To behold Iraivan Temple's interior from its southwest corner as the sun sets is truly something to behold. Normally, it would be difficult to even convey a suggestion of what this looks like in person by means of a camera. However, if you happen to be the skilled photographic artist LakshmiGrace Phoenix of LakshmiGrace Designs, you know how to do it. Living on Kaua`i, LakshmiGrace visited the Aadheenam and offered her services by capturing the late afternoon majesty of Iraivan Temple's Mahamandapam, and we thank her for it.

Recently, Jigisha Patel of Chicago coorindated a major project of having dozens of garments made in India for the monastery's Deities. Not only for the Gods of Kadavul Temple, but also Gurudeva's shrine and our humble Hanuman shrine in the temple, the Nepali Ganesha shrine at the beginning of Tiruneri, Kadavul Temple's side shrines, our San Marga Deities, etc. This is a purple outfit which she had her friend and seamstress in India, Mrs. Uma, create. More photos of her other marvelous creations to come...

This week Iraivan Temple is having it's main drainage system installed. The system is built for the heaviest of Kauai's rains and will take water from the foundation and channel it away, thereby helping to prevent erosion. The team doing the installation is headed by Pradeep, an expert machine operator and a local friend of the monastery. Pradeep and his crew have been working for several days now, installing the small pipes that connect to the foundation and the large pipes to which they flow. This system won't be up and operational until the flooring installation atop the slab is complete, but this is the order that the work must be completed in. Aum Namah Sivaya.

One Sunday each month, various Saiva Siddhanta Church missions around the world gather to help further manifest Iraivan Temple in some practical way. For the Wailua Mission here on Kaua`i, the focus is on rudraksha processing. The proceeds of all rudraksha sales go to building Iraivan Temple. It's a time of togetherness, bonding, sharing of ideas, hopes, and aspirations for the future of the temple and how to most effectively and joyously continue to make Gurudeva's vision a physical reality. But, you can't do that on an empty stomach. Everyone knows that. So, food is also a part of this valuable family time together. The annamaya kosha must be functioning properly in order for the others to, as well. We offer some images of said gathering as well as a few shots from the subsequent weekly aadheenam tour.

Today we received these five photos from Bobby Page in Colorado, a visual celebration of the many hours he and his wife and a team of almost 30 craftsmen and women have spent on the next in our series of silpis building Iraivan Temple. In this case, two silpis are moving a heavy granite stone with just two iron bars and their knowledge of gravity!

Here is Bobby's note...

"Aloha, Dear Swamis!

I enclose five photos of the nearly-completed new addition to the Monastery's bronze silpi memorial collection. I have sent them to Holly for her approval and have received her most kind response.

I plan to weld the fulcrum block to the two O'O bars unless you want it separate. The block has mounting nuts. The bronze stone has three mounting nuts welded near the far (touching the floor) side  and I plan to put a threaded rod ( pins) on each O'O bar with a receiver hole for each on the high side of stone that touches the bars.  I would guess it will be on temporary display and having a 200+ lb bronze stone at the angle of the O'O bars on possibly slick concrete. If unattached it may slip if someone sits on the stone ( especially children). The pins will secure it from slippage. 
 
What a great experience it was to put into place as only Kathy and myself put it into place for the first time, as all of our employees had gone home for the day. And to top it off I had my Ipod on random and as we finished and stepped back for a look Gurudeva's voice came on filling the room with a teaching. I immediately looked at the photo of Gurudeva on my bench you gave me when you visited and realized this is the soul who is responsible for this wonderful journey of a project we share and to hear his voice at this moment words can't describe. He was speaking of how the Gods watch us.

Here are five pix. The end of stone I left open to put mounting nuts inside as I didn't know where they would be best hidden. And the packing blanket in the stone is for sound deadening as its a big resonating chamber when grinding or hammering.

With much Love and respect to all...

Bobby"

Enjoy some Darshan from Lord Muruga today. Muruga's color for this month is white, so he's been beautifully decorated in white and gold for the day following His daily, morning abhishekam. Om Saravanabhava Om.

Today we received these photos from the Bengaluru carving site. You can see the swift progress being made on the panel sections of Iraivan Temple's Perimeter wall.

One of our monks doing the Siva puja a few days ago was inspired to take some photos of the sacred process, without any images of Lord Nataraja of course.

Puja literally means "worship, adoration." Forms of puja vary widely between Hinduism's four main denominations and its hundreds of lineages, but all puja finds its basis in sixteen offerings, shodasha upachara. These also vary somewhat, depending on the scriptural source that is followed, but one popular list is the following: 1) Avahanam, invoking; 2) Asanam, offering a seat; 3) Padyam, offering water for cleansing feet; 4) Argyam, offering water for cleansing the palms; 5) Achamaniyam, sipping water; 6) Snanam, ceremonial bath; 7) Vastram, offering vestments; 8) Yajnopavitam, offering sacred thread; 9) Chandanam, offering sandalwood paste; 10) Pushpam, offering flowers; 11) Dhupam, burning incense; 12) Dipam, waving lighted camphor; 13) Naivedyam, offering food; 14) Anjali, praying with folded hands; 15) Pradakshina, circumambulation; 16) Udvasanam, farewell.

Seers can reach Him because He is visible; worshipers, too, can see Him. But if they possess love for Him, Hara, who is the first cause of the ancient universe, will manifest Himself to their mind as light.
Tirumurai, Arputat Tiruvantati 17

We begin a new phase with our usual, unbroken routine of having a homa in Kadavul temple. Saravananathaswami leads the group with his powerful chanting.

Here are some wonderful murthi photos from our devotees in London. Check out the temple website at highgatehillmurugan.org