We want to welcome into our international family and to the Bhuloka a new born baby boy… Sivanathan and Puvana Batumalai are proud parents of a child born on Thai Pusam day. His name has yet to be chosen so we call him “Thai Pusam” for now…

We have known Puvana Murugesu since she was a little girl and its wonderful to see that through all these years she has stayed true to Gurudeva teachings. Now Sivanathan and Puvana will be carry on the heritage of our sampradaya to the next generation– their own children.

This couple is visiting for the first time coming from Fresno, California. They felt privileged to meet with Bodhinatha, who shared with them some thoughts on how to spiritualise daily life.

Rangan and Lakshmi from Houston were among our Hindu pilgrims today. They first visited 2 years ago after their wedding. Now Iraivan is their place of pilgrimage in paradise.

A small group of boy scouts from the Kapaa Middle School came today to visit our temple. Sadhaka Dandapani took them to the temple.

We interupt TAKA to present something new, an experiment really, as we find more ways to bring life to TAKA in the digital age… very small video clips… This 17- second clip is a walk from the Nandi Mandapam, just outside Kadavul Temple, to the path leading to the river valley. We see more short video clips in our TAKA future. If this works, that is!

Here our visitors are admiring a palm tree. Almost to the temple. Just another 200 yards.

Nearing the temple, they hear the story of Gurudeva, with his Shum meditation carved on a pillar.

They were fascinated with the whole stone carving process and could not have enough at trying their hand at chipping a stone.

A nameless monk meditating this morning at the wall of the monastery.

At the temple site today three of our carvers are working on the foundation and the others are high up in the tower.

Making special “key” stones which tie the beams of the roof together.

The stones are small, and there are 8 of them in all.

This chisel is a “sandpaper” chisel which smooths the stone, making it flat.

Here is the Ganesha Mandapam in Mauritius. Our report writes from the island nation:

“We had a wonderful Thai Pusam celebration in all temples of South Indian origin in the island.

This week the island is fully focused on Maha Sivaratri. Radio and national TV have already started to broadcast special programs on this festival and on the pilgrimage to Ganga Talao.

At the Park, other than our grand public Ganesha Homa, facilitators of the Himalayan Academy Committee are running our weekly classes on Saivite Hindu Religion Book IV for the children. For the adults there is now a monthly gathering for enrolled MC students each month at the residence of one of the students.”

“An activity was organised to teach about the existence of the four major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. We had the group divided into four clusters representing each one of the major religion. Then each group in turn would explain their religion in simple terms like way of worship, place of worship, simple beliefs, scriptures etc… It was possible to then draw the differences between each religious group. The youth liked this game …..

“The children attending classes at the Park are now studying Book IV of the Saivite Hindu Religion which is a six-book graded course based on the holy Vedas, the world’s oldest scriptures.

The first lessons from Saivite Hindu Religion Book IV develop from the following questions: What is Religion? What is Hinduism?

We leave the Spiritual Park and go to the town Quatre Bornes where a monthly seminar called ” Bodhinatha’s MC students Gathering” is organised for adults who enrolled themselves in the Master Course studies. We are at the residence of MC student Ananda for this gathering. A nice altar has been set …. The format for this gathering is kept simple. Enrolled MC students meet one day each month at the residence of one of the students. The parlor or terrace is set with a Ganesha shrine for this purpose. The activities of the day starts with a simple Ganesha arati performed by the host.

The lesson of the day is an Upadesha from Bodhinatha entitled “The World is an Ashram” drawn from the lofty saying of sage Yogaswami: The world is an ashram, a training ground for the achievement of moksha, liberation. The main focus of Bodhinatha’s teachings were on the way Bodhinatha provided a practical understanding of the concept of Ashram and the World. Bodhinatha says ” This common perspective is not the viewpoint of great souls such as Yogaswami. Such souls know that much spiritual progress can be made during our time in the world if we hold the right perspective. I call this approach “spiritualizing daily life.” Let’s bring this concept down to Earth by dividing the occasions for spiritual progress when out in the world into two categories: facing life?s challenges and finding opportunities to serve.”

Time for a coffee break…. Vandana enjoying a conversation with Kulamata Premila Manick, one of the facilitators.

Everyone had the time to socialise and come to know each other better.

A group from Flacq looking forward to have the gathering in their region soon.

Ananda and his wife Ananda gave a warm welcome to everyone and lovingly spoiled them with with home-made sweets.

Yesterday was ashram sadhana day and each kulam spends time cleaning and upgrading their work areas.

Yesterday a metal Siva Nataraja was placed on a pedestal in the publications offices.

It’s a traditional form but executed in a contemporary way, but the metal is highly polished and painted.

A gracious face indeed!

Out in the gardens our Blue Jade vine is in full bloom.

Up close you see the parrot-beak structure and the amazing blue and purple colorations.

Also in bloom today is our Amherstia nobilis, one of the world’s great flowering trees, from India.

A koi swims contentedly near the Chola Garden waterfall.