We are back from a dynamic three-day Thai Pusam full moon retreat. Bodhinatha is here give a wonderful talk on the Shum concept of “Kaef,” awareness being aware of itself and nothing else, this morning after homa.

Hitesvara Saravan, Ganga Sivanathan and Jnani Shanmuga are “triple teaming” the transcriptions of Bodhinatha’s talks, so, watch closely for new postings each day on the side bar. The talks on Shum are “right around the corner.”

Yogi Japendranatha performs the homa this chilly morning.

During the retreat, the stewards of the Hindu Heritage Endowment for their quarterly meeting. A number of young monks joined them. Paramacharya Palaniswami brings us a slide show of this important event that comes four times each year.

There is a steady stream of pilgrims, visitors and guests from all over the world.

Some pilgrims have darshan with Bodhinatha this morning.

Our group of visitors today posing with Siva Yoganathan Swami.

Here are Ashok and Pushpa Nalamawar, Ram Gopalan, Kavita Murthi and Siveta and Maya Ramachanran all from Fremont, P. S. Sarma, also Nagratna and Jyoti Gopalan from Chennai, and Lalitha, Nat, Ganapathy and Alamelu Mani from California and Mr. and Mrs Sathi from Canada. There were also a few late arrivals who made up the group.

What a really beautiful Spring-like day it is!

Shakti and Dasan Mahadevan arrived for the 6am Sun One Homa this morning followed by an early morning walk to the Iraivan Temple. They were really surprised at how the building project has advanced since their last visit in October.

Here is one of our famous stone carvers, Rajendran, creatively working on corner Kolum designs with artful dedication. . .

. . . and with great concentration.

Pandi a few feet away expertly creates a beautiful flower design which encircles the outer sanctum wall.

These needle-sharp chisels only last a few minutes before they are too dull for this intricate work. The silpis are going through 400 chisels a day at the moment!

Kishor and Hima in front of the Iraivan Temple. He is from Chennai and Hima is from Bangalore.

Today the last two Tara or Namaskaram pillars are being put in place. Here is Chelliah wrapping the straps that will be used to lift the pillar up onto its base.

Siva Yoginathaswami with two of our always cheerful Silpis preparing to lift the first pillar by forklift.

Some our little group resting on the wall about the Kaua Nani falls and pond.

What a spectacular day!

This photo is from yesterday morning, the third day of our retreat.. the Thai Pusam full moon is just setting over the mountain and a group of young monks and taskforcers set off for one of Kauai’s great hikes. In fact it is only a five minute drive from the Aadheenam to enter a mini-wonderland that takes you up Kuamoo-NouNou trail for some spectacular views of East Kauai. We will let the pictures tell the story.