Only six days left before our monastic staff departs for Innersearch. They will be flying to Malaysia for an event on the 12th and then off to Cambodia.

After the Innersearch in India is completed the monks will be conducting a number of important post-innersearch programs. One of which will be Bodhinatha’s visit to Pillaiyarpatti for a grand reception by the priests there.

The weather cleared temporarily for the roof stones above the temple entrance to be lifted into place by crane. Here the silpis have cradled a stone into perfect alignment in the southwest corner of the Iraivan Temple.

We have had many visitors over the holiday period. Here is Vijay and Raji Sajja with their two daughters, Priya and Sonia. Raji revealed that her family was one of only seven Hindu families who survived the Muslim terrorist assault in Kashmir.

They have now settled in the USA and are very happy here. They are a Saivite family and heard about the Kauai Hindu temple through friends.

As busy as they are the silpis still have time for a smile and a wave as they work on completing the alignment process with the second roof stone on the south/east corner. Excellent work!

Another Saivite Hindu family arrived for the morning puja and were then taken for a tour of the Iraivan Temple.

On the right is Vijay and Malliga Janakiraman with their son Arun in the background. Next is Vijaya Sambandam, Abi Janakiraman, and Sundaresan Sambandam.

Both Arun and Abi are in the medical profession. Arun is a medical student and his sister Abi is a practising Internist.

Sundaresan Sambandam is impressively knowledgeable about Saivism and it was very interesting listening to him. This family had previously met Gurudeva in past years. They have donated to the Iraivan Temple and are subscribers to Hinduism Today.

Bodhinatha answers questions posed by some of our tour day guests today.

Announcing YouTube Channels

The monastery is proud to announce its presence on YouTube, with channels for Kauai’s Hindu Monastery, Hinduism Today and Hindu Heritage Endowment. Many of you have already noticed the Kauai’s Hindu Monastery YouTube channel, which has been online for a while and now has 50 videos available. Today we are launching the Hinduism Today channel. There you can watch an inspiring, three-part, 24-minute documentary of the Thai Pusam celebration at Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, January 2007, attended by more than a million devotees. This professional documentary about the meaning and significance of the festival itself, with a focus on the grand way in which it is observed in Malaysia each year, comes just weeks before the next Thai Pusam festival for Lord Murugan, particularly sacred to Tamil Saivites around the world. Interviews with Divine Life Society of Malaysia president Swami Guhabhaktananda, government minister Datuk Seri Samy Vellu, Malaysia Hindu Sangam president Datuk Vaithilingam, Adisaiva priest Sri Muthukumara Sivachariar, noted Muruga bhaktar Dr. Carl Vadivella Belle and others complete this special feature of the free Hinduism Today Digital Edition. Visit Hinduism Today’s YouTube channel here to see this and other videos, including presentations about the California textbook controversy, religion and the media, proselytization and religious freedom, and a video by the Dharma Raksha Samiti documenting the unethical conversion of Hindus to Christianity in South India.

More roof beams went up today at Iraivan Temple

The Siddhidata team is taking photos and will be doing a Roof Beam Documentary in the days ahead.

The Siddhidata Kulam provide the logistics for the lift, while the silpis focus on precise placement.

Tour day brought many souls to marvel at Iraivan and San Marga.

This orchid smells like chocolate!

Bodhinatha signs books and talks with guests who pose many interesting questions.

Gurudeva’s Jayanthi in Sri Lanka

The Sri Subramuniya Kottam in Sri Lanka will be celebrating Gurudeva’s Jayanthi on January 5th. The children are busy with preparations for the Padapuja for Gurudeva’s Thiruvadi.
After the Padapuja this year a chartered bus will pickup the children and take them to the Sivapoomi elderly home where they will continue celebrations with the seniors in the home. There will also be a mass feeding (anna dana) in Sivapoomi where lunch will be served.

Here are pictures from last year’s Gurudeva Jayanthi celebrations at the Sri Subramuniya Kottam.

Only 7 days to Innersearch departure!

Lord Ganesha in Kadavul….Maha Ganapati.

Yogi Jivanandanatha and Sadhaka Nilakantha perform today’s puja.

New developments at the Spiritual park of Mauritius.

A JCB has been hired to clear the area leading down the river where concrete steps will be constructed in view of the Narmada Sivalingum Project.

Here is the base of the Siva Lingam.

A drain will collect the water from the abhishekam of the Siva Lingam.

Devotees will collect water from the river accessed down the steps now being constructed near the excavator in the background.

The space being cleared down to the river …

All the boulders have been removed …

It was a short productive, high energy phase, with “tons” of holiday visitors and activity at the Aadheenam.

We will see you all back here in 2008!

~~~~~~~~~~~
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, Tuesday, January 1st, 2008.

The “pressure is on” for Innersearch preparations with only 12 days until departure for our team (staff leaves a few days early.) When the suitcases and boxes come out and the EK office turns into a departure staging area, you know things are getting serious!

This year’s study guide printed by MJA Graphics in Michigan is exquisitely designed and printed.

Personal name tags for all participants.

Sadhaka Dandapani has been working many, many hours over time. Here is his Excel spread sheet containing a master itinerary, with an hour-by-by hour detail for every day of the trip.

He has had to arrange everything for the whole group by “remote control.”

You try this one yourself:

Set up reservations three months advance for 100 people for lunch in a remote Tamil Nadu town, where the largest restaurant has seating for only 50 people. And detail every item on the menu for that one meal of the day! and that is just one of hundreds of small details to be arranged in advance!

The Pancha Ganapati celebration continues at the Spiritual Park. Here are the participants for Team Red. After a quiz on Satguru’s Bodhinatha’s Saivite Hindu Religion Course Book V and a tough puzzle on a Ganesha painting, the youth accompanied by some youth facilitators are ready to go for a treasure hunt….

Team Blue…. Each team has to find a hidden Ganesha on the Spiritual Park…

Team Yellow… to make the search non-competitive five Ganeshas have been hidden for each team ….

Team Orange… having the youngest participants.

Team Green.. Each team have specific clues…

Team Green happily showing their Ganesha hidden in a tree near the Muruga Mandapam.

Team Orange still searching…

Team Blue has got to the right spot following their clues but have not yet found their Ganesha.

All the teams on the Mandapam steps…

Gifts were distributed to everyone. Here is Kulapati Siven Koothan offering a gift to a very young participant.

Jegadissa Chenganna offering a gift…

Mrs Pamela Appavoo an MC student…

Soundiren Arnasalon to little Caramben

Lunch time… the faces look bright and happy.

Our food station…

Kulapati Koothan and sishyas Soundiren and Somandiren were there to give a helping hand.

Kulamata Premila (right) and MC Level 2 student Anandi.

The Jis Chenganna family were a big help for that day.

Prasad and Gargi Panchangam from the San Francisco Bay Area had darshan with Bodhinatha. They bought the entire Master Course trilogy today after Prasad had earlier read only Dancing with Siva and found it so excellent. They are members of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh and really appreciate our monastery’s help in uniting Hindus. They were present with other Hindus at the California Board of Education hearing to protest the presentation of Hinduism in the 6th grade social studies textbook.

Meanwhile Bodhinatha’s latest talk was uploaded today. Check the right side bar to listen to his latest upadesha.

They asked Bodhinatha how they could help us, so Bodhinatha offered to send them free copies of What is Hinduism for giving to key leaders in the HSS and elsewhere. Bodhinatha specifically suggested that they help promote the concept that diversity in Hinduism is good (i.e. four major distinct sects), that we are not trying to make all Hindus follow one path.

Our temple silpis pose in front of the entrance to the Iraivan Temple with todays visitors –

On the right: Prasad and Gargi Panchangam (originally from Bangalore) now living in Sunnyvale, CA.
In the middle: Nina and S. Suresh are from Chicago (originally from Chennai). Nina’s parents hosted Gurudeva in their home in 1982 where he gave them a Vara Siddhi Vinayaka and asked her father Mr. Rajan and another gentleman, Dr. Janakiraman to perform regular pujas every Sunday (which they did) and soon their temple manifested through the Grace of Lord Ganesha and the Sat Guru. Nina and her family “were all moved by the spiritual power and simplicity of Gurudeva.” She and her family are very grateful and have benefitted greatly by the spiritual knowledge and teachings of Gurudeva.

Prasad and Gargi with the very beautiful handcarved umbrella Ganesha on the path to the Iraivan Temple.

Dakshinamurthy under the banyan tree.

Gargi owns her own Bharatanatyam school in the Bay Area “Samarpana Dance Academy” where she teaches the Kalakshetra style of dance. This is their first visit to the Kauai Aadheenam; although, Prasad has been communicating with both Sivaya Subramuniyaswami and Bodhinatha over the years.

Shyam Mayasandra with his wife Roopa and their two sons, Vivek and Aniruddha. This lovely family arrived for the powerful Tiruvembavai Ardra Abishekam. Roopa, who is a Bharatanatyam teacher, danced beautifully with such devotion in the temple following the ceremony. The following day they were given a tour of the Iraivan Temple and were then blessed with a private meeting with Bodhinatha in the Guru Peedam.

Visiting for the second time, here are Jeff and Sally Smith, now newly weds and close friends of devotees Shakti and Dasam Mahadevan of San Diego.

The Hindu Svayamsevak Sangh invited Kulapati Easan Katir to speak at their West Coast Winter Camps. Here is the Sevikas’ (girls) Camp at a retreat in Los Altos Hills, California. The campers heard about “Anger Management” from the text What is Hinduism?

This is the Boys’ Camp at the YMCA Point Bonita, near Sausalito, California. The topic was the Hindu History Lesson publication for US social studies classes, how chakras work together, and in-depth discussion of “Anger Management”. One participant voiced a sign of success for a speaker: “The presentation was too short. We wanted to hear more.”

We are pleased to share with everyone a first series of photos for a common Pancha Ganapati celebration for all the Mauritius membership and student youth. It was fun for all youth and adults on that December 22 at the Spiritual Park of Mauritius.

Early morning the sishyas were there to set up the Mandapam…

Arranging the traditional tornums ….

The participants have not yet arrived….

Some balloons to enhance the festive atmosphere…

The celebration started with a simple arati to Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati. ….

Then to Gurudeva …..

….. and to Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami

The short puja was followed by a cultural item… a few Ganesha bhajans

Followed by a short meditation….

The Mandapam was very quiet inside….

seeking peace on the inside….

There was a juice break with a variety of sweets and snacks served to all. Energetic fun activities have been scheduled after that …

The youth have been divided into five teams, each representing a shakti of Lord Ganapati: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green and Orange.

The juice station….

A view of the little crowd at break time.

A second series of photos is coming next….

Our final installment for Pancha Ganapati festivities in Malaysia. Mohana has the story.

The 4th Day of Pancha Ganapathi…Exquisite decoration of Lord Ganesha in Green.

The sadhana of the day was to draw fourth the vibration of joy and harmony that comes from music, art, drama and dance.

Devotee present are high in spirits as well…All dressed in green, colour of the day.

The 5th and Final day of Pancha Ganapathi was celebrated at the Muthu Mariamman Temple in Klang.

Special prayers and Ganapathi Homa was conducted as starting of the event.

Panchamukha Ganapathi majestically dressed in Orange, colour of the day.

What a collection of gifts…Its from Lord Ganesha to give away at the end of the day.

Next segment of the event was ….Games!!

All joined in to have some fun…

Some for the little ones..

and for the elders as well….

It was so exciting to see everyone having such a good time….

Lunch was served after that…but that was not the end of the event…

Look who is waiting to make his appearance at the back stage…..Its Lord Ganesha!!!

He has come to give the gifts away to everyone!! Everyone is so happy to receive the gifts.

And all the happy souls takes a shot with Lord Ganesha !! Jai Ganapathi!

Shanmugasundaram and his wife Sivakama Sundari are here with their son Raghav 19 and daughter, Swathi, 12. Sivakama is the daughter of our long time devotee and India liason officer, Nellaiappan who has done so much service for Gurudeva and Saiva Siddhanta Church through the years.

It was their first pilgrimage to Kauai Aadheenam.

Shyam and Rupa Mayasandra from Detroit have darshan with Bodhinatha. Rupa danced for us on Tiruvembavai (shown yesterday)

The Shanmuga Sundaram family meets everyone in the Ganapati Kulam.

The story from Malaysia continues.

The 3rd Day of Pancha Ganapathi. Lord Ganesha is beautifully clad in Red, colour of the day.

Abhishegam for Lord Ganesha….fruit juices…

….followed by Yogurt

Ganesha…As sweet as the honey

vibhuti…

and Chandana….join us for more tomorrow….

Sun One begins a new phase. Bodhinatha gave a talk on Lord Muruga that he has given several times in the past.

Yogi Jivanandanatha performs today’s homa.

Jothi and Vasuki Sendan are on hand with their newborn child, Shama who has her Namakarana today.

Bodhinatha signs the certificate.

The day before yesterday (Dec 24th) was the holy day of Ardra… but at this time of year it is much more… it is the Ardra called Tiruvembavai, when it is said that Lord Nataraja manifested and danced before the devotees at Chidambaram. One of our guests, Roopa Mayasandra, not even knowing about the festival, wanted to dance for Nataraja, which she did, following the puja.

Click here for a marvelous slide show of this the most holy day of the year for Lord Nataraja celebrated on the retreat– the 24th of December

Roopa’s husband, Shyam Mayasandra, and their son Vivek provide musical back up. Shyam was also an excellent male carnatic singer.

This festival is “rahasya” since all the magic occurs in the shrine of Lord Nataraja, which cannot be photographed. But, since this coincides with the holidays each year, it may be one of our biggest festivals in the future. As usual, many Hindu families are visiting Hawaii and the temple during the holiday season.

Roopa is an experienced dancer and teacher. Her perfomance was elegant and so precise!

It was certainly an auspicious moment for us all, a divine coincidence that Roopa would be here and able to offer her dance in the temple on the same day that Lord Nataraja danced for all the rishis of yore.

Mohana Vilashiny Murugesu, sends us a second installment, sharing the news of the sishya’s activities in Malaysia.

The 2nd Day of Pancha Ganapathi. Colour of the Day is Blue.

The celebration starts with Ganesha Puja. Milk Abhishegam for Lord Ganesha

….Honey coated Ganesha

The Sadhana for the Day is to offer apologizes and clear up any misunderstandings, ” explains Brother Kailasam.

Many young and energetic soul devotees joins in for the celebration.

The celebration is further graced with games. Here each team is working to assemble Lord Ganesha in a puzzle game..

Sastry and Sujatha Sonti with their daughter, Anisha, from California were among our guests today. They had some wonderful questions for Bodhinatha, and Anisha was most fascinated by our “What Is Hinduism?” book.

Brahmacharini Shama took the family to Iraivan and writes:

“Sujatha and Sastry Sonti and their young daughter Anisha are here visiting during the ten day Tiruvembavai Festival with the most important day of the ceremony being the special homam and Ardra Abishekam to Siva Nataraja on December 24th.”

Five year old Anisha Sonti is delighted to discover the round granite ball in the lion’s mouth during her visit to the Iraivan Temple.

We continue with the presentation of the new booklet releasing for the first time to the general public lessons for 12 basic meditations.

Here is an early Shum Mural prepared decades ago by Gurudeva which carries the images for the four perspectives of the mind.

Here they are presented in the booklet

Shumif

“Shumif is the perspective of awareness flowing through the mind, the mind itself being unmoved.”

Mulif

“The mulif perspective is the way of words, the way of the scholars of philosophical intellect.”

Simnif

“The simnif perspective is its opposite; the mind is moving, and the intelligence of the person observing — such as a scientist looking through a microscope into the inner workings of matter — is stationary.”

Dimfi

“Its opposite is the dimfi perspective, which is just now coming into focus on this planet through the newly found abilities of being able to communicate with Mahadevas, devas and beings of all kinds on other planets, such as the Pleiades, in this galaxy and beyond. Those in this perspective are not aware of being the center of all things, the shumif perspective. Nor are they aware of the world’s many philosophies, the mulif perspective. Nor are they concerned about the nature of a drop of water, the simnif perspective. Their minds fly high in dimfi.”

To find our more about these states of mind…don’t miss listening to Bodhinatha’s talk on this subject (transcript also available for study.

Lemurian Scrolls can now be viewed at Google Books

You can see the fabulous art one line.

But if you really want to read the book on line you may find easier reading here at our own site.

Read early Amazon reviews here

Vilashiny writes from Malaysia with news.

“Malaysia devotees came together to celebrate Pancha Ganapathi this year in a grand way.”

Brother Kailasam conducts Ganesha Puja as we start the event.

Many devotees grace the event with their presence.

A special booklet, specially prepared for this year’s Pancha Ganapathi, explaining the significance of celebrating Pancha Ganapathi was distributed to all present devotees.

“Yellow” is the colour of the 1st day, says brother Kailasam. He further explained why Gurudeva introduced Pancha Ganapathi celebration to his devotees worldwide.

Beautifully decorated Chariot with Lord Ganesha glittering in joy! Jai Lord Ganesha on the 1st Day of Pancha Ganapathi!

A space just opened up on our 2008 Asian Odyssey for 1 person (a male to share a double occupancy room with another male). Here’s your chance to join Bodhinatha on this exotic adventure. A journey through ancient temples in Cambodia, mystical classes on meditation in Langkawi and Kerala, a devotionally drenched Thaipusam festival that is out of this world and a journey through south India to some of the most sacred temples in the world, joining in some of their grand sacred pujas.

If you are ready to go, please email Sadhaka Dandapani (danda@hindu.org) or call him on 808-822-3012, Ext 239. It’s on a first come first serve basis so don’t hesitate.

Please see our Innersearch website for more info.

Many of you know about Gurudeva’s language of meditation “Shum.” Since his Maha Samadhi, Bodhinatha has carried forward this marvelous heritage. And for the first time in decades we are releasing some Shum, which has guided much of the monks’ spiritual work, into the public domain.

On the pillars of Iraivan, Gurudeva instructed us to carve his famous twelve “Mamsani.” This is now available (click here) in a beautiful booklet at our web store

These are twelve core meditations to be performed by anyone on the path to Self-Realization. Here is a precious item from our archives. One of the definitions of a Shum portrait.

Each of the twelve meditations gives a map to key areas of inner consciousness that each meditator should work to discover, move into, find and unfold. These twelve basic spiritual practices, or “tantras,” are sadhanas we all should perform throughout our lives.

Here is one word from the Twelve Shum Mamsani text:

Mingbasida:
1) Harmony with one’s Satguru; 2) a beautiful inner flow, spine-to-spine, between you and your guru; 3) visualize energy in your satguru as being the same energy within you; 4) if you can locate and identify with this basic life force between yourself and your guru, automatically and retroactively you will feel one with everyone in the universe, for it is the same energy that permeates all.

Nabalitya

Ukanashum

Ukanashum is striving with the sadhana and instructions giving by the guru. It is the perfection of this sadhana that brings about change and evolution of the disciple.

A very basic practice for the beginner and for anyone as the body quiets during the first stages of the daily meditation:

Alikaiishum:

Meaning: The kundalini’s psychic heat felt as meditation begins.

Practice: Feel the warmth of the body, in the head, through the torso, the hands and the legs. Begin by locating alikaiishum inside the body, then gradually become conscious of it emanating out through the skin.

Breathing:Continue the same count. On the inhalation, slowly count to nine, hold one count, then count to nine again as you exhale, softly contracting the abdomen as you expel the air.

The silpis have been so very busy putting up the roof stones. Here is Pandi and Rajendran from their rooftop position smiling down at us.

Two families were taken on a special tour today. Chandrasekar Kothandaraman with his family from California and Ramesh Subramaniam with his family from Arizona. They had previously read about the Iraivan Temple in Hinduism Today and were delighted to finally be here on their first visit.

And speaking of visitors…. The long range plan for San Marga includes a Visitor’s Center. Paramacharya Palaniswami shares some news on this important part of our future. in this slide show on working at “ground zero” (click here)

Five more roof beams were lifted into place today. Follow the progress of one of them below.

We end the days’ report, this first of five celebratory days of the great Pancha Ganapati Festival, with three happy visitors seated on a giant rock with the Arid Garden behind them.

Sun Three of a 5 day phase. The aadheenam is quiet. With only 26 days before Innersearch everyone is starting to “buckle” up for the trip, both the group of six monks who will be on the journey and the 14 of us who will be left to cover all the duties of the Aadheenam, temple vigils, kulam duties and Iraivan construction activities.

Today the Pillaiyar Kulam gave their news. Yogi Jivanandanatha and Sadhaka Nilakantha are giving out honey bears to our friends around the island in the spirit of Lord Ganesha’s second and third shaktis. It is always a joyful moment, stopping by the neighbor’s homes and going to visit those we do business with in the spirit of love and friendship. We do this over a period of several days, so we start early.

DECEMBER 21, YELLOW

The family sadhana for the first day of Pancha Ganapati is to create a vibration of love and harmony among immediate family members. The day begins early, and the entire family works together to design and decorate the shrine with traditional symbols, rangoli, lamps and more. Then a grand puja is performed invoking the spirit of Pancha Ganapati in the home. The sadhana of the day now begins. The family sits together for the purpose of easing any strained relationships that have arisen during the year. They make amends one with another for misdeeds performed, insults given, mental pain and injuries caused and suffered. When forgiveness is offered to all by one and all, they speak of each other’s good qualities and resolve that in the days ahead they will remember the futility of trying to change others and the practicality of changing oneself to be the silent example for all to witness. Gifts are then exchanged and placed unopened before Pancha Ganapati. As family harmony is important to all Hindus, this sadhana must be taken very seriously.

DECEMBER 22, BLUE

The family sadhana for the second day of Pancha Ganapati is to create a vibration of love and harmony among neighbors, relatives and close friends and presenting them with heartfelt. The sadhana of the day is to offer apologies and clear up any misunderstandings that exist. Relatives and friends in far-off places are written to or called, forgiveness is sought, apologies made and tensions released. Gifts received are placed unopened before Pancha Ganapati.

DECEMBER 23, RED

The family sadhana for the third day is to create a vibration of love and harmony among business associates, the casual merchant and the public at large. This is the day for presenting gifts to merchants and customers and to honor employers and employees with gifts and appreciation. The sadhana today is the settling of all debts and disputes. Gifts received are placed unopened before the Deity.

This is Ved Chaudhary, General Secretary for the Dharma Summit. He is a selfless sevak and one of America’s Hindu leaders who works tirelessly in the cause of Dharma.

Here he is opening the Hindu Collective Initiative, Dharma Summit 2007 in Florida which Paramacharya Palaniswami and Sannyasin Arumugaswami attended. He is also one of the chief members of the Hindu International Council Against Defamation

Lavina Melwani interviewed him for Hinduism Today in 2004:

By Lavina Melwani, New York

Those attending the speeches of Swami Vivekananda at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 1893 had never heard Hinduism presented in such an enlightened manner. One was heard to remark, “That man a heathen? And we send missionaries to his people? It would be more fitting that they should send missionaries to us.” Well, that day has come, and there are Hindu missionaries by the millions across the Western world potential missionaries, at least. “The problem, ” according to Ved Chaudhary, “is that our religion is like a closet religion. Indians are everywhere, in hospitals, universities. They are doctors, lawyers, accountants. Americans say they know a lot of Indian people, but ask them if they know any Hindus, and they say ‘no.’ This is because we don’t identify ourselves as Hindus, we only identify ourselves as Indians.”

“The result,” he continued, “is that many interfaith dialogues have Muslim, Buddhist and Sikh participation, but no Hindu representation. We have to be assertive and take time and interest. Otherwise, we can complain, but we’ll be ignored, and we’ll not become part of the community as Hindu-Americans. And the same thing will be true with our children, who are growing up here.”

Meet the missionaries

Ved Chaudhary, hails from the district of Itawa, 150 miles southeast of Delhi, India. He came to the US in 1965 as a graduate student at Rutgers University. He worked as an engineer with Bell Labs and its subsidiaries, until he retired last year. He received his training in Hinduism from his father, a teacher, who made sure his son knew all about the faith. He laughs, “My name is Ved [ “knowledge “], after all!”

He has participated in interfaith activities in churches, schools and colleges. As part of his effort to educate non-Hindus, he started the Hindu International Council Against Defamation, on the lines of the Jewish Anti-Defamation League, to take action against any misinformation or defamation of Hindu Gods and rituals. HICAD (www.hicad.org) keeps a vigilant eye on how Hinduism is portrayed in the mainstream and takes offending organizations to task. Last year, after the Global Dharma Conference in New Jersey, Chaudhary, along with other participants, helped initiate an organization which would be able to correct inaccuracies –the Educators’ Society for the Heritage of India (ESHI) –where various professors can get together and network about an accurate presentation of Hinduism to the mainstream. Their website, www.eshi.org, is still under construction, but contains a short statement of purpose.

There is a lot of misinformation out there about Hinduism, Chaudhary says, and it starts right in school. Sixth graders have a course called World Cultures, which still contains wrong information about Hinduism. “If there are ten pages about Hinduism, several pages may be devoted to the caste system, as if that is the defining characteristic of Hinduism. It is very hard to fight this situation; in New Jersey alone there are 600 school districts I would have to go to each one to convince them to use or not use certain books.”

On the way home Palaniswami and Arumugaswami met in California with Dr. Bhagawandas P. Lathi and his wife (center) Dr. Pandey (right) and Ashok Gupta (left) to discuss how to get the information in Hinduism Today out to a broader audience.

Kulapati Easan Katir is helping to facilitate the discussions. Ashok Gupta publishes a popular magazine called the “Siliconeer” which targets the South Asian community in California. The meeting was to discuss possible ways we can collaborate.

Back at home today, visiting relatives of Sannyasin Arumugaswami: Jim and Patricia Bloch

Meeting with the Ganapati Kulam.

Sri Subramuniya Kottam Celebrates
Gurudeva’s Mahasamadi Day

On November 8th, the Sri Subramuniya Kottam celebrated Gurudeva’s Mahasamadhi with a puja at the Kottam’s Thiruvadi Temple.

The Thiruvadi Temple enshrines a pair of traditional sandals that Gurudeva had worn during his visit to Kopay, Sri Lanka in 1982.

After the Mahasamadi Puja, lunch (Annadanam) was served to all the Kottam devotees in attendance.

Over the years, hundreds of families have worshipped here, drawing strength and inspiration from Gurudeva’s spiritual presence at this small temple which was miraculously spared from the ravages of war that surround this community.

The Thiruvadi shrine, here, presides over all the activities of the Kottam as a symbol of Gurudeva’s everlasting benevolence and blessings to the Tamil community of Jaffna.

A space is still open for our 2008 Asian Odyssey for 1 person (a male to share a double occupancy room with another male). Here’s your chance to join Bodhinatha on this exotic adventure. A journey through ancient temples in Cambodia, mystical classes on meditation in Langkawi and Kerala, a devotionally drenched Thaipusam festival that is out of this world and a journey through south India to some of the most sacred temples in the world, joining in some of their grand sacred pujas.

If you are ready to go, please email Sadhaka Dandapani (danda@hindu.org) or call him on 808-822-3012, Ext 239. It’s on a first come first serve basis so don’t hesitate.

Please see our Innersearch website for more info.