Bodhinatha’s eyes light up as he surveys the gold leaf work of the Chinna Gopuram at Iraivan:

Thirunavukkarasu Nayanar Gurukulam
Tsunami Update

Yesterday we finally managed to get through to the manager of the Thirunavukkarasu Gurukulam Orphanage Manager, Mr. Kanan Rajaratnam, to get a first hand account of what actually happened. Mr. Rajaratnam said there were 43 boys in the orphanage of which 1 died in the tsunami floods. 1 boy was also injured. Out of the 5 staff members only 1 survived. Mr. Rajaratnam received surgery for his injuries and is now recovering. But he is in good spirits and determined to put carry on. More news tomorrow. We have a new link on the side bar to the right where you can go for periodic updates on its progress.

Today was Thai Pongal, and what a beautiful, auspicious morning it was at Iraivan where the whole monastery went to join the silpis for the Pongal ceremony. The sun breaks over the eastern horizon, sparkling through light showers, blessing us with golden light and rainbows.

The silpis are at the patarai, dressed in new clothes, waiting for Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami to arrived and to greet him.

Bodhinatha is asked to start the ceremony by lighting the forge.

The silpis then add more charcoal to get the flame going.

Chinnu pours into a pot some milk,

Rice and some dal is added.

The pot is covered and taken around for everyone to touch.

Then, onto the fire…

While waiting for the pot to boil, Bodhinatha goes over to Iraivan to survey the progress of the gold-leaf work.

The top of the chinna gopuram looks incredible!

Small kalasam stones, which sit on top of the gopuram are also being gold leafed…

Back at the patarai…on a forge that can melt iron chisels, boiling the rice only take a very short time.

When the Sun enters Capricorn it begins the month of Thai and Thai Pongal is the festival held in South India, especially among the Tamils.

It is an offering of thanks to God made of pongal: which is a mixture of cooked rice and milk.

Newly harvested paddy is used. and the pot is boiled to overflowing on all sides, then the pongal is offered to Surya, the Sun, and shared as prasadam to all the devotees.

In North India, this day is also known as Makara (Capricorn) Sankranti (entrance) and celebrated as New Year’s day in some cultures there.

The pongal is placed on the altar next to Gurudeva’s photo and a simple puja is performed.

Sambrani incense is raised in a great wave of smoke, offered before the altar and then taken out and offered to the deity of the Sun, Lord Surya.

Next, Bodhinatha performs the arati….

which is taken to those in attendance…

The silpis make the final offering of broken coconuts…

Then Bodhinatha gives each silpis a fresh veshti and cash bonus….

And prasadam is served to all…

Gurudeva related: “One more thing comes to mind–this is that occasionally I have experienced being absolutely aware, fully conscious of the physical body, eyes closed, while simultaneously seeing through the eyes of the inner body and communicating through thought with astral people in my room. Sometimes when the mathavasis have been late to feed me because I was napping but fully conscious, the guardian devas would come before me with delicious food, nicely prepared, and with their astral hands spoon it into my mouth, and I actually smell and taste it. When the astral meal is over, I am not physically hungry anymore.”

It was a golden morning at the temple…
and we bring you a few large format photos that speak for themselves…

This temple pillar panel piece called “Anna Dana” — “Food Giving” — the charitable act of feeding those in need, shining with a yellow hue, tells the story:

Under the golden rays of sun from our Mother the earth, rises up Anna, the nourishment of life, symbolized by the golden grains of rice, cooked by our revered earthly mothers and given to the children of the earth.