Seychelles Hindu Kovil Sangam elects new executive committee |19 May 2014

The Seychelles Hindu Kovil Sangam (SHKS) has elected a new executive committee.

The election took place during the SHKS’s annual general meeting held on May 11 at the International Conference Centre.

The newly elected members are T. Veera Pandiyan Pillay as chairman, K. Durai Pillay (vice-chairman), R. Kandan Pillay (secretary), Mr Velmurugan (asst. secretary), Ananda Gopal Pillay (treasurer), J. Somaskandan Pillay (asst. treasurer), T. Shanmugam Pillay, C. N. Marimuthu, T. Selvakumar Pillay, S. Palani, R. Kasinathan, M. Muthukumar and P. Subramaniam Pillay as ex-officio members.   
 
The new chairman, Mr Pandiyan Pillay, told the Nation newspaper that this year the association, which was registered in 1984, celebrates its 30th anniversary of its existence in Seychelles.
 
To mark this occasion, the association plans to do several cultural activities.

The association mainly administrates the Navasakthi Vinayagar Temple on Quincy Street which is not only a venue for worship but also a place where socio-cultural activities for the entire Hindu community of Seychelles take place.

It is also the place where religious and cultural education is also imparted to children and serves to highlight the unparalleled Hindu philosophy which is ‘to create an atmosphere of peace, brotherhood and religious harmony among the people of this country’.

The temple is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Seychelles with an average of 50 to 75 tourists visiting it daily where they appreciate the architecture of the edifice and the colorful sculptures which adorn its Rajagopuram (tower).

The association has had the privilege to take part in several key events in Seychelles every year including in the spectacular National Day celebrations, carnival float processions, Creole festivals, etc.

It also has its own calendar of events every year.

The association plans to collect donations from various organisations and the general public and also seek the assistance of the government of Seychelles to buy a piece of land at Lodge Street which has already been identified.

“Our long-term plan is to build a cultural centre on that land. The centre will facilitate the educational and cultural activities for all the Seychellois people,” says Mr Pandiyan Pillay.