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It was with much devotion that the hundreds of families turned up to attend the August 2011 Ganesha Homa at the Spiritual Park. A rich spiritual experience for everyone as usual.

Bhajans live on air…

The sacred fire each month consuming hundreds of written prayers…

Pouring ghee into the fire as a traditional offering…

Lord Ganapati nicely adorned with red flowers dominating over others on that day…

Kulapati Manon reading a talk from the Yamas and Niyamas from Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami.

The smoke from incense sticks around the Narmada Lingam gives the feelings of seeing the murti in the inner world.

At the Himalayan Academy Booth where newly printed posters and Bodhinatha's Hindu Children Modern Stories Book One and Two book was on sale for the first time at the Park. Many parents were happy to purchase the books for their children after an announcement was made by kulapati Manick on the need for parents to teach Hindu values to their children.

Muthukumar Shanmugam, originally from Chennai, IT Engineer, is one of our regular MC students. His wife, a Mauritian and his sister in Chennai, too are HA students.

At our small Pancha Mukha Ganapati Shrine the crowd where the archana flow has slowed down compared to what it is usually early morning peak time.

Devotees everywhere on the lawn outside the Mandapam area…

Two guests artists entertained the devotees on that day. Kulapati Kulagan, our Cultural Coordinator, made arrangements that Vidwan Soyum Vallamah, a Mauritian (carnatic vocal) and Vidwan Jimmy Apalama from Reunion island (mrdangam) be among us for the Homa.

After the Homa members met inside the Dharmasala for a short meeting to work out a schedule for the convenience of everyone to attend natchintanai workshops on Saturdays and Sundays at the Saiva Dharmasala. Other workshops and youth activities are in the pipeline of the HA for the youth of the membership.

An invitation to the Natchintanai workshop released by the Church to members, arulsishyas and MC Level 3 students.

We bring the second and last series of our Guru Purnima celebration photos at the Spiritual Park of Mauritius.

Kulapati Siven Koothan reading the message sent by Bodhinatha for this occasion. "Our life energy can be compared to petrol. Petrol in and of itself is neither good nor bad. It simply provides energy. The qualities come from what the petrol is used to power, for example a bus that carries tourists or a tank that attacks a neighboring country without provocation. Many temples in India have a system of a long water pipe with many spigots on it so that crowds of people can wash their hands and feet at the same time. Imagine a water pipe that has fourteen spigots. These correspond to the seven higher chakras and the seven lower chakras. Water flows through the different spigots, or chakras, based on the type of actions in which we regularly engage."

Devotees listening attentively. "Performing a daily vigil, attending temple weekly, engaging in devotional singing or playing a Hindu instrument, are all actions that lift our life energy into the higher chakras which in terms of our analogy causes the water to flow out through the faucets of willpower, cognition and on occasion divine love. Not performing these actions means that our energies are not raised and would tend to flow out through reason, memory, fear and on occasion anger."

A Mac powered iWork keynote presentation by Kulapati Rajen Manick on the meaning of Guru Purnima and the importance of a Guru.

The presentation was very graphically animated with Natchintanaii songs as background music at intervals.

Here is the movie showing Bodhinatha inaugural talk for the Church private website for sishyas and advanced students. The word of the evening: "Don't be shy !" to log on and use this site to connect to our great siva sambandhan.

Kulapati Kulagan Mooneesawmy, the event coordinator thanking everyone and giving a few news regarding future cultural activities in the pipeline.

Kulapati Sk Moorghen giving a testimony and stressing on Guru Dakshina on Guru Puja days.

Prostration to the Holy Tiruvadi of Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, reminding us of the Guru's teachings: "Of course, you don't have to always go to the top of a mountain to clearly see the patterns in your thoughts. Once we have caught the idea, we can become quite skilled at seeing patterns and adjusting them no matter where we are. For example, if we find ourselves remembering specific events of the past on a regular basis, it shows it is an experience we have not resolved. Gurudeva suggests writing down such experiences and burning the paper and to continue doing this until we no longer think about the experience much at all. This shows it is resolved."

Two newly enrolled MC students, Kevin and Yadevi from Curepipe.

Another new MC student, Varounen, an IT programmer who studied in Bangalore.

A meal was served to all after the ceremony.

Everyone sat on the steps of the Mandapam to enjoy the meal.

A few of our youth who stayed till the end for a souvenir photo together.

We bring you a few photos of the July 2010 Ganesha Sunday Homa at the Spiritual Park of Mauritius.

Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati at the Park has now become the favorite deity of many Hindu worshippers of the island.

The new car park after this part of the land was cleared in the ex-devastanam area.

The flow of devotees entering the Park early morning. Here we are at the main gate.

Just at the main gate there is a niche for a small Ganesha deity. Worship starts right here by all visitors coming in… lots of incense in the air.

New developments at the sides of the Waterfront. The ground is being leveled and new plants have been put into the soil.

Devotees queuing up in two parallel lines to offer their trays of offerings at the small Ganapati Shrine.

Patient and calm they are now a few metres close to the Ganapati shrine.

In the meantime, on the upper grounds of the property, a few volunteers helping to fill in sliced fruits and sweets in plastic bags to be offered as prasadam after the ceremony.

Just married!

This couple, the bridegroom originally from India and bride the daughter of a Friend of the Park in Mauritius wanted to make their first visit as a newly married couple to Lord Ganapati at the Park just a few hours after their wedding ceremony.

They said they feel blessed to be here.

Inside the Ganesha Mandapam crowded as usual…

The four kulapatis officiating the ceremony…

Devotees outside …

Sanjay Matadeen a MC student giving a testimony about how Lord Ganesha blessed him and his wife with a baby girl, after 3 years of marriage and is thankful to the Guru who gave a beautiful name to his newborn daughter.

Kulapati Siven koothan, the talaivar of the day, gave a talk on the Guru's teachings on Family Harmony.

Big boulders now mark off the parking area across the road from our center in Mauritius.

In another area, a team is re-varnishing all the wood work around the Ganesha Mandapam.