Kanda Alahan has been here working on the installation of new cabinetry for Bodhinatha's quarters. Kanda crafted all of it back in his California workshop, shipped it disassembled to Kauai and worked under the supervision of Vishvanathaswami to assemble and install it. It was finished yesterday. Congratulations to the Siddhidatta Kulam team. Bodhinatha returned from his journey yesterday to find his life improved in a useful way. Mahalo nui loa, Kanda.

SSC sishya Rajen Manick recently completed his taskforce period and returned home to Mauritius. Upon arriving, he sorted through the many photos he had taken of the grounds and events, and shared the cream of the crop with us. Below is the first half of his collection.

While here, Rajen participated in many pujas, classes and darshan meetings, and served in multiple seva projects including book translation into French, brainstorming large information posters for the Spiritual Park of Mauritius, helping with the monthly Kauai's Hindu Monastery Newsletter mailing, preparations for Ardra Abhishekam, painting new structures and more. He warmly encourages more sishyas to make the pilgrimage to Kauai and participate in the taskforce program.

Aum Namah Shivaya!

Today is Sun Five of our 5-day lunar phase (our Aloha Friday in local parlance). Our monk's now enter two days of retreat, working on different projects and enjoying some extra time for Sadhana and a little more rest. Here are some random photos from around the monastery as our week comes to a close. Aum.

Our newest pre-monastic Aspirant, Kodiswara Selvanathan, took a stroll with the monastery camera to capture scenes of Kadavul Temple puja attendees being shown Iraivan Temple afterwards in the late morning. Then he headed over to our original Annapoorna vegetable garden and the newer greenhouses where the Siddhidata Kulam is planting and harvesting.

Currently, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, Sannyasin Shanmuganathaswami and Sannyasin Siddhanathaswami are traveling in California. They are currently in San Francisco. They've been visiting with devotees and also our HHE investment team.
Aum Namah Sivaya.

The team in Moscow continues to repurpose our Himalayan Academy work energetically. Their team leader, Dinanatha Bodhiswami, emailed a few days back sharing that they wish to add the Saivite Hindu Religion, Book One to their list of books. Having done the entire trilogy and Loving Ganesha, they seek to reach the young ones.

It is a simple book, all in black and white, giving dharmic teachings in four languages: English, Tamil, Bahasa Malaysia and French. Each page is illustrated with the concept being presented to the children. The files were sent and now translation will take place ahead of printing.

CyberCadets will know that this same team has been publishing Hinduism Today in Russian for several years, and each year compiles the four issues into a bound volume, shown in the slideshow.

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Some of our new monks were inspired to capture recent scenes of everyday decorations on Ganesha and Murugan. Variations of cloth colors, pottus, turbans, flowers, etc.

Aum Gam Ganapataye Namaha!
Aum Sam Saum Subramanyaya Namaha!

Jai Ganesha!
Jai Kailasa Parampara!
Aum Namah Sivaya!

Currently, Madan Ganesan is visiting Kauai Aadheenam from Bengaluru. He's here with his wife Sumathi and their son and daughter. For several years now Madan and his family have been very focused and devoted in furthering their association with our guru parampara. This is their first time for the whole family to be visiting here together, so it made for a very auspicious occasion. Today both Madan and Sumathi took their vratashishya vows in front of Satguru and the Kailasa Pitham.

"I believe in You, the one Supreme God, Lord Siva, and the Gods of our Saivite faith, and in the Saiva Dharma. In love and trust I recognize Your goodness in providing for my every material and spiritual need. I affirm that the twelve beliefs of our Saivite Creed, and our Affirmation of Faith, fully and unequivocally express my own beliefs, and I wholeheartedly vow to uphold and preach them as an authoritative, distilled formulation of our venerable faith. I understand the importance of beliefs, which have the power to create our attitudes, which shape our actions and reactions throughout life. I appreciate that our Saivite Creed serves to maintain the continuity and purity of the Vedas and Agamas and give strength and guidelines to individuals seeking to understand life and religion."

“In humility and gratitude, having received the blessings of Lord Siva through these spiritual vows, I promise, now and for my entire life, to be an ardent, dynamic, responsive, loving, grateful, loyal vratashishya of Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, serving as a member of his global Saiva Siddhanta Church among my kulapati’s extended family.”

The piping to carry county water and fiber-optic cable out to rudraksha grove entrance and out to Iraivan Temple has been completed. The photos show Pradip, our contractor, trenching the final stretch. Yoginathaswami has been following with a GPS survey device to map exactly where the trenches are located.

The final photo shows the water being turned on near Iraivan Temple. Shortly, we'll dig another trench to bring the water next to the temple entrance steps for feet washing.

Aum Namah Sivaya! Yesterday, Sivanadaiyar Kodiswara had some afternoon piloting lessons with Sannyasin Tillainathaswami. The monastery has a small, DJI mini 3 pro drone which we use for all our day to day aerial photography, and it's also a perfect copter to learn with. It's light, sturdy and somewhat difficult to crash! Kodiswara took to the controls quickly and captured these many wonderful photos. Enjoy!