Photo Story: Trinidad’s Temple in the Sea

LEFT PHOTO BY: Nadine Eversley                                                     RIGHT PHOTO BY: Shameel Hosein – SOFTBOX Studios Ltd.

NATIVEFOTO CONTRIBUTORS: Here we have our amateur photographer Nadine delivering a classy Black and White photo of the famous Temple in the Sea. I still bet that Nadine would have loved to share a Helicopter ride with Shameel to experience what must have been a special view. We look forward to further images from our highlighted Contributors to add to our Local Stock Image database at NativeFoto.com. A good story can help us appreciate what we have captured and frozen, immune from erosion due to the elements of time. Trinidad’s Temple in the Sea is one such story that will not be washed away with the passing tide. Read on to understand why.

ARTICLE / EXTRACTS

Below are extracts taken from the full original article at: Destination360

“For those visiting Chaguanas and the west-central coast of Trinidad, the Temple in the Sea at Waterloo is an attraction that you’ll do well to include on the itinerary. Constructed in 1947 by a zealous Indian laborer named Seedas Sadhu, the original Waterloo Temple met a quick demise at the hands of the government. Sadhu would not be deterred from realizing his ultimate goal of erecting a sacred Hindu temple on the coast, however, and he again took to the task. Some called Sadhu mad at the time, but it’s not likely that those people realized how prolific his temple would become. It’s amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it, and the Waterloo Temple in Trinidad is a fine example of human persistence”.

“Unfortunately, when Sadhu finished the original temple in 1947, it quickly became a bone of contention with the state operated Caroni sugar company. Because the first Temple in the Sea at Waterloo was built on Caroni lands, it was razed just five years after being erected. Sadhu was even jailed for fourteen days over the entire matter, just to add insult to injury, but the experience would only serve to fuel his inner fire.

Proud, and more determined than ever, Seedas Sadhu quickly began work on a new Temple in the Sea at Waterloo, dedicating the next 25 years of his life to the endeavor. This time, he would build it in the sea, for all intents and purposes, which freed him from having to get permission from the government or anyone else. With just a bicycle and a leather bag, Sadhu transported stones to the shore to build a small island for the base of the new Waterloo Temple. Once the base was finished, cement was used for the main structure. The octagonal, one-story temple was partly damaged due to erosion from the sea, and it seemed that perhaps the sacred shrine would remain incomplete. In 1994, however, the Trinidad and Tobago government wanted to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the coming of Indians to the country, and part of the plan involved finishing Sadhu’s temple. Government workers were enlisted, and they even added a pier to make sure that the Waterloo Temple could easily be accessed during high tide. At low tide, the Temple of the Seat in Waterloo is surrounded by mud flats. To this day, Hindus in the area use the Waterloo Temple for various religious ceremonies, including weddings, burials (cremations), and puja ceremonies, which involve gifting things to the gods”.