The crowds in Mauritius are amazing! These pictures give you some idea of the scope of our monthly event there.

It is not unusual to have as many as 3,000 devotees.

Pancha Mukha Ganapati surveys all his votaries.

We began our phase with Bodhinatha at the Sun One homa. He the followed with an inspiring spontaneous talk on the unique path we follow that is both monistic and theistic at the same time. Watch for it! and if you have not see the list of recent talks, scroll down for links in a recent post.

With Ganesha Chaturthi approaching, the Ganesha Homa at the Spiritual Park continues to be an even more exciting event and spiritual monthly pilgrimage for hundreds of families of the island of Mauritius.

Kulapati SK Moorghen placing written prayers in an already overloaded basket. Thousands of such prayers are being burnt on the first Sunday of every month at the Ganesha Homa.

As usual, the place is always tightly packed with devotees of all ages….

Four kulapaties, stewards of the Spiritual Park perform the ceremony.

Our kulamatas, from right, Kulamas Selvon Mardemootoo, Seedaluchmee Kulagan, Premila Manick and Poospawadee Koothan while Brahmachari Vel Mahalingum leads the chanting of the homa mantra.

Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati overseeing the whole ceremony…

The huge flame mystically transforms the written notes into readable astral prayers for the devas of the inner worlds.

One testimony from Professor Jean Luc Albert of Lausanne University, Switzeland. Jean Luc Albert has been doing a research for several years on the renaissance of Saivism in Mauritius since Gurudeva's teachings spreading here. His next research will be on the impact of Saivism in Mauritius. Jean Luc Albert, talking in creole, was impressed by the incessant flow of devotees coming to the Park and said he was feeling very good all over being at such a wonderful spiritual place.

Kulapati Manon Mardemootoo giving the montly talk from Bodhinatha's teachings.

Devotees are very attentive….

Meanwhile, worship goes on at the several sacred spots of the Park. Here devotees are down the river to collect water for the Sivalingum…

We are happy bring you the last batch of photos taken during Guru Purnima celebration in Mauritius… The arati performed at the Holy Tiruvadi.

Kulapati and Kulamata SK Moorghen awarding the certificate to new Catalyst Vimala Munian. All our Kulapaties and kulamatas were invited to offer certificates on that day.

After the ceremony all sishyas sat under the cool shady spots to share a lunch together …

The Guru pujas like Guru Purnima and Guru Jayanthi are special moments for the sishyas because these religious events allow all sishyas of the island to meet and worship together and also enjoy some exciting moments together after the ceremonies.

Our food service table … all home made dishes lovingly brought by the sishyas.

Our local saivite youth of the membership growing up fast, from left, Suganda Caremben, Dayananda Canagasaby, Saravan Koothan and Poshan Munian…

Happy faces! The strong spirit of Siva Sambandan is pervading everywhere…

Our new catalysts happily holding their certificates for a souvenir photo. The catalyst trainee course, under the divine guidance of Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami was conducted for over a year and covered three modules namely, the contents of the Saivite Hindu Religion series from Book One to Six, practical Teaching Approaches and Parenting With Love. Eighteen participants turned up for the training organised by the Himalayan Academy.

The Catalysts had to take a 3 hour written exams consisting of two papers and also had to submit a major assignment at the end of the course.

Here is one of the certificates awarded by Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami to our new catalyst.

We bring you the second part photos taken during Guru Purnima celebration in Mauritius. The ceremony was attended by sishyas consisting mainly of our members and MC students.

Sivayogaswami’s lofty Natchintanai songs filled the whole Mandapam with a spiritual vibration which reminds everyone of the greatness of a Satguru…

The abishregam part of the pada puja being over, everyone gets prepared to chant the 108 names of Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami.

It is always a joy to attend the Guru puja.

Master Course Level 2 student, Ramsamy Pillay Samoo on the right has been selflessly helping as a building engineer in the many infra-structural projects at the Park. He is also looking forward to be trained as a SHR catalyst.

Brahmachari Vel Mahalingum, our officiating priest for this event performs the final arati while devotees chanted the Guru Mantra.

Kulapati Manon Mardemootoo read and explained Bodhinatha’s message sent on that occasion for members and students:

Om Sivaya to all our members and students gathered today. In reflecting upon Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami s teachings, certainly a message that he stressed in Mauritius was  positive discipline or as we titled it in our Hinduism Today article a few years ago  parenting with love.
The essence of this approach to parenting is what I call  calm, intelligently conceived communication. The opposite is  emotional, ill-conceived communication.
It is not possible to intelligently conceive our communications if we are upset; it is also not effective to communicate with our children when they are upset, as their ability to understand and remember what we are saying is lessened while they are upset. We need to wait until all involved have calmed down.
Following this simple guideline helps minimize unpleasant disagreements between family members.
Many blessings for an enjoyable Satguru Purnima.
Om Namasivaya,
Bodhinathaveylanswami

One item during the ceremony was the award of certificates to our newly trained catalysts who are teaching the Saivite Hindu Religion to youth.

Here is Roshan Nathoo receiving his certificates from Kulapati and Kulamata Koothan.

The spiritual vibration and huge attendance at the July Ganesha Homa at the Spiritual Park of Mauritius is in itself an inspiring reference of the Hindu population fervent spirit of worship in this island. A variety of flowers and garlands adorn Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati for this special day!

Sishya Aroulen Arnasalon, helping on the Mandapam steps coming with a bunch of flowers for the deity.

Suddenly taken by surprise by our TAKA photographer, this very young lady was not sure whether to smile or be serious, while her parents are happily participating in our bajans.

During the first arati to the Lord Ganapati all devotees stand up ….

The four kulapaties conducting the ceremony with offerings of grains while written prayers from devotees are being burnt.

Kulapati Manon Mardemootoo's talk was on a few topics taught during the Kauai Innsearch 2010 which kulapati attended.

Devotes seated in the Mandapam….

The area around the Mandapam is packed too with devotees …..

And still far away from the Mandapam there is barely any space to move….

Worshipping at the Siva Dakshina murthi…

The ceremony over, a team of ladies volunteer to help prepare small plastic bags filled with fruits and sweets o be offered as prasadam to all devotees present.

Devotees being introduced to Bodhinatha's teachings by volunteers at the Himalayan Academy Booth…

Each month at our Spiritual Park in Mauritius, just off the coast of South Africa, over 3,000 of Lord Ganesha's favorite devotees come for darshan. Here we see two of His five faces, decorated with sandalwood paste and flowers.

They bring offerings, listen to an upadesha, enjoy a short puja and homa, walk the paths down to the river or the ocean, bathe the Sivalingam, and enjoy a spiritual moment in time and space, a respite from the tensions of life, a reminder of their eternality, their soulful qualities, their spiritual work.

This month a budding photographer captured the day. As we thumb through her photos, we offer Gurudeva's thoughts on what to do when you wish your karma was better. His bottom line is to worry less and take responsibility more.

"The wise never blame God, for they know misfortune to be the return of man's self-created karmas, difficult but necessary experiences for his spiritual evolution. Whenever we are injured or hurt, we understand that our suffering is but the fulfillment of a karma we once initiated, for which our injurer is but the instrument who, when his karma cycles around, will be the injured.

(Ghee buckets for the homa) "If you take responsibility for all that happens to you, then you will have the power to deal with your karma through the grace of Lord Siva. He will give you the intelligence to deal with it as you worship Him in the Siva temple, contact Him within as the Life of your life and find Him in meditation. Let's take an example. Say I am holding a plate of rice and curry and I pass it to you."

"All of a sudden the plate drops on the floor between us. I blame you, and you blame me. I don't want to be responsible for dropping the rice and curry, and you don't want to be responsible either. So, we blame each other. The rice and curry is scattered there on the floor."

(The priest offers the written prayers into the sacred flames) "No one is going to clean it up until one of us takes responsibility and says, "I'm sorry I dropped the plate of rice and curry," and gets down on hands and knees and cleans it up. In the same way, only by taking responsibility, by recognizing what we have done as our own doing, can we begin cleaning up the results of our actions."

(The prayers disappear on this physical plane, to manifest in the subtle world of the devas.) "Those who do take responsibility for their own karma have all the help in the world. The sages say, "Bear your karma cheerfully." Each time you blame another person for what has happened to you, or cast blame in any way, tell yourself,

"This is my karma which I was born to face. I did not come into a physical body just to blame others for what happens to me. I was not born to live in a state of ignorance created by an inability to face my karma. I came here to spiritually unfold, to accept the karmas of this and all my past lives and to deal with them and handle them in a proper and a wonderful way."

Rajen Manick makes a few announcements to the group

It was a special day for all, captured so beautifully on film (OK, in pixels).

A little more advice from Gurudeva on how to face our karmic patterns.

Aum Shri Gam Ganapataye Namah! Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati majestically decked with home made garlands and flowers at the Spiritual Park of Mauritius. The ceremony was attended by some three thousand devotees on that Sunday rainy morning.

The ceremony usually starts with an arati to Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati and our Parampara Gurus.

The huge flames of the homa consuming hundreds of prayers, mainly prayers from devotees which will eventually reappear in the inner worlds for the inner beings to handle.

Kulapati Siven Koothan giving a talk from Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami's teachings. One of the quotes concluding the talk was: "Do not live in the darkness of the past but live in the light of the present.".

Worship at the Pancha Mukha Ganapati shrine.

The rain stopped, just at the time when the ceremony was at its peak. Here we see devotees standing meters away from the Mandapam where the homa is being conducted.

Devotees do not miss to go down the river to collect water that they would ceremoniously pour on the Sivalingam.

The final arati is now being conducted. Everyone mind is focussed on the deity. It was another wonderful religious event inspiring everyone who attended. Aum.

Some 5000 people attended the April Ganesha Homa at the Spiritual Park. Many devotees are now coming early morning with their offerings of fruits and flowers and written prayers, to worship Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati and leave early to avoid traffic congestion and parking hassle during the day. However, many prefer to stay at the Park to attend the sacred fire ceremony being held in the Ganesha Mandapam.

Four kulapaties, here Kulapati Manon, Koothan, Valaytan and Kulagan seated on the four sides of the homa pit and conducting the ceremony while the all those present, even the far away devotee in the crowd outside would be lovingly chanting the 108 mantra invoking Lord Ganapati.

This is the busiest shrine of the Park on Homa days, where all devotees bring their personal offerings. A dynamic team comprising of members, Master Course students and a few volunteers are there to coordinate everything: breaking hundreds of coconuts, placing offerings at the Lord's feet, conducting arati etc…. We appreciate their their tireless sivathondu on such days and devotees leave this shrine always feeling spiritually uplifted.

To reach this small Pancha Ganapati shrine one has to wait long in the line that goes for several metres on the southern side of the Park.

After worshipping at the Ganesha shrine devotees move to Lord Siva Dakshina amidst the Konrai trees.

Then a walk down the property enjoying the cool sea breeze before reaching the Lord Muruga Shrine overlooking the ocean.

Aum Saravanabavaya Namah! Lord Muruga Blessing the devotees ….The next coming May Homa will be another great spiritual day at the Park. Till then..Aum.