Hindu statues could be submerged on Jurassic Coast

Twelve marble statues could be lowered onto the seabed on the Jurassic Coast as part of a Hindu ceremony.

Dorset's Weymouth Bay has been chosen as the site for a Murti Visarjan - the ritual immersion of a deity's idol in water, signifying the cycle of creation and dissolution in Hindu traditions.

The statues belong to 30-year-old Hindu temple Shree Krishna Mandir in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, which has been demolished and is being rebuilt.

Chairman of the temple Dharam Awesti said Weymouth had been chosen as another temple in the Midlands previously carried out the ritual at the same location. If approved, the event would take place in September.

Mr Awesti explained the 12 statues, five of which are human size and weigh 800kg (176lb) each, would be taken by lorry from Leamington Spa to Weymouth.

A crane would be used to lift the statues on to a barge which would take them out to sea for them to be submerged.

"Before the statues are lowered onto the seabed we will have a religious ceremony and bring our priest with us, Mr Awesti explained.

"Instead of dumping them anywhere, they have to be ceremoniously submerged in to the sea safely so we can feel comfortable that we have done our religious bit by following all of the scriptures."

Mr Awesti continued: "The murtis can't go in to the new temple in case they get damaged, they have to be a whole figure.

"Members of the public are sponsoring the cost of the new murtis but we are not sure of how much they will be because they are coming from India.

"Life, in Hinduism, starts with water and ends in the water, even when people are cremated we celebrate with ashes in the water."

The idols, which are made of marble, would not have an impact on the ecosystem of the water or the marine life, he added.

"When they are in the temple they are dressed in bright colours but when they are submerged they will be in their original shape and form."

A Marine Management Organisation (MMO) spokesperson: "The marine licencing application for the submersion of Hindu idols in Weymouth Bay is still ongoing.

"As part of the marine licensing process, the application is subject to a public consultation which will run until 22 June.

"Once this is completed, we will consider responses received from stakeholders and the public before making determination."

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