Progress on Recognition of Hindu Marriages
The SA Hindu Maha Sabha (SAHMS) has had several engagements with government in recent years with regard to the recognition of Hindu marriages. As part of this interaction the Department of Home Affairs representatives met with the SAHMS on 25 November 2020 to discuss the status of Hindu religious marriages on terms of the Law.
It was clear that Hindu religious marriages are not recognised in terms of the Act. The Department of Home Affairs was gathering information on the issue of the possible recognition of religious marriages and revising the relevant laws. The intention was to develop “a single Marriage Act” that “will enable South Africans of different religious, cultural persuasions and gender backgrounds to conclude legal marriages that will be in line with the key provisions of the Constitution of our country”.
More specifically, as emphasised by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, the Constitution “enjoins the State to not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone on one or more grounds, including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth”.
The discussion also dealt with the issue of same sex marriages. The SAHMS provided the DOHA officials with a paper prepared by Pundit Lokesh Maharajh which covered the issue of same sex marriages.
The training of Marriage officers and subsequent examinations to qualify as Marriage officers was also discussed.
The Department of Home Affairs will also consult the SAHMS when foreign Hindu priests and spiritual leaders apply for visas to visit South Africa.
Ashwin Trikamjee
PRESIDENT
Good day,
Not sure if this is the right platform to voice my opinion. Just concerned about the rate that our kids are changing their hindu religion for Christianity. Just think we shud change the medium of communication to English in our religion. Why cant all the prayer be done in english. Our mantra as well so our kids can learn it and understand it better. They are changing because they dont understand the language. Its very sad to see our kids , especially boys change their religion to christianity. I really want to bring some sort of change in the way we communicate in the hindu culture. I think it will save our culture from being totally lost.
Namaste, The pooja books used by Priests belonging to Priests organisations affiliated to SAHMS have meanings and explanations of all poojas, mantras and rituals. These Priests are encouraged to explain the poojas. Furthermore, the Shri Luxmi Narayan Temple has several pooja publications with mantras in
devanagari, transliterated script and English meaning.