During 1976 people from all over Durban and surrounding areas moved into new houses in the newly established Township of Phoenix. There was no place of worship for the people who were now living in Greenbury, Rainham, Stonebridge and Clayfield.

 

Good concerned people like Thiru James Thoppay, Thiru T.Palan, Thiru Larry Moonsamy and others realised that there was a dire need for collective worship for the people living in these areas. They knew the only way they could achieve this was to form a religious group and thereby provide an opportunity for collective worship.

 

Thiru James Thoppay started a Tamil School at a temporary community centre established by the Community Liaison section of the Health Department. Thiru Captain Marimuthu assisted in securing this venue, who was at that time the community liaison worker for Phoenix.

 

Six months later Thiru James Thoppai approached Thiru Captain Marimuthu again seeking permission to use the same venue for Sunday morning services. Thus started the Phoenix Branch of the Saiva Sithantha Sungum, the first religious organisation to be established in Phoenix.

Sunday services, cottage services and Tamil classes were being conducted by the Branch and it now started gaining great momentum. However, within ten months of its existence the Branch was dealt a severe blow when Thiru James Thoppay passed away.

 

Swami Sivananda Navalar who was then the Spiritual Head of the Sungum appointed Thiru Manivel Perumal (now Swami Siva Yogananda – the Spiritual Head of the Sungum) as the Guru of this branch. Services were also conducted by Mr T Perumal.

The Branch moved its services to the Greenheights Primary School and subsequently to the Hopeville Primary School. The growing congregation necessitated the building of a temple. The branch secured the worship site from the City Estates Department with the help of Swami Sivananda Navalar and Thiru Ganas Moodley, to build the temple.

The branch managed to raise its cash assets to R100 000, through various fundraising efforts .
With the afore-mentioned amount in the bank, the Branch commenced with one of the most important milestones in its existence, the building project.

The first phase of the building project comprising a dining-room, kitchen and toilets, was completed at a cost of R500 000 largely through the donations and sponsorships that were received.

 

In 2000 Guru Mannie Perumal was initiated into the Divine Order and lovingly given the name of Swami Siva Yogananda and inducted as the new Spiritual Head of the Sungum. Subsequently Swami Siva Yogananda appointed Thiru Jay Munusamy as the Guru of the Greenbury Branch of the Sungum. The Branch continued its activities and services under its new leader with the same level of zeal and enthusiasm. The current guru of the branch is Guru Gonam Perumal.

The Branch then moved from the Hopeville Primary School to the temple premises in Rainham Road where it started expanding its activities on the premises. The dining hall downstairs, the 1st phase of the building was used to hold Sunday morning services and other functions, including weddings, memorial services, etc.

 

It is through the grace of the Divine Providence that Sister Saras Perumal came into telephonic contact with Dr Chetty and requested his help for the second phase of our building. The superstructure is the second phase of the project which was completed through the loving gesture of Dr Chetty and his family. 

Over the years, many individuals, officials and members, too many to mention by names, have contributed immensely to the upliftment of our culture and in planning and building this magnificent temple.

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