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Sun Four at Kauai Aadheenam

The Aadheenam running full tilt again on it’s normal routines. The Ganapati Kulam gave their report today. The whole team is very much focused on the editorial work for the next issue of Hinduism Today.

Deva Rajan's San Marga Project

In the years ahead a special mandapam will be built over the Swayambhu Lingam on San Marga with paintings of Gurudeva’s visions on the ceiling. Until then, the vision art and the story will be displayed on an outdoor display. Kulapati Deva Rajan has been working on this project about a year while we have been waiting for the artwork from India.

It is all being made with clear redwood. Here Deva is cutting the end of a stopped notch on the three frames that will hold digital copies of the mural art being created in Kerala. The long stretcher pieces are on the bench in the background. Deva comes to Kauai two or three times each year to work on the project with Acharya Kumarswami. The monastery woodworking shop is a contemporary blend of power tools and hand tools, including superb Japanese and Western planes, chisels and saws.

Deva Rajan stops for a moment at the front entry of the wood shop, having just cleaned up a special, fine-tooth blade we used for a critical cut, before putting the blade away for safe keeping. You can see the water stone sharpening station on the right, the place where all plane and chisel blades are brought to a razor edge.

Deva and Acharya Kumarswami assembled the structures over the recent three-day retreat. Here the tenoned beams are being slid into the mortises, making an H-shaped structure that will hold the art frames.

The building material is all old-growth redwood that was salvaged by Deva’s construction crew about ten years ago from a retired water tower in northern California. The tank was 50 feet in diameter, made of clear 3″x8″ x 20-foot pieces. Here Deva is tapping in the wedges that will secure the tenons. Notice the come-along the team used to pull the posts together to make a joint so snug that it can be a home for elementals. The wedges are made from Monterey Cyprus wood harvested in Kokee and milled at the monastery.

Some fancy joinery here! The mortise is splayed to accommodate the wedges. There is no turning back at this point.

The artwork will be mounted inside these frames, three canvasses in each display, nine in all.

Thanks, Deva!

Yogaswami Girls' Orphanage

Thondunathan sends some recent photos from Sri Lanka and a little history:

In March 2005, after the devastating December 2004 Tsunami, I visited the Tsunami hit areas in the Eastern part of Sri Lanka. I was invited to an orphanage named Yogaswami Girl’s Home. At that time 44 girls were living in a small house which was in very poor condition. My heart was moved by the children.

In the summer of 2005 I was giving a talk to a group in Toronto, Canada and I mentioned the Yogaswami Girl’s Home. Afterwards, 12 year old Nayani Rajamohan came forward and told me that she wanted to help these children. In the years since, whenever I went to Canada, Nayani would again talk to me about her desire to raise funds for the home.
In 2009 she formed an organization called “Change for Orphans”.
Last July Nayani Rajamohan organized and performed in a benefit dance show which raised CAN$6000 for the girl’s home.

Nayani is a true Sivathondar! Even at this young age her soul realizes the spiritual rewards of helping her sisters half-way around the world.

In October I visited the girl’s home and met with the administration and children to discuss uses for the money. The decision was to use this money to build a much needed new kitchen, as the old kitchen is leaking and in very bad shape. I was able to meet with the building contractor and initiated the project.

Last month the kitchen construction began, however, we have learned from the home’s administration that they will need more money to complete the project. Nayani is starting her second round of fund raising to meet this need.

The Yogaswami Girls’ Orphanage also has an endowment with the Hindu Heritage Endowment. When you give to this fund you are helping build a long term source of financial stability for the orphanage. Go here to learn more and contribute online.

http://twitpic.com/21mq1g Tham…

http://twitpic.com/21mq1g Thamby Kumaran is working on upgrading the site plan for work around Iraivan temple. Here he brings Palaniswami up-to-date on some important details of the land, paths and water ways that will surround Iraivan Temple. All part of the preparations for some major earthwork that is on the horizon.

Archives are now available through 2001. Light colored days have no posts. 1998-2001 coming later.

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