January 25, 2012
As you may know, in 2009 our Siva Poomi Elderly Home purchased 300 lachchams of land (about 40 acres) in Jaffna with the help of 6 families from California. We call this land Siva Poomi Farm.
Since then, much work has been done on the farm. When we purchased the land, it was abandoned and overgrown; now the land has been cleared and fenced, and we put a small building on it with a water tank. This is the third year we have planted rice in the 100 lachchams paddy field and are expecting a good harvest early in 2012. This rice will be used for Elderly Home meals. On the rest of the land, we have planted 400 coconut trees, mango trees, banana and lemon trees. We have also planted onions and vegetables. We now have a small dairy with 6 cows on the farm. Any milk produced in excess of what is used for the elderly home is sold locally. The farm has two full-time employees; seasonally we hire local people to work on the farm.
Our sincere thanks go to Manitha Neyam Trust and the donors. Click here to donate to this trust via the Hindu Heritage Endowment. In March, we purchased a two-wheeler tractor for the farm. We are a long way from being fully self-sufficient, but we are on our way to it. The farm not only provides for the Elderly Home, it also provides employment locally.
Thanks to a small group of kindhearted souls halfway around the world in California, people are obtaining benefit from their generosity in their motherland.
In Peace,
Rishi Thondunathan
PS. I am enclosing some photos of the farm and the Elderly Home for you to enjoy.
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November 30, 2011
One of Gurudeva's teachings to all his sishya was to encourage respect, care and nuture of our elders. He promoted the idea that elders should live near temples and have an opportunity to pursue spiritual life. Of course this can only happen if we teach this ideal to the next the younger generation
Sishya, Thondunathan, is very active in the Tamil Sri Lankan community and he write: "One of the important goals of my teaching mission is to encourage our youth to love and respect the elderly and learn from them. Whenever I visit Canada, I accompany my students to the elderly homes and we sing, play instruments and entertain them.
In July, when we were at one such home, one of the residents named Mr. Mohamed (of Pakistani origin), told us that day was his birthday. We wished him a happy birthday; later, one of the nurses told us that Mr. Mohamed did not have a family, and even on his birthday no one visits him. The next day, we went back to see Mr. Mohamed, sang "Happy Birthday," gave him gifts and lots of hugs. Yes, tears began to roll down his face. We told the children that this is Sivathondu - "Service to God." It was a great learning experience for the students.
In Sri Lanka, once a month, students travel from the neighboring schools to our Sivapoomi Elderly Home and perform cultural programs for the elderly. The elders love the programs and they look forward to them. So, whenever I am in Sri Lanka, I give talks in public schools, and one of my main topics is always about loving and caring for the elderly and the needy.
I hope and pray that more and more schools and parents in the East and West will get involved in this kind of Sivathondu, and give their children such a meaningful firsthand experience of life and service.
In Peace,
Rishi Thondunathan
About the photos: Our visit to the eldely home in Canada in July, the Sivapoomi Elderly Home and some of the school talks in Sri Lanka in March of this year.
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November 12, 2011
Gurudeva's 10th Maha Samadhi puja was held at our Sri Subramuniya Ashram's Sri Pasupathiswarar Temple on October 25th.
Two priests from the Kumbilavalai Ganesha Temple conducted the Puja.
Along with the local devotees, Rishimatha Sivalosany Kanagaratnam attended the event.
Along with the Sri Subramuniya Kottam children
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November 4, 2011
Babu Chandreswaran writes from Sri Lanka: "On October 15th, the Thirunavukkarasu Nayanar Gurukulam (orphanage) celebrated the jayanthi day of Satguru Bodinatha Veylanswami who guides us and the Hindu world.
The celebrations took place at the gurukulam's new complex. All children and devotees gathered to pray and seek Bodhinatha's holy presence and divine blessings.
Please find the photos gallery
-- Babu from gurukulam on 15th October, 2011.
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October 14, 2011
Thanks to Hindu Heritage Endowment and Other Donors
Dear Bodhinatha,
In order to improve the living conditions of our children at the Yogaswami Girls Home in Batticaloa, we constructed a new dormitory building as the second storey above the kitchen, which was newly built last year.
The reason for building the dormitory upstairs was that the village Sitthandy -- where the Girls home is located -- is prone to floods. Last year, the home was impacted a great deal by the December flooding in the eastern province of Sri Lanka. We are hoping to complete the building before the rainy season starts.
Herewith, I am enclosing some photos of the new building under construction showing the second storey dormitory.
As you can see the beds are too crowded, and they do need a new building. But at least for now everyone will be dry when the rains come.
Our sincere thanks go out to the Hindu Heritage Endowment and other kind-hearted souls who have made this project possible. It is because of this generosity that the girls are getting a new dormitory.
In Peace,
Rishi Thondunathan
Posted in Saiva Siddhanta Church Missions, Sri Lanka Mission | 2 Comments »
August 1, 2011
It is a great sign of success and an inspiration to see the Thirunavukarasu Nayanar Gurukulam (orphanage) in Sri Lanka put on a huge public feeding. After struggling through the Tsunami, living through a war, finishing new buildings, the orphanage, which receives support from the Hindu Heritage Endowment is actively performing Hindu services.
Click here for slideshow of the program (click the small "i" icon for captions)
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May 27, 2011
Chellappaswami, Yogaswami's guru, spent much of his life sleeping outside the Nallur temple at the Theravadi, or the "chariot shed." This chariot shed has been renovated and beautified. We bring you today pictures from there as well as from Chellappaswami's mahasamadhi shrine where his ashes are interred.
Chellappaa Swamigal Nilaivaalayam
Above his shrine are inscribed the four Mahavakyam, great sayings of Chellappaswami
Oru Pollaappumillai - There is no evil
Eppavoh Mudeentha Kaariyam - It was all determined long ago.
Naamariyohm - We Know Not
Muluthum Unmai - All is Truth
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May 14, 2011
The Sri Subramuniya Kottam organized the Maha Sivaratri celebration this year. The celebrations began on the morning before the great night of Lord Siva. Devotees assembled at the Katpaga Pillaiyar Temple in Kopay at 8:30 am for puja.
After the puja, devotees carried paal kudam (milk pots) with the sacred bilva leaves in a procession lead by a Naathaswaram and Thavil musical ensemble to the Sri Shanti Lingam temple.
The devotee's paal kudams were used for the abhishekam of Sri Shanti Lingam which Gurudeva had installed.
The Sivachariyas have performed a Homam and Abhishekam to Sri Shanthi Lingam.
The ceremonies ended at 12:30 pm. After that the prasadam was served to all the devotees. Then pujas resumed again in the evening, all through the night until early next morning.
The ceremonies ended at 12:30 pm. After that the prasadam was served to all the devotees. Then pujas resumed again in the evening, all through the night until early next morning.
Puvaneswary Robert from Netherlands was the honorary guest for this year's Maha Sivaratri pujas.
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