A new phase began today… early morning homa and then the Aadheenam “engine” started up again…

Bodhinatha only has 5 days with us before he is off on another journey.

Today he gave an important talk on “Patience and Forbearance” which will eventually be published here on TAKA and in the Vanakkam Newspaper in Mauritius. Stayed tuned.. meanwhile for all the Inspired Talks audio fans, see the side bar for a new talk we have linked today on TAKA.

A bright summer sun on the west Chinna Gopuram.

We anticipate that Iraivan will provide cool refreshing shade in the future. The temple will be a physical respite from the warm tropical weather, as well as a spiritual respite from the swirling karmas of life.

Our new, younger, silpi team is on the job.

The rate of the “clink, clink, clink” seems to be running faster than ever…

Silpi Rajendran sporting his new eye-wear.

We bring you something we have been missing for a long time: photos from the Iraivan temple work site in India… a visit by Sri-la-Sri Balagangadharanathaswami who has generously allowed Gurudeva to use this land where the carving site has been set up. Kulapati Jiva Rajasankara writes:

Gangaswami had come to see the rudraksha plants that I had recently brought from Kauai. Swami took a photo at our home.

This softstone Ganesha attracted the attention of swamiji and he liked the piece. He took a photo holding the Ganesha playing Tabla.

Here, Gangaswami saw the newly completed steps (Panchaksara steps) carved in blackstone which leads to the main sanctum to Iraivan. He really liked the fine workmanship.

Swamiji seeing the Yalli pillar.

Gangaswami looking at the 10-foot jalakam “window” which is being carved. There are 4 of such stones that comes between the pillars of the Rajagopuram tower and provide light into the entrance through a lattice of holes.

Chidambaram Sthapati showing the drawings to swamji. Standing beside him is Thangavelu Sthapati who is responsible for all the ornamental carvings in Iraivan temple.

Gangaswami wanted 108 rudraksha plants from kauai to be planted at his Adichunchanagiri Mutt headquarters. Jiva managed to bring some plants back home and planted them in the nursery. Here, Gangaswami is walking thru Jiva’s vanilla farm.

Gangaswami looking at the rudraksha plants.

Jiva presented the “Tabla Ganesha” to Gangaswami before he left the Iraivan worksite.

Rishi Thondunathan sends news from Sri Lanka:

New Pannisai Class Begins
in Sri Subramuniya Kottam
Sri Lanka

The Sri Subramuniya Kottam of Kopay, Sri Lanka was started by Gurudeva to uplift and provide many types of services to the Hindu community surrounding it. Since the beginning Gurudeva emphasized that the activities of the Kottam should center around the children and youth.

Most recently the Kottam has organized free weekly Pannisai Singing classes. Panninsai are devotional songs sang by the Saivite saints. The classes are conducted by Miss Girija Subramaniam. She is a graduate from Jaffna University’s Ramanathan Music Academy and is well versed in traditional singing arts and teaches the children the proper methods of singing each devotional song. Miss Girija herself used to attend the kindergarden classes conducted at the Kottam when she was a child.

The classes have proven to be quite successful, with over 40 children attending every week.

Here in this photo is the Kottam’s Pannisai teacher, Miss Girija Subramaniyam, singing at the Kottam’s
Sri Shanthi Lingam Temple last Maha Sivaratri.

Back at the Aadheenam… we take the opportunity to view some of the wonders of summer.. This palm tree is bearing a gigantic frond which is starting to flower…

The unopened flower is about 4 feet long!

A lotus emerging..

“The highly trained classical yoga adept intensifies, through techniques imparted to him from his guru, the clear white light to the brink of God Realization, the void. His entir
e body is faded into a sea of blue-white light, the akasha, where now, past and future are recorded in the linear depths or layers, sometimes seeing himself seated or standing on a lotus flower of shimmering light in an actinodic clear, transparent, neon, plastic-like-body outline as his consciousness touches, in tune with a heart’s beat, into the Self, God Realization.” –Gurudeva

A gentle rain bathes these beautiful flowers.

The lotus lasts for just a few days.