Welcome back from a three-day retreat. During that time we had a wonderful Iraivan day making progress pushing various projects for the temple forward.

One small addition to our Iraivan web site was made: a restaurant guide for vegetarians coming on pilgrimage. This page is still under-construction and we have a lot more entries to make but you may want to book mark it for your next trip and enjoy trying out various options you may never knew of before.

Namakarana Samskara was performed this morning in the temple for young Velan Sendan, seen here in his mother’s arms. The child’s name is drawn in rice, in the tray which Satguru Bodhinatha is holding. The name is whispered into his son’s ear by his father.

Dad Jothi, daughter Shaila, young son Velan, and mom Vasuki. The homa ceremony was performed by Sannyasin Saravananathaswami.

Vows are read three times by the father welcoming the child to the Hindu Religion. The Namakarana document is signed by all, starting with the Satguru.

Veylan is happy!

Dad signs.

Mom signs.

Saravananathaswami keeps the fire burning…

Velan gets a special blessing.

Wide-eyed little ones are blessed and filled with the light of Lord Agni…

Chanting of Ham Haum Sivaya Swaha 108 times, grains offered to the home by the family.

All the monks sign, Sannyasin Muruganathaswami singing here.

Trays of flower offerings, oblations to Siva!

Shaila checks out an uncle with the camera.

Family photo op! Grandpa (Aran) and Grandma (Valli) on the left, Gurudeva looks on smilingly.

Happy mom and son. His name is now official! He seemed to know exactly what was happening, and didn’t cry at all.

Our guests today were David Stickney and his wife, Kary. David works with Suriyakumar who is one of Iraivan Temple’s strong supporters. Having heard much from Suriyakumar, David and wife decided to visit us. They were most impressed with the temple construction and the beauty of the grounds.

Suriyakumar is president of ARC (American Reprographics) American Reprographics Company is the leading reprographics company in the United States, providing business-to-business document management services to the architectural, engineering and construction industry, or AEC industry. It also provides these services to companies in non-AEC industries that also require sophisticated document management services and has more than 200 locations across the U.S.

David pictured is a VP for ARC and Director of Corporate Communications. With a long history in the field of pre-press and journalism before him, he was right at home in the Ganapati Kulam. Here he chats with Sivakatirswami about our internet technology. But ARC is way beyond us!

We want to thank Suriyakumar and the ARC team for their ongoing services of providing absolutely incredible large format prints of artwork for display in fundraising events, to grace the monastery walls and Himalayan Academy educational events like innersearch.

This month the members of the Mauritius Saiva Siddhanta Church sponsored one day of the six day Skanda Shasti celebration at the Chebel Kali Temple in Beau Bassin. Early Friday morning a group of members were there for the Abhishegum and puja to lord Palani. Members also attended the evening puja later…

A movable Muruga murthi in the Temple chariot for this occasion.

Lord Palani looked radiant on that day.

The Temple priest Sivacharya Umapathi starting the ceremony…

Several kumbhas were placed in front of the temple at a special shrine

The priest recited powerful mantras to invoke the inner worlds….

Many of our members were seated near the homa pit on the mats.

The vibration of the ceremony was taking shape and everyone is attentive…

The priest did an elaborate homa in a very large homa pit built for that ceremony.

The Homa is now over. Kulapati S K Moorghen who coordinated that whole activity was always there whenever needed.

After the Homa, the traditional drummers and nadeswaram players led the procession round the Temple.

The procession over, every devotee took a seat in front of the sanctum where is enshrined Lord Palani.

The murthi is ceremoniously bathed…

Lord Palani beautifully dressed blessed all present ………