As we write TAKA today, Bodhinatha is in transit on the long flight home after a whirl wind trip to Singapore and Malaysia. Highlights of the trip were the What is Hinduism seminars in Singapore and Malaysia.

Here is Bodhinatha in Singapore at the Sri Senpaga Vinayagar temple Kalamandapam in Singapore. Sivasubramaniam Rajasundram sends us photos and a write up.

He says: Friends
07/07/07 seems to be a special day.
There were a record number of marriages registered and 7777 was the lucky number in the Bangkok lottery but I am sure that the three hours we spent with Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami at the Sri Senpaga Vinayagar temple Kalamandapam tops the list.
Swamiji captured the interest of the audience with his opening remarks stating that the next three hours would be spent in the Kalaamandapam for those who are interested but in the Kaalamandapam for those who are not interested. I am sure that it was a Kalaamandapam experience for all of us.

To add to it was the chance to get hold of a copy of ‘What is Hinduism?’ Modern Adventures into a Profound Faith From the Editors of Hinduism Today Magazine.

Fantastically illustrated with wonderful photographs and drawings, the book is easy to read.

The few pictures that I took are attached. I will get the others captured by Bhavan and send it at a later date.
R Sivasubramaniam

Bodhinatha reports on this Singapore event briefly:

“In the afternoon from 4-7 PM held the keynote on what is Hinduism? at this temple. About 125 attended, a good size group for Singapore. Of the 45 copies of WIH on hand, 43 were sold at the seminar itself. A number of positive comments from participants were received.” — Bodhinatha

That evening Bodhinatha flew to Malaysia and on the following day, the 8th was an even bigger event. Bodhinatha writes:

“Our first event in Malaysia was at the Kandasamy Scott’s Road temple at 8 am — a welcoming by the temple and parade from the temple to the cultural hall. At 9 AM the Keynote presentation started with about 200 people. However, the hall keep filling and ultimately reached a crowd of almost 600. They enjoyed the Keynote topics from ‘What is Hinduism.’ At about 12:10 the book launch started with my talk, then Dato Vaitilingam and minister Dato G. Palanivel. Dato Vaitilingam was quite supportive of the book saying every English-speaking Hindu family in Malaysia should have a copy in their home and read it too! He mentioned our friend S. Ramachandran suggested to him that it be added to the Sangam’s official curriculum. Then Dato Palaniswami spoke positively about the work. He hadn’t seen the book yet, so praised Hinduism Today. He recommended that all English-speaking Malaysian’s subscribe. He said that the magazine was idea oriented, each issue had something about family life and it gave useful ideas to base actions on. The combination of the two speeches was extremely supportive. All 210 copies of WIH were sold and orders taken for more, even one order of fifty copies, I was told. Book signing plus giving vibhuti for 600 people took a while.

“Our second event was a members’ satsang at 6:30 PM. at Dasan Sivanandas. There was a turn out. Two new brahmacharya vratas taken.”

Back on Kauai at the Aadheenam, we begin a short 4-day phase with a homa. Paramacharya Palaniswami presided and gave a short talk afterwards.,

Palaniswami spoke on Gurudeva’s seven dimensions of the mind that are fundamental to the Shum language.

Srinivasan Chandrashekharan, a brahmin, is here on a short pilgrimage from San Francisco. Following the morning puja and worship in the Kadavul Siva Temple, he was taken on a tour of the Iraivan Temple and grounds. Here he worships beside the granite Vel on Muruga Hill along the pilgrim’s path. San Marga the straight path to God.

Srinivasan has been a donor for the Iraivan Temple for some time now. He and his family attend the Concord Temple in California and also assist at the Livermore Temple.

He holds the sacred Konrai blossoms from India in his right hand while admiring the pink torch ginger flower native to Hawaii.

Devotion to Siva.

A chance meeting along San Marga with Rajendran, Karupaiah and Chellaiya, three of the silpis, who pose for a photo with Srinivasan.

Srinivasan admires with reverence this exquisite Siva Nataraja, beautifully handcarved in wood from India.