By the time you read this, Bodhinatha will have arrived home after a very successful mission in the UK. We want to thank especially the Sivayogam family for inviting and hosting Bodhinatha and making all the arrangements, and to Niraj Thakar and his fiance who worked on preparations for temple events, and everyone else in the UK who worked very hard to see that his visit to London went so well. Photo of Bodhinatha in Malaysia last February.

Jai Satguru Bodhinatha Ki Jai!

The day began bright and early today when pilgrim Dasan Mahadevan arrived at Kadavul Temple with his beautifully arranged offerings. Dasan is a Himalayan Academy student and about to begin his third year of study on Tamil New Year’s day, April 13. “I came at this time (from mainland, USA) because I wanted to start my third year on an auspicious note and shower it with blessings. Every time I come to the temple, I feel as though divine nectar is dripping on my head.” He plans to come again for Gurudeva’s Mahasamadhi celebrations in October, this time with his entire family.

Natarajnathaswami, graphics director for Hinduism Today, holds a precious piece of art recently donated to our monastery by Bruce and Loretta Anawalt, of Washington state, USA. It is an original Indian gouache from the mid-18th century done in Rajasthan style, Aumere School. Natarajnathaswami especially appreciates this gift as he is a student of Indian art and motifs and works with our artists in India to adorn Hinduism Today magazine and books of Himalayan Academy.

The entire Hinduism Today staff is also appreciative of the timing of this gift, coming unsought and unexpectedly just after Hinduism Today published an article on the swastika (April-May-June ’05 issue). The article sought to show that in spite of some horrid connotations from recent history, the symbol has, for Hindus, American Indians and many cultures, always served to show auspiciousness and spirituality. And this gift has come as a sign, showing this cross was and is, indeed, a joyous symbol, the floral motif showing spiritual abundance and repeating the swastika shape in superconscious realms, as it were.

Today, we received a shipment from our printers in Kansas City. Saravananathaswami shows two of the pieces. One is picture-poster of our Bodhinatha, and another is a flyer presenting our vast website and mapping its different parts and url’s.

And here is the ever-popular 16-page booklet, “Ten Questions About Hinduism and Ten Terrific Answers about Hinduism,” along with our newest booklet, also a 16-page reprint from Hinduism Today magazine, “Raising Children as Good Hindus.” This one, just out, has already struck a chord. Praise for its contents and orders for them are pouring in from Asia, Europe and America, including an Ashram in India. These and other teaching-tool booklets–ideal for teachers and parents–are available at http://www.himalayanacademy.com/teaching tools/