Here is Bodhinatha at our center in Mauritius, where Mahasivaratri celebrations are in progress over the past 24 hours. The great night falls tomorrow here in the USA.

Meanwhile all is very quiet at Kauai Aadheenam as the vibration seems to be flowing inward on this still and windless day before Siva’s great night. We have pilgrims with us from USA and Canada.

Meanwhile our sishya in Mauritius are having a great time there as Mahasivaratri is the largest Hindu religious festival held on that island each year. Some photos and the story follows.

Mahasivaratri celebrations have already started in Mauritius and pilgrims are on their way home after having taken water from Ganga Talao, the sacred lake….

In the island, Mahasivaratri is synonymous of Ganga Talao, the crater lake sacred to Lord Siva which draws thousands of pilgrims every year not only from Mauritius but from neighbouring countries of the Indian Ocean. For the local Hindu prior to the great night of Siva, he has to fulfill an important obligation: a pilgrimage to Ganga Talao, by car, by bus or on foot…

Many pilgrims, especially those of the north Indian origin walk down to their localities carrying wooden frames called “kanwars” as a tapas or penance.

Some kanwars are carried alone the whole way home.

Others prefer to construct a common one which is carried by the group. These pilgrims are usually from the same family or from the same locality.

Every day until the 16th February, pilgrims are leaving Ganga Talao while others are arriving at the the lake.

This year pilgrims have been blessed by the impressive newly copper-plated 108 Feet tall massive statue of Lord Siva standing out above everything…..

This giant murthi has been built there by professional craftsmen from India within 21 months.

Prostrations to the Holy Feet of Lord Siva…Aum Namasivaya!

A view from left ….. The sun was very hot that day and our two very young sishyas for souvenir photo: Sivarathna and Jambalini.

Devotees are all around the water edge offering their prayers to Ganga..

It is a special moment when the whole family prays together far away from home…

At peak times, devotees have to stand for hours in queues to get inside one of the Siva temples on the crater edge to worship the Siva lingum. Here is inside one of them. The Sivalingam (centre) is covered by bilva leaves brought as offerings….

Pilgrims taking a rest before starting the long march home. Some pilgrims come all the way for several miles on foot to the Lake while others come by bus/cars and return on foot.

Ganga Talao abound in monkeys from the thick forests nearby. On Mahasivaratri periods they stay inside the forest and a few courageous ones will come out now and then to eat from the hands of devotees.

Children as well as adults are delighted to feed them.