Bodhinatha is still in transit… in Taipei tonight.

Yesterday morning’s beautiful Gurudeva pada puja….

We want to send a special thank you to Mauritius to Kulapati Sivakumaren Mardemootoo, Kulamata Kavita, Basanti and Deepanjali for the marvelous job they did gold-leafing the Navagraha murthis! The Navagraha will have their own mandapam one day out next to Iraivan Temple.

Today we want to give a big Mahalo and Mikka Nandri to the key people who made possible this next big increment of Iraivan, the Nandi Mandapam foundation.

To Craig Kawakami a young contractor who does a conscientious job and is a great man to work with! Thank you Craig!

To Pat Debusca, the plant manager for Hansador Glover Concrete Batch Plant. Thank you for allowing the use of the second silo at the plant to weigh and mix in the fly ash to the concrete trucks. This was a key logistical element for us to get the job done right!

To Kulapati Deva Rajan for overseeing the whole job and talking with the various key players. Deva’s decades of experience in the construction industry have been a boon for the Iraivan Temple project! Thank you Deva!

Kawakami crewman, Loran Gonsalves…. Thanks Loran!

To the ever bright spirited Tyriss Manintin, who sings reggae at night. Thanks Tyriss!

To hard working Jonathan Cruz-Kamanuwai — Thank you!

And to the strong youngest member of the team: Micah Raposas. Thanks Micah!

And behind the scenes but an integral team member, Mrs. Ku’uipo Kawakami who we are told is part of the business brains behind the company and who was kind enough to provide vegetarian pizza for the team. Thanks Ku’uipo!

A job well done!

now watch the team at work, right through a torrential rain that came for an hour or so toward the end of the pour.

The Great Nandi Mandapami Concrete Pour!

Episode Three

Meanwhile the “big baby” is our giant concrete slab. Temperature rose to 115 degrees yesterday. Our team installed a drip irrigation system on top of the foundation and underneath the burlap.

The foundation gets a constant stream of cool water. Deva Rajan thought this was ingenious and apparently something not done before…. Of course our Siddhidata kulam team is on top of the job!

The support bracing around all the forms came down today.

Tour day today… two groups one of about forty people

And a second of about twenty.