Worship at the temple in the Sea

THIS HINDU TEMPLE IS TESTAMENT OF ONE MAN’S LOVE OF HINDUISM.

The Waterloo Temple, better known as Temple in the Sea, is an octagonal- shaped colorful structure built through perseverance and strength. At the entrance of the temple, stands a statue of its designer Seewdas Sadhu. Flags and statues adorn the temple’s perimeter. Before entering, you must remove your shoes because once inside, you are on holy ground. The beauty of reverence is reflected in the well-crafted murtis of various Hindu deities and flowers adorned around them.

The temple was first built in 1947 by indentured labourer  Sadhu, whose dream was to build a place of worship. That dream was short lived though, as five years later, it was destroyed by the government of the time since it was built on State-owned Caroni land. Not discouraged, Sadhu rebuilt the temple – this time in the sea to avoid further incident. For the next 25 years, Sadhu dedicated himself to completing the temple. On his bicycle and in a leather bag, he carried stone by stone, assembling the base of the temple.

The temple stood for many years, enjoyed by many before Sadhu's death in 1970. It sadly became neglected after his death and was reclaimed by the sea after years of erosion, which upset both Hindus and non-Hindus alike. In 1994, local businessmen rallied together to have the temple built for a third time, and in conjunction with the Government, the temple that still stands today began construction in 1994. Upon completion in 1995 it was consecrated as the Sewdass Sadhu Shiv Mandir with a new pier allowing persons to have access during high tide and a statue of Sewdass Sadhu, proudly standing on the shore.

The site is an active prayer site, often used for weddings, pooja ceremonies and cremations as the Waterloo Cremation Site is next to the grounds of the temple.

Check out some of the photos below and be sure to stop by on your next visit to central Trinidad!!