His Holiness Shivarathri Desikendra Mahaswamiji of JSS Suttur Math in Mysore, India, is visiting Hawaii for the first time. He is accompanied by Almatti Swamiji of their Maryland US center, and devotee Mr. Nanjundaswamy.

Swami is the latest in a 1000-year-old lineage of Vira Saiva Pontiffs.

We feel a kinship with him as we are all worshippers of Lord Siva.

Mahaswamiji has visited our Iraivan Temple worksheet in Bangalore. He said he visited when they were carving the large jalakam (window) stone.

Mahaswamiji heads an ancient math (monastery/ashram) of the Vira Shaiva faith. It does vast social service in Karnataka.