combat deadly coronavirus and educating the community, Rajan Zed, president of Universal Society of Hindu Aim in a statement suggested Hindus to pray at least twice daily in their home shrines with total devotion and pure heart.
In the past, HSH reportedly had been conducting various bhajan events, twice-weekly yoga classes, Hindi lessons, cultural/social activities; organized daily aarti at both the temples with Havan on Sundays; and offered funeral assistance for bereaved families; etc.; besides running MahilaMandal, ShishuMandal and YuvakMandal.
Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about 1.1 billion adherents; and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.
