Talk:Paṇḍit Śivdās Sādhu constructs a Temple in the Ocean

By Vishal Agarwal

More than 150 years ago, the British started taking people from India to work on sugar plantations on the island of Trinidad in the Atlantic Ocean. Most Indians were Hindus, but the British did not allow them to practice their Hindu Dharm.

Śivdās Sādhu built a small Mandir of Śiva on a farm. But the government broke it, saying, "The land does not belong to you.” Śivdās said, “The land might be yours, but the sea belongs to no one!” So every day after work, Śivdās started carrying stones and rocks in a leather bag on his bicycle. He started putting them on the coast of the sea, and slowly built a long path in the ocean. At the end of the path, he then constructed a small island. After 25 years of hard work, he finally constructed a Mandir on that island.

The government of Trinidad and Tobago recognized his dedication to Hindu Dharm, and declared the Mandir as a national monument. This means, that Trinidad recognizes the Mandir built by Śivdās as an important part of the culture of that country!