A mammoth peace prayer in South Africa

Thousands of Hindus will attend a mammoth prayer meet in South Africa for the benefit of humanity.

Thousands of Hindus will attend a mammoth prayer meet in South Africa.

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The function, scheduled over three days here later this month, will be presided over by the heads of Gayatri Parivar, a group from India.

Pramod Bhatnagar, who will lead a 12-member team from India for the prayer meeting, said that this was the seventh in a series of prayers held abroad for the benefit of humanity.

"It was started in Britain in 1993, with further events in Los Angeles and Chicago in the US, Montreal and Toronto in Canada, and in Sydney last year," Bhatnagar said.

"We are expecting devotees from all over the world for this first prayer in Africa. Devotees from Kenya and Uganda have already indicated they will come," he said.

The prayer would aim at improving the ecological and mental state of humanity, he added.

"We will also have a seminar, which will discuss the art of living, the science of spirituality and related topics. There will also be exhibitions portraying Indian culture and Yoga tradition," he said.

"We will also show how powerful Ayurvedic medicine is and how it can replace allopathic or other medicines. There will also be a multi-media exhibition."

The event starts May 26 with a three-hour Kalash Yatra. Ladies will carry the pots on their heads, from the Gayatri Parivar Ashram in the huge Indian township of Lenasia to Rameshwar Mandir, about two kilometres away."

There will also be a Gayatri Pooja May 26, followed by a Gayatri Yagna for youths and a cultural programme after lunch. A Yagna, or fire worship, will end the prayer May 28.