FRIDAY MARCH 24TH, 2023 (DAY 4)

8:00 AM – 12:00 PM HST (Day 4 – Morning Session)

Vishesha Sandhi, Second Kala (2nd Session)
Maha Ganapathy Pooja, Punyahavachanam, Ankura Pooja,
Siva Soorya Pooja, Mantapa Pooja, Vedhika Maha Kumbha Pooja,
Shadhadhwa Nyasam, Agni Kaarya Saparya, Vishesha Dravya Aahuthi,
Poornahuthi, Divyopachara Deeparadhana

12:00 PM – BREAK

7:00 AM – 12:00 PM HST (Day 3 – Morning Session)

7:37 AM – The Guru Paramapara puja
Special Prayers to The Guru Paramapara of the Nandi Natha Sampradaya
to invoke their blessings before the main prayers.

Siddhi Vinayaka Pooja – First Kala Yaga Pooja (1st Session)
Punyahavachanam, Santhi Homam, Disha Homam,
Punya Nadi Teertha Sangrahanam,
Soorya Kantha Agni Sangrahanam,
Poornaahuthi, Deeparadhana

12:00 PM – BREAK

WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023 – DAY 2

3:00 PM – 7:00 PM HST (Day 2 – Evening Session)

Kshipra Ganapathy Pooja, Punyahavachanam, Vasthu Mandalaarchanam,
Vasthu Santhi, Pravesha Bali Prakshepanam, Rokshoghna Homam,
Paryagni Karanam, Khatgesha Bhramanam, Aalaya Pavithra Suddhi,
Poornahuthi, Deeparadhana

7:00 PM – END

TUESDAY MARCH 21, 2023 – DAY 1

3:00 PM – 7:00PM HST (Day 1 – Evening Session)

Sri Maha Ganapathy Pooja, Punyahavachanam, Grama Shanthi,
Bhairava Saptha Aavarana Pooja, Aalaya Ashta Dik Bali Daanam,
Poornahuthi, Deeparadhana

7:00 PM – END

As most of you already know, the large crystal Sivalinga has been “temporarily” residing in Kadavul Temple since August 1987, awaiting its move to the Iraivan Temple sanctum. Our architect, Selvanathan Sthapati, has indicated that now that the Iraivan Temple structure is complete and the 11,000-pound panchaloha Avudaiyar base has been moved into the inner sanctum, we need to move forward with installing the Sivalinga. Actually, Sthapati was more colorful in his urgings, reminding us that the temple is a living being, with a conception (Gurudeva’s three visions), a birth and a lifespan. And, he offered, we have waited long enough, to the point that the temple is like a pregnant woman who is two weeks overdue, and we can no longer delay the event. Based on that instruction from our Master Builder and guidance from India’s Sivacharyas, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami has set the Sivalinga installation rituals for March 21-26, 2023. These historic rites will be professionally filmed and livestreamed on our youtube channel for everyone to have a front row seat wherever you live around the world.

A just-uploaded trailer video for the ceremonies can be viewed here.

If you would like to plan ahead for watching the livestreams, here is the schedule of morning and afternoon streams:

March 21
Morning Ceremonies
8:00 AM Start
12:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam
Afternoon Ceremonies
3:00 PM Start
7:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam

March 22
Morning Ceremonies
8:00 AM Start
12:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam
Afternoon Ceremonies
3:00 PM Start
7:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam

March 23
Morning Ceremonies
7:30 AM Start
12:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam
Afternoon Ceremonies
3:00 PM Start
7:30 PM Distribution of Prasadam

March 24
Morning Ceremonies
8:00 AM Start
12:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam
Afternoon Ceremonies
3:00 PM Start
7:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam

March 25
Morning Ceremonies
8:00 AM Start
12:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam
Afternoon Ceremonies
3:00 PM Start
7:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam

March 26
Morning Ceremonies
6:00 AM Start
10:19 AM Auspicious Moment
12:00 PM Anna Dhaanam

Access to Iraivan Temple for these installation ceremonies will be through the monastery, with cars utilizing our existing parking lot of 37 spaces. Our maximum capacity of confirmed attendees for the event has already been reached, based on the existing facilities of the Aadheenam and Iraivan Temple. Permitting greater attendance would create substantial issues for us with our neighbors and the county over traffic and parking.

The good news is that starting on March 28th and thereafter, all Saiva Siddhanta Church sishyas and those on a prearranged pilgrimage to Kauai Aadheenam will be able to attend a daily puja at Iraivan Temple, something we have been waiting for all these years.

After March 28 visitors to the Aadheenam who are not formal pilgrims, Saiva Siddhanta Church sishyas or students of Himalayan Academy can still access the rudraksha grove and the monastery entrance areas, including Kadavul Temple, the Meditation Banyan and the MiniMela gift shop. But they will not have the opportunity to attend the Iraivan Temple daily puja until we fully establish additional facilities at the rudraksha grove entrance, thus meeting county regulations to have more parking and bathrooms to accommodate greater numbers of visitors before we can host large crowds. This development is still a couple of years away. 

When we last left the five murtis of Siva, whty were in Honolulu being gilded with 23-karat gold leaf by Hawaii's premier gilding experts, Thor and Diane Minnick. The team had to stay up til 11 or 12 each night to make the deadline, which they did. The crates returned and were unpacked by the silpis who also carried the precious sculptures to the vimanam area where they will be formally installed. It's an important accomplishment. Enjoy looking over Thor's shoulder as he places the gold leaf on the murtis.

Following the Kadavul Temple kumbhabhishekam to mark the stone upgrades to Nandi, Balipeetam and dhvajastambha, another homa and abhishekam must be performed 48 days later as a vibrational completion to the intensity of a kumbhabhishekam. March 12th was the 48th day, which also just happened to be the 50th anniversary of Kadavul Nataraja Deity installation.

The ceremonies began with a homa at 8am, including five kumbhas to represent Siva, Varuna, Nandi, Balipeetam and Dhvajastambha. After the homa we paraded the kumbhas outside, broke a coconut and returned inside for abhishekam of Nataraja and Sivalingam. After Nataraja's kumbha was poured we returned outside to pour the kumbhas over Nandi, balipeetam and dhvajastambha. Thereafter we closed the curtain to decorate Nataraja. Some temple visitors led vigorous bhajans during this time. Then we completed our normal routine for morning Siva puja, albeit with extra monks present as happens at monthly Ardra puja.
Enjoy the photo collection.

It has been a journey of some 10 years, designing the frames that would hold the 35 bronze panels, carving these into the perimeter wall in Bengaluru, shipping to Kauai and installing the wall. Then designing the 14" by 47" panels, sculpting the bas-relief art on 20 of them, casting the art, writing the text for each one (not easy to write something you hope will be relevant in 1,000 years), casting the text in Pennsylvania, shipping to Colorado, casting the sculpted images, adding the patina, welding the art and text together and shipping to Kauai. Whew!

Two days back the final step happened for 9 of them, drilling six holes for each one in the hard granite and then another team affixing them with anchored bolts to the granite wall. Enjoy this final stage which took our teams five days in all.

Jai Ganehsa!

Today we did a quick temple flyby with our drone to bring you this short aerial video. It shows the progress on the outer, red-granite tile that surrounds Iraivan Temple. Thus far, the tile has been completed along the north, west and eastern sides of the structure. All that is left is the southern tile which surrounds the Nandi Mandapam. In this video you can see the white sealant which the final tile will be placed over. Aum Namah Sivaya.

We are thrilled to receive a donation of a new people mover for conveying visitors around the monastery grounds. It is a great leap forward from our previous people mover, both in seating capacity and noise control. In the old one it was difficult to speak with people while driving due to the gas engine. This new one is electric and therefore much quieter. It also seats around 25% more people. A great boon indeed. A fancier tent has been erected to store it.