Dr Alleyn Diesel taught for 35 years, the final twelve at the University of Natal, in the Department of Religious Studies, with a particular interest in Hinduism in KwaZulu-Natal, particularly the place of Tamil women and their veneration of divinity in female form. This was her major research area, and the subject of her doctoral thesis (PhD).

After her time at the university expired, she continued with her reading and research on Hinduism, giving numerous talks on the topic. She also writes regular articles for the local newspaper, The Witness, on the place for religion in human experience and its influence for good and ill on the world today.