As we write, Bodhinatha and Arumugaswami have completed their presentations at the Religion Congress in Montreal. He sent this short report:

“Today was our keynote presentations at the Religion Congress. In the morning we went over early, met key individuals and made sure the technology side of our keynotes worked.

At noon we went back for a press conference and stayed on for our afternoon presentations. At my plenary session on Religion and the Media at 1:30 there were about 100 attendees. it was well received with excellent questions afterwards.

At Arumugaswami’s panel discussion on Religion and Proselytization there were about 50 attendees. It was coordinated by Kusumita Peterson who expected a much smaller group. It generated some excited Q and A afterwards! ”

We begin a six-day phase today with homa held this morning by Sadhaka Jivanandanatha.

Paramacharya Palaniswami gives a talk to the devotees this morning.

Later in the morning pilgrim family Shankar and Sri Mallampalli from Florida with new twins Sivani and Eshan were taken on a tour of Iraivan.

They are hoping their son may one day take to the monastic path.

We are very happy to have R. Selvanathan Stapathi here on Kauai, all the way from India. He has been working on drawings for various aspects of Iraivan work, marking some of the stone to guide the silpis in further ornamentation, so that they can continue their work while waiting for our new resident sthapati, Chidambaram Sthapati from India.

And in the back there dressed in white: Nikole Castillo from Los Angeles, a new reader of the Master Course daily lessons for the past several months who is interested in becoming a Hindu.

Mallampallis worship at the Svayambhu Lingam where the vision of San Marga and Iraivan temple all began with Gurudeva’s vision of Lord Siva, sitting and walking here.

At the temple site the big news is that we are getting ready to set up the two pillars at the very end corners of the south end of Iraivan. The crane will arrive tomorrow.

Meanwhile our team is getting things set in place.

Our missions have been very active lately and sending us lots of photos. Here we are in California where our sishya took the lead on the Ganesha Visarjana celebration along with Hindu friends from the community.

Here Amma Renuka and daughter Maya painting Ganesha

Deviyani’s amma, Resmi, Chamundi, Deviyani’s grandmother, Deviyani, and Rika.

Grand puja conducted by Priest Dixit from the Sacramento Vinayaka Temple for all the Ganeshas made by the Hindu community.

carrying the Golden Gate Mission Ganesha

other murthis joining the procession

Closeup of Ganesha murthi made by Hotranatha Ajaya

Ganesha entering the water

the final moments

Ganesha held aloft before immersion

participating from the shore: Sundari, Bhavani, Sabita, Sandya, and Sumana. In the foreground, Soham and Abhi.

The Hindu Sangam 2006 occurred in the San Francisco Bay Area in September at the De Anza college. It was a grand mela celebrating unity in diversity.

One question from the audience “how to answer a non-Hindu who asks questions about Hinduism?” In response, Easan distributes 300 copies of “Ten Questions and Ten Terrific Answers” to the group.

More Questions and answers.

Elder Hindu leaders present: Sri Mohan Bhagwat, Sarkaryvaha, from India and (right ) Prof. Ved Prakash Nanda.

Navakarasu and Mohana Vilashiny are happy to share with you after a 30-day retreat, news of the first child. It’s a little girl, “Yehantini” . They send pictures of the Namakarana Samskara….

Here she is on the day of her naming ceremony

Prayers

Priest chanting the mantra into her ears

Writing her name on the yellow rice..

And presenting her name for blessings to the gods

Parents take turn to call her name 3 times in her ears

Grand parents taking turn to bless her. Nava’s father

Kulapathi Murugesu takes his turn

And her name is “Yehanthini” another Saivite soul joins our Guru Parampara!