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Bodhinatha's Travels

Here is Bodhinatha on arrival in Vancouver yesterday. Below Sadhaka Tejadevanatha reports on events in Seattle on the 17th.

Canada Trip: Seattle Events

Departing Lihue Airport. Just had to take a picture of the flowers. Up Up and away to Seattle

Arrived in Seattle just after 12 am and greeted by Devi Tandavan, Sitara and Priya Alahan

Every time Bodhinatha travels the first thing he does after checking into his room is set up a shrine to Gurudeva

Lunch with Nitya Nadesan, Devi Tandavan and Priya Alahan

Bodhinatha arrives at the Seattle Hindu Temple and Cultural Center greeted by the son of Anand Marthi, to the right is Shobana Marthi who was instrument in organizing the event as well

The temple priest performs the traditional blessings to Bodhinatha

Followed by a foot washing

A small group gathers.

Bodhinatha gives a talk on passing on our Hindu tradition to the next generation.

The group is growing and they are all listening intently

Long time friend of the monastery Dr. Virender Sodhi presented Bodhinatha with a shawl

The doctor gave a sweet speech on Iraivan temple and his first meeting with Gurudeva

Gold Leafing Continues

Tropical rains blessed Kauai most of the morning, a welcome liquous (Yes, it's in the Fictionary) libation for living things. Here in Rishi Valley a poinciana is in full bloom.

Nearby Tandu Sivanathan guides a team which is planting a special Seashore Prospera grass in Rishi Valley. last year Bodhinatha requested that this valley be cleared and landscaped, and the monks and members are teaming up to fulfill his vision.

Tandu's granddaughter Leila brought an umbrella to keep the rain off Tandu and the swamis. Very grown-up of her!

This is the gold leafing happening in Loha Guha, which means "iron cave," a steel building we erected to protect Iraivan stones from the weather. Here Deva Rajan, Tandu and Isani Alahan work.

They have been trained by the Maryland Guilder's Studio experts, and are gilding the five kalasams, the spires that will go atop the Rajagopuram entry.

They carefully cut the 23-karat sheets.

And apply them, using almost no pressure.

The leaf is amazingly thin and can be marred by the slightest touch. So they develop a great sensitivity to the media.

The top of this kalasam is painted with the primer coats and the bottom is the gold.

A squirrel hair brush is used to ever-so-softly press the gold into the sizing.

Isani concentrates on her task.

Tandu has become quite adept.

All are enjoying the blessings of being part of the creation of something so special.

Nearby Umbrella Ganesha works to keep the rain off Him.

The little bells on His umbrella.

The amazing bark of a gum tree near the monastery kitchen looks more like a satellite photo of the Earth.

The rare White Torch Ginger is in bloom today.

And a Jak Fruit grows in the fruit groves.

Guests visiting from Chennai, India

Karthik Ramani, a professor of engineering at Purdue University, came to Oahu for a conference. He planned a day off to visit Kauai Aadheenam, bringing his parents, Mrs Vidya Ramani and Dr Ramani, of Chennai. They were thrilled to have the opportunity to visit Kauai Aadheenam, having heard so much about the Hindu Temple in Hawaii from their son and daughter-in-law. They're also regular readers of Hinduism Today. Karthik and his wife, Sujata, had come to Kauai 2 years ago and had a very informative guided tour with Sadhaka Satyanatha.

Karthik's mother, Vidya, is very fond of gardening and had her own nursery in Chennai filled with several varieties of plants and flowers. She enjoyed touring the botanical garden on the temple grounds.

After an extensive tour of Iraivan Temple and San Marga, the family met with the editors of Hinduism Today. Managing editor, Arumugaswami discusses a Sanskrit translation project in the works with Dr. Ramani. Dr. Ramani is a retired professor of Engineering and was head of the department at the University associated with the Kanchipuram Puram Mutt and the Shankaracharya, Shri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati.

Palaniswami shares the fund raising plans for Iraivan Temple. Dr. Ramani knows Iraivan Architect, Ganapati Sthapati and the artist who's work is featured on the cover of Gurudeva's trilogy, Dancing with Siva, Living with Siva and Merging with Siva, S. Rajam of Chennai.

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