Beach rituals a danger to public and environment
YOU’VE planned a relaxing day at the beach. You set up your beach umbrella and lay out your picnic basket. You run to the water and find… a rooster’s head.
It’s becoming an increasingly common sight along the KwaZuluNatal coastline, as more people pray at the beach.
Fisherfolk who visit the beach daily aired their views of so-called “beach prayers” on Facebook this week.
Jeevash Kumar Singh, who has been fishing for 15 years, said he recently fished out a sari at a beach on the North Coast.
“I usually fish for big fish. This specific day I thought I’d caught something big and edible. My rod was bending and with the undercurrent it swayed from side to side. I battled for about 15 to 20 minutes only to find out that I’d (caught) a red sari,” he said.
He said it took him a further 20 minutes to untangle the sari from his line. Singh said he’s also seen rooster heads wash up on shore.
Imran Bux, a fisherman of 30 years, said he’s encountered saris, milk cartons, fruit, sweetmeats, flowers, dead animals, candles, pins and razor blades at his regular fishing spot in Merebank.
“I am on the beach fishing every day. It upsets me when I see prayer material lying all over. I’m sure these items have been thrown into the sea but were washed back.
“Children from the informal settlement take the fruit and eat it – it’s not healthy.
“They also play on the beach and could get badly hurt by the pins and razor blades,” he said.
Karthi Moothsamy, president of the South African Tamil Federation, said beach prayers play a significant role in the Hindu religion.
“The prayer is dedicated to the Goddess Gangai Amman, the female aspect of God (Shakti) associated with water. Offerings are made to the ocean as she manifests herself as the ocean,” he said.
Moothsamy said all offerings except the sari were biodegradable.
“We agree the environmental impact needs to be looked into and, as leaders, we need to consult our communities to find eco-friendly options to some of the products being placed in the sea.
“Our religion emphasises the elements and we need to protect the planet,” he said.
He said bones and blades were not part of Hindu practice.
Lokesh Maharaj, head of the Priest’s Council of the SA Hindu Maha Sabha, said Hindus had been encouraged to worship “water” from Vedic times.
He said, however, that in honouring and worshipping water devotees could not disregard other elements of nature, as well as people who might use the beaches, rivers and lakes.
“It is pointless worshipping the water or Ganga if in the process we… damage the environment and people. Since Hindus worship Ganga as a form of the mother, they offer a sari…
“Worshippers could perhaps symbolically make the offering and then give the sari to a temple or someone who might put it to good use,” he said.
Professor Vivian Ojong, of the University of Kwazulu-Natal’s anthropology department, called such prayers “offerings”.
“There is a strong belief that there are powers in the ocean that bless and curse.
“The sea is a large body of mystery and many traditional healers use the sea for healing and to cast off evil. Items such as pins, razor blades, candles and animals are required by these healers,” she said.
Ojong said people do not understand how the environment works. “These items wash back to the shore and are of concern. There should be more awareness of the issue.”
The eThekwini Municipality did not respond on applicable by-laws by the time of going to print.