The Temple in the Sea at Waterloo
On the west-central coast of Trinidad near Chaguanas there is a temple that stands as a testament to the powers of persistence and vision. The original temple was constructed in 1947 but was destroyed by the government.
The architect, who was not deterred by opposition, murmurs of his madness or incarceration, Sewdass Sadhu was determined to erect a Hindu place of worship on the island and dedicated another 25 years of labor to rebuilding the temple now referred to as the Temple in the Sea at Waterloo.
This time, the temple would be constructed in the sea to circumvent the need for permission from the government or any other party. He began by building up a small island by hand with large rocks, steel and concrete to build the foundation for the temple then he used cement for the structure.
Sadhu's effort has inspired many stories about his tenacity, perseverance and strength of character, which is reflected in the extravagant design of the temple itself considering it was the faith work of a single man. He built an entire prayer complex with three mandirs and the entire building is enclosed with a wrap-around verandah.
After Sadhu's death in 1970, the temple's upkeep was in limbo and wave action caused extensive erosion damage to the structure. For awhile, Sadhu's dreams seemed to be falling into the sea but in 1994 the Trinidad & Tobago government decided to restore his work to former glory as part of their 150th anniversary celebration of the coming of East Indians to Trinidad.
Now, a statue in honour of Sadhu watches over the temple and local Hindus continue to use the Waterloo Temple for religious ceremonies and special events. It is now a major landmark and eye-catching wonder for visitors to Trinidad and Tobago. The Waterloo Temple can be reached via car or taxi and, depending on the distance you're willing to travel, can easily fit into the vacation plans for persons staying in or around Chaguanas, San Fernando or Port of Spain.
Please note: footwear will not be allowed inside the temple.
For more about the Caribbean and advice on traveling in the region check out the rest of the blog.
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Browse the wealth of information on CaribbeanTraveller.com
The architect, who was not deterred by opposition, murmurs of his madness or incarceration, Sewdass Sadhu was determined to erect a Hindu place of worship on the island and dedicated another 25 years of labor to rebuilding the temple now referred to as the Temple in the Sea at Waterloo.
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| The Temple in the Sea at Waterloo during sunset photo from: destinationtnt.com |
This time, the temple would be constructed in the sea to circumvent the need for permission from the government or any other party. He began by building up a small island by hand with large rocks, steel and concrete to build the foundation for the temple then he used cement for the structure.
Sadhu's effort has inspired many stories about his tenacity, perseverance and strength of character, which is reflected in the extravagant design of the temple itself considering it was the faith work of a single man. He built an entire prayer complex with three mandirs and the entire building is enclosed with a wrap-around verandah.
After Sadhu's death in 1970, the temple's upkeep was in limbo and wave action caused extensive erosion damage to the structure. For awhile, Sadhu's dreams seemed to be falling into the sea but in 1994 the Trinidad & Tobago government decided to restore his work to former glory as part of their 150th anniversary celebration of the coming of East Indians to Trinidad.
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| Memorial plaque erected in honour of Sewdass Sadhu after the Waterloo Temple was renovated |
Now, a statue in honour of Sadhu watches over the temple and local Hindus continue to use the Waterloo Temple for religious ceremonies and special events. It is now a major landmark and eye-catching wonder for visitors to Trinidad and Tobago. The Waterloo Temple can be reached via car or taxi and, depending on the distance you're willing to travel, can easily fit into the vacation plans for persons staying in or around Chaguanas, San Fernando or Port of Spain.
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| An Aerial view of the Waterloo Temple, Trinidad |
Please note: footwear will not be allowed inside the temple.
For more about the Caribbean and advice on traveling in the region check out the rest of the blog.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
Browse the wealth of information on CaribbeanTraveller.com
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The temple in the sea is impressive. I just felt in love with it. https://www.paulinaontheroad.com/trinidad-tobago-island-hindu-temple-pitch-lake/
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