Hindu River Offerings Cause Ripples

March 3, 2007

Source: THE MISSISSAUGA NEWS/Torstar Network

http://www.mississauga.com/mi/people/story/3899237p-4509292c.html

Adrienne Duff noticed them three years ago, drifting in a Brampton branch of the Credit River. Clusters of flowers, plastic statues, coconuts - some still wrapped in plastic - even jewellery and money.

"We started receiving calls from landowners, not just on Fletcher's Creek but also in the main Credit area," said Duff, a watershed-monitoring specialist with Credit Valley Conservation.

The mystery was traced to devout Hindus who were making river offerings as a means of conveying blessings, part of their traditional worship.

Worried about the potential environmental impact, the conservation agency, along with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, which is seeing similar things, began the delicate task of finding a compromise.