The Gayathri Peedam was founded by the late Swami Murugesu Maharishi in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka, where the original temple is still situated in Lady McCallum Drive.
The South African temple is run by Swami Shankarananda, direct disciple of Swami Murugesu, and is situated at 2 Fairview Road, Brindhaven in Verulam, kwaZulu-Natal. The South African peedam was established in 1985 and functions as a non-profit organisation to assist in fulfilling spiritual needs of the community through prayer and devotion to God as the Divine Mother.
It has become an efficient ashram, and the only temple in the world boasting two Gayathri murthis (deity statues). The Gayathri Peedam in South Africa is also the location of the Jadatharaya Institute of Right Living which runs classes in yoga and meditation. It is also the only temple in Africa in which a Babaji Shrine has been installed by Yogiar Ramaiah.
Service is held every Friday evening at 7.00 pm and a full moon prayer and hawan (fire-ceremony) is conducted once a month. Click here for a complete list of our prayer dates.
Besides prayers and functions, temple visiting times depend on appointment, so please contact us if you would like to visit.