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What Happened Today at the Monastery?

Incredible guest day today… and the last day of this phase….

Bodhinatha has been busy the past few days. Yesterday he attended the fledging new interfaith gathering of religious leaders and today he attended the Kauai Action Planning Alliance meeting, of which he is one of the directors. He also announced that he has accepted the invitation to go to Perth, Australia on his next trip to Singapore and Malaysia, and that travel arrangements had all been settled.

END OF PHASE
Today is the last day of our phase.
This edition of TAKA will remain posted
over our coming three-day retreat,
until Dasami Tithi, Sun One, Monday, April 18th.

Alright… there is no holiday, it a Thursday in the middle of a week, the school season is in full session… but, guess what: over 100 guests today…

What’s going to happen this summer?!

The growing number of tour guides with entries for Kauai’s Hindu Monastery are bringing a very broad spectrum of visitors from all over…

While many have little exposure to Hinduism, everyone is very respectful and open to learning more.

Of course at this time of year we notice lots of young and older couples, with no children… fewer families.

Chris and Brooke are from Lake Tahoe, not far from where Gurudeva was born. Chris grew up on Kauai and use to come to the monastery often when he was a young boy. It’s his first visit back here after moving to the mainland. He was most impressed with all the changes and both of them are very interested in Gurudeva’s trilogy and plans to buy and read the Master Course when they get home.

Sam and Katie got married 5 days ago and here on Kauai for their honeymoon. They visited the monastery a few days ago and we invited them to come back today to join the weekly tour.

Terry Parish came today to his magic on the landscape around the front of the Aadheenam.

Work rolls on at the temple…or should we say “chips on…”

One temple supporter, after viewing the Vimanam on the web, felt we needed even more gold! So he is sponsoring more gold leaf to do more of the Vimanam…

The magic of TAKA and the internet.. keeping everyone informed… and, we want to thank our generous sponsor!

Work on the next Chinna Gopuram roof stones…

Sadhaka Haranandinatha offers a ride to some who have difficulty walking that far…

For the next gopuram…

We will be back again after our retreat, which is also a “Iraivan Day” retreat, when we will all be working together pushing forward the Iraivan Temple Project… see you on Dasama Tithi (Monday).

Aum Namasivaya!

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What Happened Today at the Monastery?

Speaking of a new beginning… Happy New Year!

Today, the Sun moved into the sign of Mesha (Aries) which marks the beginning of a new year on many Indian calendars including that most of South India.

Bodhinatha sends everyone his blessings… It is also the beginning of the Nartana Ritau (season). This morning he asked that we hold a homa in celebration of the New Year and he gave a talk on Hindu Unity and also read from the Saiva Dharma Shastras on the seasons as Gurudeva defined them….

“112 Introduction
Beginning with Hindu New Year in mid-April, three seasons of the year divide our activities into three great needs of humankind–the learning of scripture in the first season, Nartana Ritau; the living of culture in the second season, Jivana Ritau; and the meditating on Siva in the third season, Moksha Ritau. Thus we are constantly reminded that our life is Siva’s life and our path to Him is through study, sadhana and realization. In ritau one, we teach the philosophy; in ritau two, we teach the culture; and in ritau three, we teach meditation.

“114 The First Season: Nartana Ritau

Nartana Ritau, the season of Dancing with Siva, begins on Hindu New Year. This is the period of creation, the warm season, from mid-April through mid-August.”

“The teaching is Dancing with Siva: Hinduism’s Contemporary Catechism, Sivena Saha Nartanam. This foundational text is featured in all mission satsangas.”

The key word of this season is planning.”

“The colors are orange, yellow-gold and all shades of green–orange for renunciation, yellow-gold for action, and green for regeneration.”

After the morning homa we all went out to lower the flag of the Moksha Ritau and raise up the flag of the Nartana Ritau and mingle with guests and pilgrims.

“High above, the main Hindu flag flies the color orange, heralding the Nartana Ritau throughout this season, symbolizing sadhana and self-control. The other colors adorn smaller flags. This is the season of giving special attention to those in the grihastha ashrama. It is a time of awakening, renewal, review. The emphasis is on seeing ahead, planning for future years. It is a time of planning retreats and other activities for youths and adults for the entire year. During this time of looking forward, the Church’s six-year plan is updated by the Guru Mahasannidhanam and stewards and another year added.”

Shanmuganathaswami takes Nandini for a walk…to join us for the simple but uplifting ceremony.

“The Saiva Dharma Shastras are studied; and any needed additions in supplementary manuals, representing new growth, are made. The practical focus is completion of unfinished projects. Secular holidays to observe among the families include Mother’s Day in May, Father’s Day in June and Grandparent’s Day in August. In the monastery the monks begin their annual 31-day ayurvedic herbal cleansing. Intensive cleaning of monastery buildings and grounds takes place. The special dietary adjustments for the season come into effect and new menus are established. New clothing is issued and old garments mended.”

This season of harvest and new growth is also the time to review and reestablish picking and planting routines for the gardens. It is a time for ordering seeds and plants for the year, of planting trees, fragrant vines and the annual crop. Review is made for scheduling the care of all nine realms of the Aadheenam’s 51 acres.”

Arumugaswami with Kulapati Satya Palani who is here with Kulamata Savitri on a short pilgrimage and to visit their son, Sadhaka Jivanandanatha.

“Kadavul temple and the Guru Temple are cleaned and renewed during this season, and the adjacent grounds receive special, abundant attention. Karma yogis are invited to help in this and other areas with planting and weeding, digging, fertilizing, fence repair and more.”

115 The Sadhanas of the First Season

The daily sadhana is the Sivachaitanya Panchatantra: experiencing nada, jyoti, prana, shakti and darshana. In Sanskrit, it is a time of learning new shlokas and mantras. In the family community, prashnottara satsanga is held for one and all to attend.”

“Families plan for their annual pilgrimage. Shrine rooms are renewed and redecorated for the year, and the clothing of all is renewed in the Hindu style of the current fashion. It is a time of doing things for others, religious outreach. In the missions, Nartana Ritau is the time of bringing in new students and Church members. It is a time of hatha yoga and philosophical teaching.”

116 Festivals and Realms of the First Season

The main festival of Nartana Ritau, and of the entire year, is Guru Purnima. The mathavasis hold special conclave on Vaikasi Vishakham, the full moon day of May.”

Bodhinatha blessed the silpis today with a small gift for each one…

“The three Aadheenam realms of the season are: 1) Rishi Valley–with its secluded Guru Hut and parampara shrines on the banks of Rishi Valley’s Saravanabhava Lake; 2) Wailua Farm, with its pastures, orchards and gardens; and 3) Kadavul Koyil, with its Guru Temple, entry gardens, Banyan Pavilion, Tiruneri path, sacred tank and its Puakenikeni and Mango Mandapams.

Pilgrims, devotees and monks enjoy company together…”

Paramacharya Palaniswami talking with Sthapati…

Happy New Year!

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What Happened Today at the Monastery?

Sadhu Paksha… last day.. Tomorrow will be Tamil New Year so…

Happy New Year!

Saravananathaswami with a small poster to teach shum color meditation to our sishya…

Paramacharya Palaniswami has been inspired lately to work on gold-leafing the threshold of Kadavul temple. The contrast of black granite and pure gold is, well, pure gold.

This beautiful bl;ack granite stone was carved in India and sent along with other stones for Iraivan… The two lotuses in the middle have been leafed with 23-karat gold and the other four lotuses will be done in the days ahead. It takes about 30 minutes to do one. But what a wonderful entrance it makes to Siva’s Home! Those are trisulas (tridents) carved on the vertical side, by the way. They say that special devas live in the temple threshold, to protect from some and bless others. That is why we step over the stone, and never on it.Many devotees will bend to touch the threshold as they enter, in respect for the holy precincts they are about to enter. Tradition says we step over with our right foot as we enter, and with our left foot as we leave.

Iraivan from a distance

Iraivan Stone Carving Site in Bangalore

News from India with photos…

Kulapati Jiva Rajasankara writes:

I have attached herewith the photos of the two massive yalli pillars.

These pillars will be at the very most entrance to Iraivan, and all pilgrims will pass through them to see Siva.

Work is going on at a steady speed and will be able to complete earlier then the scheduled time.

Also we are now working on the giant lattice “windows” which form the walls at the entry. There are four of them.

They are 11 feet high and about six feet wide, and will give a traditional look and beautification to Iraivan. The main shaping is done and now we work on the intricate details.

Spring is here and the Nawiliwili blossoms are manifesting in abundance…

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What Happened Today at the Monastery?

Sadhu Paksha at the Aadheenam… all is quiet…

We want to share with you a poem sent but a pilgrim…

Om Namasivaya

In Admiration of Kauai Aadheenam
by Nannapaneni Narayana and Sarojini Rao
Urbana, Illinois

This poem is in admiration of Gurudeva’s Kauai Aadheenam
For which Satguru Bodhinatha is the Guru Mahasannidhanam
And where the monks are building the Iraivan Devalayam
The future home of the 700-lb Maha Sphatika Sivalingam.
~~~~~~~~~
To us Kauai Aadheenam is Kailasam of the west
Where we can best put our minds to rest
Appreciating the monks performing siva Homa one day
And Chitra Pada Puja to Gurudeva on another day
In the Kadavul Hindu Temple of Lord Nataraja
Accompanied by Lords Ganesha and Subramanya.
Yes, Kauai Aadheenam is Kailasam of the west
Where you can best your minds to rest
Performing Abhishekam to Narmada Lingam
Collecting the beads in the Sacred Rudraksha Vanam
Admiring the giant statue of Dakshinamurti
And touring the grounds with Sadhaka Dandapani.
We say when you are in India, you go to Kasi
When you are in America, you go to Kauai
Where they say the heaven and the earth meet
And we say the Iraivan Temple touches your heart
Yes, Kauai Aadheenam is Kailasam of the west
Where you can appreciate Hinduism’s best!

The documentary feature film:

“Iraivan, The Science of Ancient Traditions”

is getting rave reviews.

If you have seen it and care to send a review, please write up a short review and send to StudyHall@hindu.org

Check out the trailer on our store front if you have not yet seen it. (You will need to wait while it loads as this is not streaming.)

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What Happened Today at the Monastery?

This wooden “painting” comes from India. It is an amazing work of art, created not with paints, but with different colored woods, all inlaid precisely, then etched with ink to form the fine details. But all the colors and shapes are different woods. Great craftsmanship. The scene is from the life of Kadaitswami, who was the guru of Chellappaswami who was the guru of Yogaswami who was the guru of Gurudeva. He was a six-foot-six man, and a judge in a court in south hIndia when a man was brought before him, accused of murder. The jury found him guilty and it became the judge’s duty to sentence him to death. The spiritually-minded judge could not bring himself to be part of the death sentence, and instead, removed his wig and robes, and left the court room, never to return. He became a sannyasin, and was initiated into our Kailasa Sampradaya. Kadaitswami eventually voyaged to Sri Lanka where he became the spiritual satguru of the north. This is his moment of decision, depicted for the book we are producing on our satgurus and their lives and magic.

Today the Ekadanta Kulam shared their report of activities. Sannyasin Saravananathaswami has been working hard on all of Bodhinatha’s future travels, which are extensive. See his travel page for as much as has been confirmed to date. Note noted there is an additional function in San Diego during the California, October journey.

This is a look at an almost complete Innersearch ad that will be appearing in the next issue of Hinduism Today. Those of you who interested in joining Bodhinatha on this journey to Australia and New Zealand should consider signing up now as the ship sails in 8 months and 1 day.

Sadhaka Dandapani who is usually the man behind the camera has also been working on the monastery’s Open House invitation cards.

We expect to have a big crowd this year… 600-700 island friends and well wishers.

This is a photo of a small orchid that is blooming today. It is called “Coconut Orchid,” and visitors are amazed to smell it. It smells exactly like coconut oil. Each year the “colony” of pseudopods (as they are called) will grown, forming a mass over three-feet in diameter eventually.

More small natural wonders…

We see more and more visitors staring, awestruck from the edge of the monastery … look over at Iraivan, as if they can’t believe their eyes…

Nandini…

Anu…

Acharya Kumarswami with our big blue Macaw: Vyagrapada… “Tiger foot.”

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What Happened Today at the Monastery?

Sadhu Paksha continues at the Aadheenam… All is well, and very quiet….

Vijay and Umayal Eswaran from Hong Kong. He first met Gurudeva while living in the Bay Area nearly 20 years ago. They’ve been following the construction of the Iraivan Temple for many years and were overjoyed to see the progress.

Arumugaswami is doing an article on the Swaminarayan Fellowship educational programs. They have had 50 years of experience teaching children in the UK. Here is a spread of tools they use… read about it in the next edition of Hinduism Today….

Blog Archives

What Happened Today at the Monastery?

Vellachi Varunachalam from New Jersey is here on pilgrimage with her friend. Today they attended the 9am Siva puja then went back to their bed and breakfast to cook the monks a delicious dish of lemon rice. They also
had a nice meeting with Bodhinatha. She had met Bodhinatha last year as well during the Innersearch in Chennai.

Krishnaswamy Balan is from Chidambaram and now living in Washington with his son Sethu Raman pictured here with Bodhinatha. Krishnaswamy is a devout Siva bhakta. He told Bodhinatha when he was a young man he went everyday without fail for 3 years to Lord Nataraja’s abode in the Chidambaram temple from 9am to 12 noon and chanted Sri Rudram and sang songs. Now he will be turning 82 years old and he says everything he does is for Siva.

END OF PHASE
Today is the last day of our phase.
This edition of TAKA will remain posted
over our coming three-day retreat,
until Dvitya Tithi, Sun One, Saturday, April 9th.

Our Ganapati Kulam team here at work on Hinduism Today, the next edition of Island Temple, computer hardware upgrades…

Images from Sri Lanka

Patrick Harrigan sends us some photos from Batticaloa….

Sunrise over Batticaloa, from Kalladi Beach.

One of the many Kalladi temples that were destroyed.

This is a photo of a Murugan Kovil (temple), in Kalladi, Batticaloa.

Dr. Meghani treating a patient at a relief camp.

Mihir Meghani who has read Hinduism Today since he was a boy, later became a doctor and then recently went to serve in Sri Lanka.

Some of the boys at the orphanage wearing clothes that were sent in by relief organisations. They had lost everything they owned in the tsunami.

While relief organizations have come and gone, the work to rebuild in Sri Lanka must continue. We have just put up an on-line donation page for the Thirunavukkarasu Nayanar Gurukulam Orphanage as there has been renewed interest from some quarters in making donations for this important work.

Dr. Mihir Meghani with Siva Gangai Swami Amma of Tirukkovil, a local wise woman and charismatic medium.

A recently arrived new resident at the Aadheenam. A beautiful Somali. His name is “Pandian.”

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What Happened Today at the Monastery?

A quiet day at the Aadheenam… now news to report today…

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What Happened Today at the Monastery?

It’s a very quiet Sadhu Paksha day here at the Aadheenam… no photos for you… all is well.

The monks are busy as bees as usual–our computer server and hard drive upgrades are still in progress. The Ekadanta Kulam reported at lunch today they are involved in lots of planning for Bodhinatha’s future travels which appear to be very extensive this year. The emphasis will be to make the journeys focus on education, with with special meetings with donors and others who are helping without work in far off places combined with educational seminars.

Guru Purnima planning is also underway with an all -island Open House which we expect will draw 500-700 of our island friends, maybe more. We do this every two years, have a big tent event, with the mayor as chief guest, with special spiritual guests, a talk by Bodhinatha and Shanmugam, our master builder. Then we feed everyone from the monastery kitchen. They don’t say it, but half of them come for the curries. This year our island friends and well wishers will be awestruck to see Iraivan in its current state of progress.

One of our Master Course students asked today what is new at the monastery, and here is part of the answer he got from Paramacharya Palaniswami: “What projects are new? Well, many. We are working on our first foray into a digital version of Hinduism Today. Gurudeva always foresaw a computer page that turned, like a book, and that is one of the features provided by Olive Software, our expert in this field. We are starting with the April issue, which you probably have by now. Our new calves, two of them, are growing up quickly and a new cat has been added to our feline community, named Pandian.

“Also some new computer upgrades are going on, and we just received a box of gold and silver leaf for several projects: Iraivan, the giant metal doors of Kadavul Temple, the elegant copper roof of Nepali Ganesha who greets all visitors. Working on new clothing for the monks, on getting 900 ancient (1950-80s) reel-to-reel audio tapes he recorded into digital form to preserve them forever, this being done in India (thanks to Sheela: editor’s note). Working on new entrance gateway to the monastery which is ready to ship, and a glorious 8-foot-tall Shanmugam for under the sprawling banyan tree. Of course, lots of editing, art and design for the books and magazine and such. Each morning now, during our two-week sadhu paksha some monks are going up Muruga Hill and watching the sun rise (we are usually in our morning meditation at that time, but not during this sadhu paksha period, so nice to see the sun come up and nicer still to be meditating atop the hill (it’s only 22 feet high but marvelous) in Lord Murugan’s yogic energy.

“As for the grounds, it’s a glorious day on Kauai. The world’s largest orchids are blooming for the first year (we’ve had them for about 6 years now. It’s called Grammatophylum, and the record-holder is a 2,200 pound single orchid brought from Java, Indonesia, to the Chicago World’s Fair in 1907.) Each year from now on we wil have their special blossoms to witness and share with pilgrims. New lotuses went into the ponds two days back and one of the world’s most highly regarded flowering trees is blooming for the first time. It is called Amherstia nobilis, from India and named after Lord Amherst who was in charge of India for a time. Here, there and everywhere we see nothing but Siva dancing His dance of nature and beauty. OK, that’s enough of a survey of what’s new here! More than you bargained for. Lots of blessings.”

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What Happened Today at the Monastery?

Arumugaswami bring us the second installment of pictures from the trip to London…

Saturday, March 26: Bodhinatha is greeted by the priests at Sri Selva Vinayagar Alayam in Ilford. This Ganesha temple was recently opened in a converted society meeting hall and has a surprising strong spiritual vibration. Every temple Bodhinatha went to was staffed with well-trained Sri Lankan or South Indian priests.

It is Sun One today on our spring Sadhu Paksha… the morning sadhana is changed to a more informal routine… to all monks to wonder freely the property and watch the sun rise.

This past retreat was the silpi outing… we took the silpis to “Spouting Horn” at Poipu where the water rushes into a cave on the lava rock shore line and shoots up through through an open hole at the top with a dynamic rushing sound. It is a favorite tourist destination.

Back to our London documentary for the duration of today’s TAKA photos:

Saturday, March 26: Bodhinatha with Bhavit Mehta of Hindu Youth UK. This bright and energetic young man explained how the Hindu Youth UK had successfully recruited other Hindu youth organizations to be part of large exhibitions and festivals, including the Get Connected events.

Saturday, March 26: With Jatindra Saha, a retired physicist who is devoting time to writing about Sanatana Dharma.

Saturday, March 26: With Erasenthiran Poonjolai and his wife, Subashini.

Saturday, March 26: Bodhinatha with the priests of the Sri Selva Vinayagar Alayam. The priest in the center had served at temples in Reunion and is friends with the priest of the Vinayagar temple in Paris, which he hopes Bodhinatha will one day visit.

Saturday, March 26: This vina presentation was part of the 100th birth centenary celebrations of Saiva Sigamani Justice Pon. Sri Skanda Rajah. Bodhinatha spoke on the topic “Work is Worship.” Sri Skanda Rajah’s daughter, Indra, said, “Our father was conferred the title of Saiva Sigamani by the Thirugnanasambandar Aadheenam of Maudrai. He was an eminent judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka and also president of the All-Ceylon Hindu Congress. He was responsible for making the temples managers in Sri Lanka agree to admit all persons for worship and not debar Harijans. He was a close devotee of Siva Yogaswami.”

Saturday, March 26: Bodhinatha and Arumugaswami pose with the Skanda Rajah family and friends. The Justice’s daughter Indra Sivayoham is second from right, with her brother Dr. Sri Bhavan Sri Skanda Rajah to her right. Her other brother, Sri Guggan Sri Skanda Rajah, is at far left, to his right is Indra Sivayoham’s sister, Suseela T. Moorthy. Third from left standing is V.R. Ramanathan, president of the Saiva Munnetta Sangam, and fourth from left is Muruganandan, organizer of the monthly Yogaswami Satsang at the Shree Ganapathy Temple in Wimbledon.

Sunday, March 27: Bodhinatha presenting the seminar “Undersanding Saivism” at the Shree Ganapathy Temple in Wimbledon. The event was intended to start at 9 am, but this day was the beginning of England “Summer Time” in which clocks were set ahead one hour–meaning many were an hour late. (And those that weren’t had one hour’s less sleep…) So the event began with 30 or so participants and ended with a couple hundred, including devotees who had come for the temple puja. The entire seminar was videoed and will be broadcast later on CITV.

Sunday, March 27: The seminar covered seven topics: the four denominations of Hinduism, the Nature of God Siva, the Temple and the Three Worlds, Practices of charya, kriya, yoga and jnana, God and the Soul and anava, karma, maya. The audience posed a number of questions to Bodhinatha.

Sunday, March 27: Swami Atmaswarupdas welcomes Bodhinatha to the Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden, England’s premier Hindu temple. Here they tour the heavenly main sanctum. For pictures of the temple, click here.

Sunday, March 27: This is the “haveli” portion of the temple complex, in which the decorations are all ornate wood. At left is the bookshop. The main temple is in stunningly carved marble.

Sunday, March 27: The temple kitchen is capable of feeding 50,000 people in a day. Here Swami shows off their latest acquisition, an automated chapatti cooker (the device with the stainless steel pyramid roof, at right). One drops a ball of dough in the left side, the machine flattens it, drops it onto a rotating cooking grill, flips it down to a second grill, flips it again to a third and then out. The kitchen had other high-tech modern cooking devices as well. The temple has few hired staff, with volunteers supplying all the man (and woman) power needed to operate this huge institution.

Sunday, March 27: Bodhinatha addresses the Swaminarayan temple Sunday evening satsang. He spoke of the temple as a source of culture and of personal peace, the unity of Siva and Vishnu as the same Supreme Being and Hindu solidarity as a unity in diversity.

Sunday, March 27: The devotees listened attentively to Bodhinatha’s talk and also to Swami Atmaswarupdas’s ringing endorsement of Hinduism Today as the “best Hindu publication in the world.”

Monday, March 28: Bodhinatha and Arumugaswami returned to the Neasden temple Monday m
orning to meet privately with the temple’s teaching staff. The staff and Swami Atmaswarupdas explained the various programs they conduct for the youth, which are many and wide-ranging. The discussion form an article in the next issue of Hinduism Today on youth education, explaining the methods used and their successes and failures over the years. Bodhinatha also met with Jay Lakhani of Vivekananda Centre UK during a break in this meeting to talk about the overall situation of Hindus in the country.

Monday, March 28: On the last evening, Bodhinatha visited the Saiva Munneta Sangam. This is a teaching and service organization. The president, V.R. Ramanathan, proudly reported that on this very day the Sangam had completed its mortgage payments for the building and now owned it free and clear, 15 years after they bought it.

Monday, March 28: Devotees assembled at the Saiva Munneta Sangam for Bodhinatha’s talk.

Monday, March 28: Bhajana and singing of Yogaswami’s Natchintanai songs. Bodhinatha commented several times during the trip that wherever Yogaswami’s Natchintanai songs are song, Yogaswami comes to that place on the inner planes.

Monday, March 28: Clive Roberts enjoying the high vibration at the Sangam. He and wife Puvaneswary had come from Holland for the weekend of events.

Monday, March 28: Ramanathan introduces Bodhinatha. He also served as chauffeur for one grueling day of morning to night travel around London. Fortunately, the Easter weekend meant light traffic. But London streets are a maze of crooked lanes, with the constant subject of discussion among our hosts how to navigate successfully from one point to another. Ramanathan’s road skills were especially noteworthy as we criss-crossed London.

Monday, March 28: This is the Sangam’s yoga studio which had just been renovated.

Monday, March 28: Priests welcome Bodhinatha to the London Sri Murugan Temple in Manor Park.

Monday, March 28: Bodhinatha with the priest staff.

Monday, March 28: The new Murugan temple, a US$12 million project, is nearly completed. The dedication is scheduled for May. This is the first Agamic South Indian style temple to be built in the UK. The central sanctum and entry way are both in granite, with the rest in concrete and brick. The temple had to acquire several properties and join them together in order to have enough space for the building and required parking. A team of silpis, stone and masonry workers, is here for the construction (one is second from left). All other temples are in converted buildings of one origin or another. This new temple shows the future for all of them.

Monday, March 28: The back side of the existing building of the London Sri Murugan Temple, the construction equipment and supplies are in the parking lot area.

Bodhinatha with our chauffeurs, Indra’s nephews Ahilan Sri Skanda Rajah (at left), and Dr. Sri A.T. Moorthy. They had rented the van in back to take Bodhinatha around London. By the end, we joked that the van came equipped with a pilot, a navigator, two passengers (Bodhinatha and Arumugaswami) and two back-seat drivers (our hosts) — because travel about London seemed to require a near constant discussion of routes among all four Londoners.

Monday, March 28: Dr. Maheshwaran and wife Geeta met with Bodhinatha late Monday night after returning to the hotel from the Murugan temple. The discussion on children’s education could have continued for several hours, but the early- departure the next morning for Heathrow airport dictated a short meeting. Geeta’s mother is the owner of the Shree Ganapathy Temple in Wimbledon. The couple was enthused with the results of the seminar and saw many opportunities to advance the teaching of Saivism in the UK. They are part of a group of five Saivite temple working to develop youth education programs.

Archives are now available through 2001. Light colored days have no posts. 1998-2001 coming later.

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