Bodhinatha's Recent Talks On-Line
We had run behind with posting Bodhinatha's Upadesha's. We are almost caught up. Satguru Speaks fans can click here to go to this audio catalog page for recent postings.
Illustrations of Ganesha
For many years now Rajan Ramakrishnan has been sending us his illustrations of Ganesha. He is amazingly prolific and has done many hundreds of them. You can see his collections here: http://www.rajandraws.com/
Elaborate fountain pens made in Switzerland
We recently discovered this set of three ornately designed pens adorned with Hindu deities: Siva, Ganesha and Balaji.
Many Great Responses to the New Website
Just back from my first visit to the New website and I am surfing on giant waves of joy and gratitude. So much thought and care and inspiration on each page, each word, each letter ... WOW!!!
How blessed are we to be alive at this time in eternity when such precious gifts are placed right at our fingertips! How blessed are we to be alive at this place, in virtual space, where pictures, movies, talks and songs are just one click away!
So rich in content, so elegant in design, so simple in presentation and yet, gently holds aloft that secret of secrets for him to reach who does sincerely seek it!
Unimaginable is the extent of care, immeasurable the depth of patience, uncountable the minutes of labor, limitless focus and persistence, Role models are you, in all that you do!
How blessed are we, to have our lives touched so by you!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Infinite love and eternal gratitude
Aum Namah Sivaya!
Preparing for the Launch of Himalayan Academy's New Website
The Media Studio's Renovation project has forced the Kulam's monks out of there old desks, into this small trailer to continue their pressing work. The new Himalayan Academy website is less then a day from launch and they are working non-stop to make sure everything is working correctly. The page you are looking at right now is about to have a complete makeover.
All New Himalayan Academy Web Site
We are proud to announce the release of the new HimalayanAcademy.com website. We want to thank every one for all their support these past two years - the time it has taken to build the site and all the resources that it encompasses.
November 2012 News Video
Our November 2012 news video covers events in October 2012, including: Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami's 70th jayanti; the land blessing for the Hindu Temple of Greater Fort Worth, Texas; an update about the casting and assembly of bronze statues of Gurudeva and Ganapati Sthapati; the Uberoi Foundation's Experts Meeting discussions on correcting distortions of Indic faiths in US school textbooks; and the visit by Sushma Parmar to shoot an intro video for the monastery's new website.
Digital Dharma Drive Begins December 1st
For the last two years we have sustained a remarkable ascent up the sometimes treacherous trails of our digital Himalayas. The monks were urged forward (in good weather and bad) by your unmistakable appreciation of our publications and websites and the generous responses to our Digital Dharma Drive. In 2010 the drive reached $59,600; and in 2011 it raised $64,600. These funds have made an enormous difference in the digital projects that we have undertaken these past 24 months. http://dev.himalayanacademy.com/donate/ddd/ddd-faq.shtml
During 2011 and 2012, a major focus of our team and the primary application of your contributions has been to redesign, re-engineer and renovate the monastery’s website and reformat publications for today’s multitude of digital devices. Last year we showed you a preview of the new, professional design. This year we have been working to move all our content into the modern, database-driven system and get all the new features up and running—those that will help visitors discover and make use of the resources on the site in easier, more organized, more intuitive ways.
We’re almost finished, and with Bodhinatha’s blessings, we will inaugurate this year’s Digital Dharma Drive on December 1, at the same time we bring the new site online for you all to experience. Following the Wikipedia model (an annual fund effort to provide information and resources for free, without ads), the drive will run for 60 days. We hope you will set aside part of your year-end giving to help the team in Hawaii keep this strategically important momentum going in 2013.
This year (and only this year) we will use the funds somewhat differently. As you may know, between December and May, we will be renovating the Media Studio, the humble facility in which the monks produce all of the books, magazine, art, websites and teachings. We last made major improvements to the space 28 years ago, setting it up as a print shop, with two printing presses, a folder, a phototypesetter, process camera and light tables. In the nineties, we converted the space into a digital publications center using salvaged goods from a defunct hotel sale. It is a quaint space, but weary and worn.
The Ganapati Kulam publications facility is just 100 feet from Kadavul Temple. Aside from being the nexus of the monastery’s world outreach activities, it is a key place for hosting visitors to the monastery. The time has come to bring it into the 21st century. The work will be done by the monks and a task force of volunteers, rather than by costly hired carpenters. We are even using our own lumber, milled from island trees, for the wooden elements. But it will still take a lot of work and money. To allow this improvement to happen, one half of each dollar from this year’s Digital Dharma Drive will go to the Media Studio renovation and one half to innovative web improvements, digital assets, ebooks and other projects. We hope you are inspired by all of this. We are!
Jai Ganesha!
Jai Gurudeva!
Jai Generosity!
Sadasivanathaswami
Editor, Hinduism Today
A New Introductory Video for Kauai Aadheenam
Sushma Parmar of Cutting Chai Productions in Austin, Texas, has been hired to film a short video as an introduction to Kauai's Hindu Monastery for our new website, to be launched soon. With help from the monks she aquired a multitude of beautiful and professional shots which she will use to create the new video.
Arrival of Saiva Agamas in Toronto
A hard-drive of the Saiva Agamas photographed from the archives of the French Pondicherry Institute, which was an arduous task, arrived in Toronto, with the blessings of Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami. The time consuming (18 hours to copy the digitized photos) task of copying the files to this drive was kindly undertaken by Yoginathaswami of Kauai Aadheenam.
This gem containing over a million Saiva Agama photos, was made available for worship, by Rishi Thondunathan, at Sivayoga Swami poojas celebrated on october 13 at Thiruvadi Nilayam, and the next morning at Thooya Bakthar's Sangamam hall and later-on in the evening, presented to Dr.Lambotharan, at a celebration, in the presence of a large congregation of youth and elders, with a short talk by Dr. Shan Shanmugavadivel (president of world Saiva Council, Canada), Rishi Thondunathan and recital of Agama, by Sri Kanthaswami Kurukkal (who has conducted poojas at Kauai's Kadavul temple, and very close to Sri Pitchchai Kurukkal) and his assistant who studied Agamas.
The importance and value of the Agamas were explained by the speakers including another Kurukkal from Nallur, and Rishi spoke of the hurdles faced and difficulties in obtaining permission from the french govt, which task was successfully carried-out by Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, culminating in the digitalizing, with most modern equipment, the length of time consumed of over two years. Four hard working Indian youth were hired, to do the copying of the decaying and fragile ola leaves and other manuscripts
All the devotees were mesmerized, lined-up to touch the auspicious, sacred and secret, holy Saivite gem !!!
Lambotharan and his wife who are practicing physicians, are dedicated Saivites, conducting weekly classes for both young and not so young, take time to ensure and direct the youth, on the true Saivite path of non-violence, obedience, respect and service.
Dr. Lambotharan has written many books, including a book on the resurgence of Agamas.
He has made many religious trips to india, having met and blessed by yogis, and now ready to take the task of studying and transmitting the sacred Agamas, to enable the average devotee, to understand and appreciate our religion.
We are humbled by the foresight of Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, in saving the Agamas,
From Our Gurus' Teachings
Archives are now available through 2001. Light colored days have no posts. 1998-2001 coming later.
