Johannesburg Melrose Shree Siva Subramaniar Temple

Our temple initially started out as a wood and iron shack by our forefathers in 1897, is now a beacon of Murugan worship in South Africa and the world with a congregation in excess of 20,000 devotees. The Johannesburg Melrose Shree Siva Subramaniar Temple (affectionately known as Melrose Temple) was founded in 1897 by Tamil Hindu indentured labourers working as washermen for the Melrose Steam Laundry.

Mr Reginald Linaker, the laundry’s owner, gave the land on which the temple was built to the Tamil Hindu community as a reward for the hard work and dedication of his Tamil Hindu workers. He was described by Thillayvel Naidoo in The Temple at Melrose as “a philanthropist of well-meaning habits”, and one of the “few white businessmen who showed genuine sympathy for the local Indian people and their plight as second-class citizens”.

Our Melrose Temple is dedicated to the worship of our divine Lord Muruga, his consorts, Valli and Deyvani, his Parents, Lord Siva and Mother Parvathi and his Brother, Lord Vinayager. Our Melrose Temple also houses a Temple for Lord Perumal (Lord Vishnu), the brother of Mother Parvathi and Anjenair (Lord Hanuman) the most loyal devotee of Lord Perumal and a separate temple for our Navagrahrum Deities