Today was the last day of a long six-day phase and full of guests. A huge crowd of tourists were here for the regular phasely tour and two devout Hindu pilgrim families to attend puja. It is Konanur and Arundati’s 48th wedding anniversary today. Here they are receiving a shawl blessing from Bodhinatha. Congratulations to both of you!

END OF PHASE
Today is the last day of our phase.
This edition of TAKA will remain posted
over our coming three-day retreat,
until Tritya Tithi, Sun One, Saturday, February 26th.

Konanur and Arundati Janardan, and Sivaram and Revathi Krishnan were traveling together from Michigan and California, USA.

They have been resolved for a long time to visit us. As we walked around Iraivan Temple and the grounds, they were very happy to feel like they were back in India.

One couple just recently returned from a pilgrimage to Badrinath, Kedarnath and Gangotri.

They enjoyed hugging the rudraksha trees, examining the new crop of blue fruited seeds coming…

paying respects to the original svayambhu lingam…

and to the giant Dakshinamurti.

Sivaram and Revathi Krishnan

And lots of tourist today… Hassan and partner…

This gentleman is from New York. He visited with his wife today and were part of our tour group. His wife was most interested in Gurudeva’s Master Course and will be purchasing the trilogy of books when they get back home in a few days.

Everyone is amazed by the temple…

Fifty bright souls today…

Bruce and DeAnn were among our many guests today. They enjoyed very much the tour of the grounds and spending some quiet time in the temple.

Matt and his wife, Kate, enjoyed their visit up to the monastery this morning. They are expecting a child in May. Congratulations to you both!

Our Mauritius reporter send news and pictures from our center there, prefacing his captions with: “
Here in Mauritius we have been going through quite an unusual rainy season that lasted for several days. The lakes and reservoirs have overflowed. Now the sunshine is back and Hindus are making preparations for the Maha Sivaratri celebration, mostly marked by the foot pilgrimage to the sacred lake, Grand Bassin. We bring you a few photos from the Spiritual Park, from a day without crowds.

“Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati stands majestically amidst the wooden structure of the Ganesha Mandapam at the Spiritual Park. On a normal day the place is quiet and soothing for the devotee in search of peace of mind.”

A rare top view photograph of the murthi…

A new nice wooden ceiling now delicately covers this big granite murthi thus protecting it from any leaks during heavy rainfalls.

A serene atmosphere pervading the whole place….

However, ….on Ganesha homa days the placed is packed to capacity with devotees coming from all over Mauritius.

New blossoms in the pond under the Ganesha Bridge where visitors can see local Koi and guppies.

The Vanakkam newspaper publishes every month a talk of Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami. This month the Talk was entitled “The Power of kindly Speech”. Bodhinatha says: ” Words can hurt others, so it is always good to avoid harsh language, back biting and even teasing”, and quoting Gurudeva:” Think before you speak, and speak only that which is true, kind, helpful and necessary.”

Kulapati Mardemootoo elucidated that talk for devotees attending the last Ganesha Homa at the Park.

Kulapati Siven Koothan (left) and Dr Vel Pillay, chief editor of Vanakkam Newspaper.

A few plastic tables have been purchased to be used during the Ganesha Homa.

Such tables are also of good use to display Hinduism Today newspapers and to sell subscriptions. Here Kulamata Saranamutha Pareatumbee is doing this seva.

The Mauritius Kulapaties at one of the COM meetings in the Dharmasala building.

A view point at the park.

Children of the Saivite Hindu Religion classes at the Spiritual park playing a concentration game with colorful balloons.

Brahmachari Vel Mahalingum washing the Muruga murthi.

The Government is now erecting a wall near the Muruga Mandapam. The work is under progress.

This is Shiv Cowlessur at his temple in Bon Accueil. This young man has dedicated a shrine for Gurudeva in the Temple.

Back home now on Kauai… we bring you more photos from yesterday’s stone lift.. and more next phase. Our photographers delivered 145 photos for TAKA today, so we will save some for later…

It was a very auspicious and joyful moment as all the stones needed to finish the vimanam were lifted into place yesterday.

Our sky team waits will the riggers work below.

It’s an easy lift after all the big stones … the corner Nandis are first to go up…

The flying bull….(smile)

Each corner gets two Nandis…

We will let the rest of these photos tell their own, obvious, story.

Patrick Harrigan sent a report from the Gurukulam in Eastern Sri Lanka today. He visited today with the German president of a company called “The Little Smile Association,” which has built a large children’s village in the area. Patrick took this photo of a few of the boys in their rented home where they are living until we can rebuild their Gurukulam on land farther from the sea. Patrick, a devout Murugan bhaktar, is working to get them on e-mail, too, so the orphans and the monks on Kauai can be in closer touch as we approach the reconstructions phase. Thank you, Patrick, for taking those long motor bike rides along through the devastated countryside to keep in touch with our 43 orphans. It means the world to them that you are there in person to pass along everyone’s love and eagerness to help.

Fund raising continues for the re-building of the orphanage. Visit the orphanage site for more info.