The head of the Chinmaya Mission in South Africa, Pujya Swami Abhedananda

"LOOK out for me," she said. "I'll be wearing a cream sari with an orange border."

It was the night before the Hanuman Chalisa gathering at Chatsworth Stadium last Sunday.

The next morning, I stood surrounded by a swirl of colour searching for one woman among 15 000 people.

Thousands of white chairs stretched beneath giant marquees, each fitted with massive screens. Despite the huge crowd, everything was surprisingly orderly.