Above is Bodhinatha at the Homa in Tiruvannamalai. With only 72 hours left for the Innersearch, one innersearcher writes to us today:

Namaste and Pranaam
I hope you are well. Many Greetings from India!

I wanted to take this quick opportunity to let you know that the Innersearch is amazing – heavenly experiences with meditation and temple visits and with the rest of the Innersearchers. I can’t stop thanking Bodhinatha and everyone for this enriching and wholesome spiritual experience.
There is so much to share about this blissful journey.
Infinite Love and Gratitude.
Om Sivaya
Niraj

Today’s Innersearch Slide Show Link

Note: To see the full-sized images and captions, click on the thumbnails

Homa at Tiruvannamalai, Part II

Rishi Thondunatha hosted Vishnu Kempraj and his wife from San Jose. Rishi is here on pilgrimage from the Mainland where he continues to perform a great service teaching Saivite Hinduism to both Hindu children and adults alike.

Vishnu Kempraj and his wife had previously met Gurudeva on several occasions in the past, and were initially here on Kauai in 1995, so they were amazed at the progress of the temple building thus far.

A group of visitors from Japan arrived for a tour of the Iraivan temple Here is Sanae Hamamatsu from Nagasaki with her hand in the lion’s mouth.

Undaunted by the episodes of torrential rain these delightful souls arrived, all smiles, to tour the Iraivan Temple (cameras at the ready).

They are from all parts of Japan to include Okayama, Himeji, Nagasaki, Osaka, Kyushu and Kobe.

Naoka Chindo lives on Kauai. She acts as an interpreter for many Japanese visitors to the Island and has visited the temple on several occasions in the past.

Mary Jane Dockery is visiting with her brother Bertrand Hewett from Michigan. She brought him for a visit one year ago for his 80th birthday. There is a stone at the temple site where visitors can try their hand at “chipping stone.” Mary Jane, 83 years of age, astonished everyone present (including one of the silpis) by chipping a huge piece out of the granite slab with one whack of the hammer. She had previously been a geologist by profession! Today they returned for a second visit to the Iraivan Temple.

Here is Bodhinatha at the homa in Tiruvannamalai.

Meanwhile the Innersearch has moved on from Tamil Nadu to Kerala. Bodhinatha sends us news from the last few days:

Om Sivaya everyone,

Our thirteenth day, Sun Jan 27th, of Innersearch activities. Our night, sleeper train, arrived on schedule at 5:15 AM in Rameshvaram. First activity breakfast at Royal Park Hotel, then sight seeing of some minor temples in the area, lunch at Kailas Ashram and a walking tour of Rameshvaram temple in the late afternoon followed by dinner at Kailash Ashram.

Our fourteenth day, Mon Jan 28th, of Innersearch activities. 9 AM bathing at Rameshvaram Temple. First is a dip in the ocean three times facing the sun, then through the temple receiving a bucket of water over the head from each of the twenty-two wells. Everyone felt quite purified and exhilarated afterwards. Next lunch at Kailash Ashram. In the late afternoon we had a special 1,008 kailasa abhishekam. A set of 1,008 small size kailasa were arranged on the floor in the shape of a lingam with a pedestal. Sri Rudram plus other chants were done. The Sri Rudram had about 12-15 priests chanting rapidly in a way that generated tremendous power. Then the kailasa, many combined into larger ones, were poured for the main lingam. It was quite a day, many innersearchers commented on how special it was.

Our fifteenth day, Tue Jan 29th, of Innersearch activities. Drove from Rameshvaram to Tiruchendur stopping at the Siva temple with the five foot emerald Nataraja. A brief darshan in the main shrine of Tiruchendur in the evening.

Our sixteenth day, Wed Jan 30th, of Innersearch activities. A six hour long ceremony at Tiruchendur from 5:30 AM to 11:30 AM. 10-15 priests participating in different parts. It was in their style of the priests being in two groups of chanting alternately with some overlap. 108 Kumbha puja to start, homa, abhishekam and archana and arati. The innersearchers found it quite uplifting and certainly a grand finale to our special temple visits. The afternoon was a three-hour bus ride to Kannyakumari.

Our seventeeth day, Thu Jan 31st, of Innersearch activities. It began with a puja/meditation at the Kannyakumari Temple. Had a sense of being ancient and special. Then a tour of Vivekananda Rock and Tiruvalluvar Moument which required three short boat rides to complete. Afternoon a three-hour drive to Kovalam and the end of the wonderful temple portion of our Innersearch.

Om

Bodhinatha

Another shot from Tiruvannamalai…

We continue today with the slideshow series. Our camera picks up the story today with events in Tiruvannamalai.

Note: To see the full-sized images and captions, click on the thumbnails

Tiruvannamalai Homa – Slideshow 1

Today Innersearch moved on from Rameshvaram south to Tuticorin and Kanya Kumari. Palaniswami was able to get a number of slide show thru with the help of one of the innersearchers at an internet cafe along the way.

Here is Bodhinatha in Kuala Lumpur honoring Swami Guha Bhaktananda. More in today’s slide shows.

Today we bring you the last of the series from Malaysia and the transit to India. These slide shows cover innersearch events from on the 23rd and 24th. And one from the 16th.

• January 16th Picnic in Kuala Lumpur
• Thai Pusam Celebration at Batu Caves
• Final Dinner Satsang in Kuala Lumpur
• Transit to India, January 24th

Today was the auspicious monthly puja for our beloved Gurudeva.

Sadhaka Nilakantha and Sadhaka Tejadevanatha are the pujaris today.

Jai Gurudeva!

Vaidyisa Bala poses for a photo beside a bronze statue of Child Saint Jnanan Sambandar who taught Saivism to the Tamil people during the 7th century.

Vaidyisa is here on Kauai from Edmonton, Canada for his annual monthly pilgrimage. Now retired he teaches Saivism to the Hindu children (ages 5 though 18 yrs) in his community in Edmonton. They memorize the Tirukural verses and study books One through Four of the Six book series on the Saivite Hindu Religion by Sat Guru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami and Sat Guru Bodhinatha Veylanswami. Vaidyisa states that the students are all doing very well since he started the classes just three years ago and now plans to create a program for the parents.

He is here for several weeks and doing various Sivathondu task to help out at the temple.

All is quiet at the Aadheenam. Bodhinatha and the innersearchers are in Rameshwaran. There is no internet service there. Today they had the 27 baths at the temple.

Gunalan sends us these photos of Bodhinatha at the temple in Thiruvannamalai.

We continue with slideshows from earlier days below.

Innersearch Slide Show Links

Note: To see the full-sized images and captions, click on the thumbnails

Relaxing in Langkawi, Malaysia

Soham Thaven and Bindi Gandhi arrived from California today with their little nine month old baby daughter, “Meera” (who is asleep in her carrier on her father’s back). After receiving Arati in the Kadavul Siva Temple, they toured the Iraivan Temple and grounds.

Meera is blessed with parents who care about her future spiritual life. Soham and Bindi purchased the set of children’s books One through Four on the Saivite Hindu Religion by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami and Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami. These books are simple to understand and comprehensive in their totality covering all aspects of the Saivite Hindu Religion and way of life. The “why” of each belief and practice is explained, giving children a unique insight into their religion.

Sri Subramuniya Kottam Children’s School receives 300 notebooks from the Siva Poomi Trust.

For the past twenty-eight years, the Sri Subramuniya Kottam of Sri Lanka has provided religious and cultural classes, including Thevaram, as well as tuition-free tutoring and occasionally scholarships for local school-children.

Recently, the Kottam received a generous donation from the Siva Poomi Trust of Jaffna — three hundred notebooks for the community’s children.

This gift was greatly appreciated by the children and their families. Because of the raging civil war in Sri Lanka, Jaffna has been essentially cut off from the rest of the country; the disruption of travel by road and railway has resulted in a shortage of supplies that has affected all residents of Jaffna.

On Sunday 6th, 2008 the first Ganesha Homa for 2008 was attended by thousands of devotees at the Spiritual Park of Mauritius. Everyone wanted to start the New Year with the Blessings of Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati!

Ladies seated in the Ganesha Mandapam.

The crowd outside …..

Meanwhile the four kulapaties seated around the Homa pit are conducting the ceremony.

In the tent….

Devotees keep coming over the Ganesha Bridge…

Devotees making offerings of fruits and flowers at the small Ganapati Shrine.

This area is always busy and crowded.

Lord Pancha Ganapati lovingly decked wit flowers and garlands.

Written prayers being sent into the sacred fire.

Sishyas Parameswaran and Nanda leading the bhajans…

One sishya giving a testimony.

Kulapati Koothan giving a talk from Satguru Bodhinatha.

The Himalayan Academy Booth outside…

The end of the day has been fruitful with a wonderful turnover. MC students Kevina and Anandi counting the the donations and sales receipts.

Here is Bodhinatha giving a meditation class during Innersearch on the island of Langkawi. Read about it in the today’s slide show.

Innersearch Slide Show Links

Note: To see the full-sized images and captions, click on the thumbnails

Meditation Class in Langkawi

~~~~~~~~

News from Innersearch

Today the Innersearch arrived in Rameshwaram. Bodhinatha says about the last two days:

January 25th:

Om Sivaya everyone:

Today was our eleventh day, Fri Jan 25th, of Innersearch activities. We went to the main Siva temple at TIruvannamalai in the morning. First we had a homa for a little over an hour which included Samaya Diksha for Karti Katir.

This was followed by attending the abhishekam for the Sivalingam and then the abhishekam for the Parvati. Each was also about an hour.

Afternoon was an optional walk part way up Arunachala Hill to Skanda Ashram. Evening a meditation at Ramana Ashram.

January 26th

Today was our twelfth day, Sat Jan 26th, of Innersearch activities. In the morning we walked around Arunachala Hill starting at 5 AM. This is called girivallam and on the full moon day of each month hundreds of thousands perform this traditional form of Siva worship.

Lunch at Kailas Ashram followed by an evening train ride to Rameshvaram.

We may be without internet for a few days.

Om
Bodhinatha

Siva Subramanian and his wife Banu Gopalan (left) are from Ohio though originally from Chennai. They arrived on the first early morning flight from Oahu to attend the puja and later toured the Iraivan Temple where they were delighted to chat in Tamil with the silpis.

Banu is a carnatic singer. “Oh, she sings so beautifully” boasted her husband. “You should hear her.” They had learned about the temple from friends, but “had no idea just how spiritually beautiful and peaceful it was here.”

Bill and Dee Simon visited last year and were so moved by their experience here that they returned with their friends Rich and Sue Mayfield. All are from Colorado.

Julie Hill from California is an agent for writers and is involved with several companies worldwide. She had heard about the temple through “Kauai Revealed,” a guide book, and was “so happy” she did.

Everyone left the Aadheenam feeling “fulfilled and uplifted.”

The Aadheenam is quiet but the monks are hard at work. In the Ganapati Kulam the last 4 days of the editorial production are upon us. The team here has shrunk from 6 to 4. Sadhaka Satyanatha is shouldering the duties of Arumugaswami, the managing editor, he shepherds the pages through final proofing, “final check” and makes sure everything is ready to turn over to Sivakatirswami later for post editorial production.

An interesting feature story this issue is on India’s giant Emporiums in New Delhi with photos from our world class photographer Thomas Kelly who was sent on assignment from Nepal for this shoot. These emporiums continue to support 100’s of thousands of crafts people across India. Read all about it in the April issue.

The long range effects of two hurricanes as well as the growth of the Aadheenam led Gurudeva to devise a strategy for dealing with our space needs through using containers and office trailers. Over the years the Siddhidata kulam has expanded both in numbers and responsibilities: Iraivan Temple construction, land management, renovation of buildings, electrical and plumbing infrastructure, a serious vehicle fleet, 1 truck, a van, a Honda Hybrid, one tractor, Caterpillar Skid steer, people mover, 4 small service vehicles, basic grounds maintenance, oversight of contractors, food garden, irrigation stream, maintenance, dozens of appliances, air conditioners, small engines! It is amazing what they do!

So, it is time for a *real* building for this amazing team which will take shape in the open space in the foreground of this photo. Stay tuned for developments in the months ahead.

It is a quiet day at the Aadheenam and the innersearch team is pretty much incommunicado as they are on retreat now at Tiruvannamalai.

We do have a short report from Bodhinatha.

“Om Sivaya everyone,

“Today was our eleventh day, Fri Jan 25th, of innersearch activities. We went to the main Siva temple at TIruvannamalai in the morning. First we had a homa for a little over an hour which included Samaya Diksha for Karti Katir.

“This was followed by attending the abhishekam for the Sivalingam and then the abhishekam for the Parvati. Each was also about an hour. The swamis were able to attend the entire time while the innersearchers took turns and only saw about five minutes of each abhishekam.

“Afternoon was an optional walk part way up Arunachala Hill to Skanda Ashram. Evening a meditation at Ramana Ashram.”

Om
Bodhinatha

Another wonderful morning on the Island of Kauai.
More and more Hindus from around the world are discovering our beautiful island Hindu temple.

Today Girish and Sushil Patel arrived from Georgia with Sushil’s sister Tara and Arvind Patel who live on Oahu. Arvind is a longtime subscriber to Hinduism Today. He also reads Gurudeva’s trilogy and is an Iraivan Temple donar. Sanjeev Kumar and Surbala Kumari are from Sunnyvale, CA with another young couple also from Calif. on their first visit to the Aadheenam.

A group photo of the Patel families in the entrance of the Iraivan Temple.

This young couple is originally from Chennai and both feel very blessed to be here.

Almitra Zion and her two sons, Jade and Sequoia, arrived today. She was instrumental in helping find the large 700 lb Spatika Lingam in Arkansas in 1987. This beautiful crystal, now resting in the Kadavul Siva Temple, will be ceremoniously installed in the Iraivan Temple during the Maha Kumbhabishekam.

Tara and Arvind find that tree-hugging is most appropriate when hugging rudraksha trees.

Sanjeev and Surbala happily harvest rudraksha seeds covering the ground under the rudraksha trees lining the western perimeter of the Iraivan Temple complex.

Today’s Innersearch Slide Show Links

Note: To see the full-sized images and captions, click on the thumbnails

• 
  Cambodia, Jan. 13, Thousand Lingams

• 
  Cambodia, Jan. 14, Bantaey Srei

• 
  Cambodia, Jan. 15, Angkor Thom

Click here to go to the 2008 Asian Odyssey Home Page for links to all slideshows for this program.

The beautiful and powerful Ardra abhishekam to Siva Nataraja was performed this morning in the Kadavul Temple. The temple was filled with pilgrims and visitors from different parts of the world namely Germany, Japan, India and the Mainland.

Shankar, Swarna, Shravana Devanlalli from St Louis arrived with Poornima and Rajesh Bhat from San Francisco in celebration of their father’s (Shankar’s) 60th birthday. Dushyant Balasubramaniam, a donar of the Iraivan Temple for some time, arrived with his family from Calif. Also Balasubramani Lalgudi from Chennai is here on his first visit, as is Tamami from Japan and Diane Mauceri from NY.

Krishnamachary (left), from the Hindu Temple Society, attended the morning abhishekam. Krishnamachary is the priest for the Hindu Malibu Temple in Southern California. He met Gurudeva initially in the early 1980’s and again in 1992 and 1995 in California. Gurudeva had invited him to visit Kauai in previous years and today he arrived on his first visit here. Following the morning puja he was given a tour of the grounds and of the Iraivan Temple.

Our small info center and gift shop were busy today.

Small though it may be, the Mini Mela Shop is usually humming with activity at the Kauai Aadheenam.
Along with all of Gurudeva’s teachings, there are books on a host of subjects ranging from children’s books, and books from the most practical to the most mystical. Books on Vedic Astrology, cooking, raising children, etc..

. . . Jewellery, crystals and brass deities, sacred batiks, and even Hindu wrapping paper with matching cards.

. . . Incense, cards and posters, and even bottled water from the sacred Ganges River in India. . .

. . . and rudraksha malas from the Kauai Aadheenam’s own forest to include rudraksha malas, bracelets, earrings and keychains. Also Aum Namasivaya bracelets in Sanskrit made of five metals which are reported to be important for balancing one’s health and well being.

Here is Bodhinatha in Cambodia. He writes today from Langkawi, Malaysia:

Today was our fifth day, Sat Jan 19th, of innersearch activities. Today was our first day of satsangas on meditation with one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

— Bodhinatha

Meanwhile our reports from the trip pickup in chronological order with more slide shows below.

Innersearch Slide Show Links:

• 
  Monks Arrival and Fly Over Cambodia

• 
  First Full Day of Innersearch Events in Cambodia

[Note: To see the full-sized images and captions, click on the thumbnails]

Innersearchers in Cambodia

We pick up the thread on events from our Thai Pusam day with the third segment of morning events. Long, long ago, Lord Ganesha was carved in Bangalore for the monks’ garden which we call “Annapurna Garden” . Annapurna is a famous name of the Goddess “She Who is the Fullness of Food” and signifies the Divine source of our physical lives.

He is ready to be placed today.

The hoisting of Lord Ganesha was to be the first act of Larry’s new crane.

The usual discussions on rigging…

First he sets down the stabilizers which literally lift the whole truck off the ground.

Here we go…

Blowing the conch…

This is one of the most beautiful statues we have seen in years.

The monks are preparing a place in the center of the garden.

For now Ganesha will sit outside the center until his peedam is finished. But now he is watching over all the plants and the monks.

The crane gets “put away”

Thank you Larry!

The Innersearch is now on retreat for a few days of study together on the island of Langkawi of the Northwest coast of Malaysia.

Bodhinatha writes:

Today was our fourth day, Fri Jan 18th, of innersearch activities. We flew from Siem Reap to Kuala Lumpur, had lunch arranged by our members, then flew to Langkawi Island in Malasyia. Our meditation satsangs start tomorrow.

Meanwhile we offer you links to slide shows of the San Marga Donor Appreciation Event in Kuala Lumpur held on the evening of the arrival in Malaysia, on the 12th.

• Ravichandran shares some behind the scenes shots of our shisya and devotees prepare and running the event. We want to thank all the Malaysia Sivathondars for all their love and support! Click to watch the show and click on the small images to view the large images and read captions.
• Click here for more slides from the main event send by the monks.

Three families arrived for the morning puja today. Harish and Asmita Doshi with their children, Anjali, Mili, and Kalindi all originally from Gujarat, now residing in New Jersey. Center with stroller is Santosh and Ami Govindaraju with their two children Vinay (age 4) and baby Samay in stroller. All from Mysore, now residing in Tampa, FL , and on his knees beside stroller is Mukund Joshi from Newark, DE.

Also with our group is Dr. Mark Johns from Chicago and Amanda Beno and Eric Marsh from Prescott, AZ.

Amanda and Eric in front of the Lion pillars.

Larry Conklin has been a key element in the work on the Iraivan temple through the years.

He recently acquired a new crane and asked if the monks would give it a Hindu blessing.

Larry’s expertise in hoisting and riggin has been a boon for all the Siddhidata Kulam monks.

This ceremony was held in the morning of Thai Pongal.

After the morning pongal puja an extra special vehicle blessing was performed by Yoginathaswami.

Our silpis light the lamps

Larry considers his work for the temple one of the best things he has in his life.

The arati is taken all around the crane.

Next we bless the inside, driver’s seat.

The offerings are given to Larry after the puja

Larry’s friends enjoy some Hindu Prasadam…

Larry chats with the monks. Shortly after this he went out to Anna Purna Gardens to make his first hoist with the new crane: putting the statue of Lord Ganesha into the garden… that show comes tomorrow.

Sunset…

our Siddhidata Kulam has been living out of an office trailer for many years. Plans have been in the works to build a new building and slow by slow, the team is working their way toward that goal. They recently cleared some areas for the future structure and now the first thing to do is move the old office… a Big Job!

First we reinstall the “tongue” at the front.

The area where it will be moved to is being levelled.

More news on the new building in the months ahead. It’s a very interesting project. In part, because the Yoginathaswami and his team are designing it all themselves! As part of their on-going kulam training and advancement in skills and knowledge.

There is nothing like an actually building to bring all the ideas down to earth. Literally!