More than 17,000 devotees gathered at Durban’s Chatsworth Stadium for the historic “Man to Hanuman” event, one of Sanatan Dharma’s largest public events ever held outside India. The event was organized as part of the global ‘Chinmay Amrit Mahotsav’ organized by Chinmay Mission South Africa to commemorate 75 years of the Chinmay Movement. The crowd far exceeded the initial expectation of 10,000 people and the stadium turned into a sea of saffron colour, devotion and unity. Thousands of people recited Hanuman Chalisa together in an atmosphere filled with faith, emotion and cultural pride.
The event got an even bigger boost when the Honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi sent a special message of good wishes a day before the event. He congratulated Chinamaya Mission South Africa for celebrating the Amrit Mahotsav and appreciated their remarkable contribution in preserving the eternal spiritual heritage of India. The Prime Minister described the collective recitation of Hanuman Chalisa as a powerful expression of harmony, devotion and compassion and also recognized the invaluable role of the Indian community in strengthening the social and cultural fabric of South Africa.
Thousands of devotees arrived at the venue in more than 80 buses from different parts of KwaZulu-Natal and neighboring provinces. They joined thousands of others who had come on their own to partake of what many described as a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual experience.
The collective chanting under the leadership of Padma Shri Bhajan Samrat Anup Jalota and famous singer-actor Anuja Sahay created an atmosphere of wonderful devotion. As thousands of voices united, the devotees sang each shloka with full enthusiasm and emotion, making the entire stadium a living temple of faith.
Swami Abhedananda Saraswati’s passionate speeches further deepened this emotional atmosphere; He has completed two decades of spiritual service in South Africa. Even though his speech was short, he energized the gathering. Swamiji called upon devotees to remain deeply connected to their spiritual identity as well as embrace harmony and service, and inspired people to embrace their faith with pride. At his call, the entire stadium echoed with this emphatic declaration three times: “I am a proud Hindu.”
His message emphasized that this pride was never about division, but about embracing our spiritual heritage with confidence and working together for the betterment of South Africa, India and humanity.
Perhaps the most memorable scene of that day was seen in the last phase of Hanuman Chalisa. Every devotee stood waving saffron flags with a picture of Lord Hanuman and the words “I am a proud Hindu”. When Swami Abhedananda himself stood in front of the gathering waving the flag, thousands of people simultaneously did the same. Many were moved to tears as devotion, gratitude, pride and unity reached an emotional peak the Mission had never seen before.
This program reflects Swami Abhedananda’s long-standing vision of bringing Hindus together beyond all divisions. People from different linguistic backgrounds, regions, castes and traditions stood shoulder to shoulder; They put aside differences and celebrated a common spiritual identity with confidence and joy.
The soulful rendition of Hanuman Chalisa by Padma Shri Anoop Jalota brought repeated applause, while the melodious accompaniment of renowned singer-actor Tanuja Sahay further elevated the devotional experience. Devotees also witnessed Anup Jalota’s deep respect for Swami Abhedananda, which shows the deep spiritual bond between the two.
Addressing the gathering, Anup Jalota paid glowing tribute to Chinmaya Mission’s 75-year global legacy of spiritual service and education. He also emphasized that 2026 marks the completion of 20 years of Swami Abhedananda’s spiritual service in South Africa, making him India’s longest serving Hindu monk in Africa. He praised Swamiji’s extraordinary contribution in reconnecting generations of people with their Indian roots and leading a spectacular spiritual and cultural renaissance across South Africa. The audience expressed their feelings wholeheartedly and applauded loudly.
The event was attended by the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Thami Ntuli. He participated in the function with full enthusiasm; Waved the saffron flag along with the devotees and also tried to recite and sing from the Hanuman Chalisa booklet. He congratulated Chinmoy Mission Worldwide on completing 75 years of dedicated service and appreciated the invaluable contribution made by Chinmoy Mission South Africa under the guidance of Swami Abhedananda.
The event was one of the largest volunteer-run spiritual events held in South Africa. Around 200 volunteers ensured that over 17,000 devotees could move smoothly and safely throughout the venue.
Each visitor was welcomed with a specially curated gift bag containing inspirational books by the saints of Chinmoy Mission, photographs of Lord Hanuman and Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda, consecrated vermilion prasad, water bottles and fruits.
Ensuring that no devotee remained hungry, around 100 volunteers worked continuously from midnight till the morning before the event. They prepared biryani, curry and semolina pudding and packed more than 20,000 food boxes, which were distributed as Mahaprasad to every visitor.
For almost two weeks, volunteers from Chinamoy Mission South Africa, along with members of several temples and community organizations, worked daily in the large kitchen of Chinamoy Annapurna Ashram. He prepared ‘Rhots’, a traditional sacred sweet made of flour, ghee and sugar, for Lord Hanuman. This huge bhog was offered during the program and then the ‘roat’ was distributed as prasad to every devotee.
This historic event became not just a religious gathering, but a grand celebration of devotion, unity, service and cultural pride. As over 17,000 devotees stood together amidst saffron flags reciting the Hanuman Chalisa, Chinmoy Mission South Africa created a memorable moment in the global conversation on African history and Sanatan Dharma. He gave an eternal message that faith has the power to unite hearts, overcome every obstacle and inspire humanity towards peace, harmony and selfless service.
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