Today the cement foundation was poured for the upcoming bathrooms outside the Pillayar Kulam Office. These facilities will be much appreciated by our ever growing crowds of guests who visit the Aadheenam each day.

With the Nandi Mandapam being so far along, some of the focus is shifting back to the perimeter wall and some of the finishing detail work, such as the ceiling carvings near the sanctum.

Aum Namah Sivaya

Today several of our monks worked to uncover the doors for Iraivan's sanctum, which had recently arrived from India. These teak doors have a wonderful metal cladding of incredible beauty and detail. Each door displays five different forms of Lord Siva and are almost worthy of worship themselves. Though they will not be installed for some time, here at least is a detailed look at their artistry. Aum.

This week the siplis have been working on Iraivan Temple's Nandi Mandapam, particularly the stones that sit around the base of the Kodimaram. They're also just completing the steps that lead up the north side of the structure. Aum Namah Sivaya.

This morning Bobby and Kathy Page sent photos of the almost-completed stanchions being made in Colorado in their bronze shop. The posts were designed by Selvanathan Sthapati, our master builder in India, and sculpted by Holly Young. They are designed to hold the remarkable 10-foot-long black granite stone chains. They will serve as handrails on the perimeter of the Temple Builders' Pavilion near Iraivan Temple. Future visitors will stand in awe that these chains are rock, made from a single stone (very carefully!). It changes one's idea of stone to hold these chains and see the working links. Jai to the silpi artisans who can do such magical things with their hands and hearts.

Aum Anjaneyaya Namah

Yesterday, with the help of some concrete experts and our master-builder Doug, the pathways around Lord Hanuman's mound have been formed and poured. Soon we will landscape the area and have a lovely little place to walk while enjoying Hanuman's presence. Aum

Aum Namah Sivaya,

With the kodimaram placed, work continues on the Nandi Mandapam's stairs and on the area at the base of the kodimaram. In the sanctum, carving is being done around the walls and the sanctum doors are also resting quietly, awaiting their eventual installation when the temple gets closer to completion.

Aum Namah Sivaya!

Today we witnessed the blessing for Iraivan Temple's flagpole. Satguru, the monks, the silpis and several devotees arrived at the Temple's Nandi Mandapam to observe a short puja and then carefully position the teak wood pole prefectly upright. With that, we were then able to fill the base around it with compacted sand. In a delightful twist, the Inner Sanctum's teak wood doors from India arrived at the monastery just hours before this event. Photos coming soon. Another historic day at Kauai Aadheenam!

Around the base of the kodimaram, on the elevated floor of the Nandimandam is a "collar"' of stone that needed intricate carving done here on Kauai.

We have been keeping this secret for a week, while we waited until Satguru returned from his travels and got a chance to see it first. The scaffolding around the Nandi Mandapam was removed on Wednesday, March 27th, a Sun One. And Wow! What an exquisite, intricate structure of carved white granite, now available for everyone to see!