Yesterday (Saturday) and today the major ceremonies were held in San Antonio, Texas. Here is Bodhinatha with the young children’s group that led the congregation in bhajans.

Excerpts from reports from Bodhinatha follow and accompany photo captions.

Saturday:

Today at the temple was the morning for the Hanuman Kumbhabhishekam. This was a simple half day ceremony for the 14th anniversary of the shrine.

After a short delay while a brief thunderstorm passed by, the ceremonies began.

About one hundred devotees were in attendance. The ceremony was kumbha puja, homa, abhishekam and archana, about two and a half hours total. There are two resident priests one from Tamil Nadu and the other from Andra Pradesh who performed the ceremony.

Our two priest Krishna Bharttar, left and Rama Linga Shastri right perform the homa with strong devotion and precise sanskrit chanting.

The main deity is Venkateshwara with a side shrine with Ganesha and another side shrine with Siva, Parvati and Murugan. Outside are separate enclosed shrines for Hanuman and Ardhanarisvara. The Ardhanarisvara is a murthi gifted by Gurudeva.

Bodhinatha chants along with the two priests.

Today, Sunday, the same puja pattern was followed but to Ardhanarisvara, kumbha puja, homa, abhishekam and archana.

A photographer from the San Antonio Express took lots of photos for the article they are doing which includes an interview with me done at the hotel. It will be Interesting to see how it turns out.

Afterwards I gave my talk on “service” for about forty minutes.

The day began with a powerful thunder storm and heavy rain.

The homa flames rise high as the tempe devotees chant along with priest.

Aum Shree Anjaneya

The kumba is on route to the main temple

The rain devas allowed the sun to shine for this very special occasion.

Blessing from Maha Vishnuji

Bodhinatha close behind

We have arrived at the Anjaneya (Hanuman) temple

Bodhinatha sits inside the shrine

The view from Anjaneya shrine is spectacular.

devotees sit outside in bliss

Let the milk flow, jai Anjaneya

Here comes the tumeric water

Now the panchamritam

finally the kumba water energized by the earlier homa

Bodhinatha gives a discourse to the devotees.

Following Bodhinatha’s talk a few children from the temple performed a short skit and sang bhajans

Here are the children leading everyone in bhajans.

Bodhinatha gives a nice talk on devotion.

Anjaneya is garlanded and decorated for the final arati.

Dr. Kumara is todays Master of Ceremonies introducing Bodhinatha

the final arati is passed around

Back home at the Aadheenam we go for a walk outside.

An unusual shot taken from the Rishi Valley Pond showing the overpass that leads to Iraivan Temple.

Today a special orchid is blooming in Siva’s Sacred Garden. Red and white, Siva and Shakti.

It is commonly known as Chocolate Orchid, and indeed it smells exactly like a piece of chocolate. What will Siva think of next?

Our visiting mother, Amma in Tamil, was taken by Palaniswami and son Yogi Japendranatha on a mysterious trek.

After some suspenseful moments, they reached a small propagation field where genetic crosses of the Hawaiian ti plant are being raised from seed.

Amma was given a note to read as she stood near an especially charming cultivar. This is her surprise upon finding out the purpose of the walk.

Inside the note said that the monastery is naming this ink beauty “Amma Vicki,” after her.

A few tears of gratitude and astonishment later, Amma puts an aluminum plant tag on the stalk, so it joins our identification system.

Later it will be moved to the main ti garden that is one of the choice collections of the monastery.

Amma Vicki poses with “Amma Vicki.”

And with Japendranatha.

On the way back she noted, “Such a perfectly wonderful day, and it’s only 11am!”