Kalikambal Temple

On Rue du Maréchal Leclerc, a little piece of India rises in brilliant colours among the grey buildings: the Hindu temple of Kovil Kalikambal. Réunion is incredibly tolerant, shaped by its diversity and cultural blending. Over the centuries, it has learned the art of living together, and the population has created a common language (Creole) while embracing everyone’s faiths and religions. This tolerance becomes clear when you consider families where one parent is Christian, the other Muslim, and the grandparents might be Hindu or Chinese. Today, all Réunionese celebrate Christmas, Eid (the great Muslim festival) and Guan Di, which honours the protective god venerated by the island's Chinese community. During the period of indenture that replaced slavery, Réunion received workers from across the globe: Vietnam and China, Africa, and especially India, which provided two-thirds of all indentured laborers. Their contracts stated that they would have permission to build temples and continue practicing their faiths on this adopted land. While the Jesuits tried to assimilate everyone into the same culture, ancestral traditions proved stronger than any evangelising efforts. The first Hindu temples appeared quickly alongside the sugar factories. At first, their facades were modest, with decorations kept hidden from public view. In the 1950s, decorations began appearing on the front faces, and Tamil temples became more colourful and visible. In the 1990s, most buildings were enlarged and decorated in the exuberant South Indian style, displaying magnificent polychrome sculptures. The finest example of a Tamil temple can be found in Saint-André, and you can even discover the magnificent Colosse temple during your stay in Réunion. The Kovil Kalikambal was built by Indian merchants in this very neighbourhood. In the 1980s, Indian artists renovated the Gopura, the pyramid covered with statues of gods and goddesses that you'll find in Hindu temples. If it's open, feel free to push through the gate and, after reading the necessary recommendations for this sacred place, admire the interior and learn more about Indian culture! Traditional Hindu festivals are widely celebrated in Réunion, notably the festival of lights called Dipavali (also known as Diwali), which takes place every year in October or November. Believers parade in traditional costumes, carrying candles in their hands. The light represents knowledge overcoming ignorance and revealing our divine nature.