| In 1969 Swami Jyotirmayanda and Swami Lalitananda visited Jamaica on a fact finding tour and met with Pundit Munaeshwar Maharaj and a small group of devotees. At this meeting, Pundit Munaeshwar, Pundit Ramadhar Maragh, Ramgulam Calu, Danesh Balraam Maragh and Hame Persaud were the chief participants of plans to strenthen Hinduism in this region through the propagation of Yoga and Vedanta Philosophy. There was no Mandir or centre for holding Satsangs in the format which Swami had outlined, consequently these were held at various individual's homes, first in the Coburn Gardens area and later on with branches in the rural parishes, namely Clarendon and Westmoreland. The main meeting places in Kingston were Mr. Calu's residence, 16 Cling Cling Avenue in Coburn Garden and at 235 Spanish Town Road, the home of Pundit Munaeshwar. Pundit Muneshwar concept of a temple and a permanent place of worship and to legalize the movement saw him purchasing a lot of land at 114B Hagley Park Road. The first Mandir in Jamaica, the "Sanatan Dharma Mandir (SDM)" was constructed on this site in the mid seventies. In 1971 the Sanatan Dharma Mandir was incorporated as a Corporate body for the propagation of Hinduism in Jamaica (Incorporated and Vesting Act 1971). After a period of dormancy, the Mandir was re-vitalized by a group of energetic devotees in the mid-nineties, and subsequently friends of SDM in New York led by Srimati Janet Maragh donated several murtis, which were installed in 1997 by Swami Bhajananda Maharaj and Swami Shiveshwar of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha in Canada and Guyana respectively. Regulars services are held on Sundays at 10:00am and all major festivals are celebrated. Religious leaders are Pundit Ramadhar Maragh and Pundit Danesh Maragh. |
| HISTORY |