Bodhinatha and Arumugaswami are stationed in Chennai at the GRT Grand business hotel. They met with Dr. Srinivasan, former director of the Saraswati Mahal Library in Thanjavur mainly discussing details about the library, its collection, staff and projects. Then they met with a video team to discuss future video projects for Hinduism Today. And are handling lots of emails before going off to the next leg of the journey which is a trip to Pondicherry. A primary goal of the journey is the continue search for the Agamas.

Arumugaswami will be sending photos from the trip when time allows. Here are a few light-hearted travel shots.

Our flight to Japan took us right past Kauai, so we got this unusual picture of nearly the entire island. It is evident from the air how much of Kauai is inaccessible wilderness area, nearly the entire central part of the island.

We arrived in Tokyo to 40�F weather and rain. Fortunately, we did not have to venture outside.

Here in Taiwan Bodhinatha is heading for the gate.

We found this very Chinese saying posted in the galley of our China Air flight to Singapore, “speak softly, work gently,” which seemed good advice for just about any job.

Another beautiful morning begins, as the light from the East slices through the darkness below the mountains….

Out at Iraivan this Tara pillar lies in wait for being raised up. The rains bring a two-tone effect. We are looking at the top (we think…) which has a square notch to receive the stone which will go on top.

Here is the protrusion on the stone that will be placed on top.

Meanwhile this past retreat was Iraivan day. Everyone was busy doing things for the temple. Yogi Japendranatha did a great upgrade to the Iraivan temple fundraising video, adding some of the time lapse shots and upgrading to recent footage don’t miss it below. It is only about 6 minutes long.

Our regular Sun One Homa was performed today by Yogi Japendranatha and presided over by Paramacharya Palaniswami in Bodhinatha’s absence. We will let the photos tell their own story.

It was tour day today… we have about 20 or so in both the 9 am and 11 am group.