Bodhinatha arrived home today with Sadhaka Haranandinatha. We will bring you episodes of his time in Australia through this phase.

A stop at the Ganesha shrine at the beginning of Tiruneri.

Arati in the temple.

And welcome home to Sadhaka Haranandinatha!

Sannyasin Senthilnathaswami presided over the Sacred Homa Ceremony this morning, assisted by Sadhaka Tandavanatha.

Afterwards, Paramacharya Palaniswami gave a delightful talk, beginning with stories from the biography of Milarepa, Tibet's Great Yogi, then offering parallels with Gurudeva's life. He then read passages from the unpublished book, with stories of Gurudeva's years in Sri Lanka back in 1949.

With Mahasivaratri only days away, pilgrims are already beginning to arrive from other countries for this most powerful and spiritual festival honoring Parasivam, the formless aspect of God Siva.

Puvaneswary Roberts arrived from the Netherlands on her fourth pilgrimage to the Aadheenam. Praful Patel and Jayshree Patel arrived from the airport and drove immediately to the Kauai Aadheenam. They are here from Winnnipeg, Manitoba, Canada for their annual pilgrimage and 5th visit to this temple.

We pick up our travel log of Bodhinatha’s mission to Australia again today. On February 15th evening near Sydney, a Iraivan Temple fundraising dinner was organized by Mathini and Chandran Wigneswaran and others. Nearly 400 people attended the event.

A kolam design at the entrance of the hall

Students of Srimathi Anusha Tharmaraja gave a bharatanatyam performance choreographed to Natchintanai music

Bodhinatha gave a spiritual discourse

Mrs. Mathini Wigneswaran giving the "vote of thanks"

Dinner attendees enjoying getting darshan at the end

The altar overseeing the dinner

Out at Iraivan the Silpis are working on the handrailing.

They have completed parts of the floor, seen here in rose granite, and are now adding the railing that will surround the entire first prakaram.

Dakshinamurthi looks on from the distance.

The railing is quite elaborate.

Chidambaram Sthapati guides the team. This is the same railing seen from the outside of the temple.

Two special blocks have to be carved for this.

Then fitted to the pillars.

It will take several days.

Meanwhile, Silpi Karrupiah works on the other side of the sanctum, where the railing and floor team will be in a few weeks.

Up on top of the temple the Rajagopuram tower is being fine-tuned.

Silpi Chelliah makes fine adjustments to an elaborate piece that has just been added.

Over the retreat a team of concrete workers came, ready to pour the roof cement. But the weather turned bad and it had to be postponed.