Bodhinatha meets with Shailesh Trivedi before he goes off back home to South California.

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END OF PHASE
Today is the last day of our phase.
This edition of TAKA will remain posted
over our coming two-day retreat,
until Navami Tithi, Sun One, Sunday, December 2nd.

Here on pilgrimage from St. Paul, Minnesota, are Siva C. Sivagnanaguru, originally from Valvettithurai, Jaffna, and his wife Indranee who originated in Batticoloa.

They have been contributing to the Iraivan Temple building for several years and have also subscribed to Hinduism Today magazine for many years. Their last trip to Kauai was in 2001, when only the temple foundation was in place, so they were amazed and delighted to see the progress since then.

A visiting family from California, (originally from Punjab, India). Jasvinder and Jasneet with their two daughters, Jahnair and little Jiya.

Jasvinder brought his family on the urging of a coworker and stated that he was “so impressed with the beauty, serenity and spirituality of this special place. We feel very grateful and blessed to be here and do want to come back again.”

Welcome to the Spiritual Park of Mauritius for our November Ganesha Homa. Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati looks bright with all the garlands and flowers brought for Him by loving devotees.

Here is a Google Earth photo of the spiritual park in Mauritius. Directly on the edge of the river where it meets the ocean.

Below is a wonderful video done by the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation on the occasion of Paramacharya Palaniswami’s visit last year. It has been segmented into three YouTube episodes.

Adi Sankara leading the bhajan…

As usual every single seating space is occupied inside the Mandapam by early comers.

Today everyone’s mind is focussed on Lord Ganapati.

Outside, under the tarpaulin covered tent devotees are coming down the Ganesha Bridge with their offerings of fruits and flowers.

Devotees seated on the lava rock steps…Arnasamy (left) is from Belgium. He later gave a testimony saying how the Ganesha Homa started in a simple way and has turned into a real big ceremony…..

The sacred fire where thousands of written prayers will be burnt….

Kulapati Siven Koothan is presiding over the ceremony…

One testimony from a Chennai graduate in karnatic music..This is his first day at the Ganesha Homa and he is very impressed by the spiritual vibration pervading the place.

Kulapati Koothan reading a talk from our Kailasa Parampara’s teachings….

Some devotees would happily stay standing through the whole ceremony, happy to feel the darshan of Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati!