Kamleshwar Mahadev Temple, Kibigori, Kenya
Inauguration:
Smt. Vaishhali K. Shah and Kamal Shah of Shrivedant Foundation in Kenya undertook the building of a new Shiv temple replacing the old one near Kisumu in July 2013. The new temple came into existence exactly after 100 years. The earlier temple was built by the local Indians as Kibigori was a train station in those days. Currently, there is no Indians left in the town but nearby town has few Indian families.
Statues of Ganapati, Parvati, Dattatrey, Ganga Ma, main Shivalinga and Lord Hanuman were installed in the temple according to the prescribed rituals. The deities specially sculpted for the temple were crafted by master artisans from Jaipur in India and brought to Kenya. An overwhelming four thousand people attended the inaugural festivities spread over four days. The installation ceremony and all the rituals were presided over by Acharya Yashwant Maharaj and his team comprising eleven purohits from Nairobi. The temple was named Kamleshwar Mahadev Shiv Temple during this occasion.
Activities:
Patotsav Festival is organized each year to energize the temple and make it a centre for a variety of activities that benefits the community. In 2015, the Foundation utilized the occasion to organize Polio Vaccination Drive for local kids. Over four hundred locals got themselves vaccinated against the disease. A Dental Camp was also held for the devotees who attended the yagna which was held at the temple. Local kids got a thorough oral checkup and were provided with basic medicines too. Maha Prasad was served to more than two hundred locals. Kenya Vegetarian club has planted more than 1000 salings in nearby schools to generate income for the locals. They are mostly fruits and Muringa saplings.
Every year during Shravan month, more than a thousand devotees attend the Maha Radurabhishek every Sunday and Monday to pray to Shiva.
On the occasion of Mahashivratri, the devotees do the Abhishek for the whole night. Many devotees travel from a long distance to attend the night Abhishek.
Food Outreach Program
Every week the Foundation feeds more than four hundred local kids at the Temple. These needy children are drawn from the Kibigori area, Muhoroni in Kisumu County and they line up for what they like most, a sumptuous meal and sweets every lunchtime provided by Shrivedant Foundation. Other regular activities at the Temple include medical camps; donation of household utilities alongside the feeding program which has become popular with the children and local residents.
