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Sun Four

[Photo: Bodhinatha in Mahabalipuram on earlier Innersearch]

The Ganapati Kulam gave their news today. Paramacharya Palaniswami has been working on the picture for the Parampara book, which will most be all in the back in pictorial section. He also continues sourcing images and doing graphical design for Bodhinatha’s education Keynote presentations. Acharya Kumarswami is working on the Parampara book also, nearly full time. Acharya Arumugaswami has been focused a lot lately on work on Himalayan Acres nursery. Sivakatirswami has been working on his Hinduism Today articles, editing and posting Bodhinatha’s talks to the website and daily TAKA. Senthilnathaswami is focused on the quarterly release of the April issue of Hinduism Today on our website (see www.hinduismtoday.com), on a hardware refresh involving our computer monitors, preparations for an upcoming trip with Bodhinatha to Texas, development of ebook versions of the Master Course Trilogy and other projects. Sadhaka Satyanatha is working on a marvelous feature story for the next issue of Hinduism Today which is focused on India’s World Heritage Sites.

We also had several meetings continuing the planning and design discussions for the Himalayan Academy web site upgrade and renovation.

Refurbishing Iraivan's Two-Trucked Elephant

As Iraivan rests quietly awaiting the next contingent of stones and silpis, our SK team is refurbishing it’s Two-Trucked Elephant: the Yale forklift.

This machine is a key component for the building of iraivan, moving all the stones from the container to or near their destination in the temple.

All the old paint and rusted areas were ground clean and the elephant is getting a complete fresh new coat of paint.

Our Siddhidata Kulam has become master of vehicle maintenance.

Protecting metal on vehicles is a challenge. So many surfaces! Sadhaka Rajanatha is very focused.

It usually requires several treatments. After grinding, comes the under rust-proof undercoat.

I wonder what color the final Elephant will be this time?

Word of the Day

Gurudeva Bronze In Progress

Yesterday, March 7, was a magical day, the 36th anniversary of Gurudeva’s vision of Lord Siva, the visions that became the spiritual seed for Iraivan Temple, that brought together a worldwide community of temple builders to manifest a remarkable sanctuary.

Gurudeva instructed the monks to create a bronze memorial that shows the ancient skills that built this temple. He realized future pilgrims would not have the benefit of seeing the silpis at work, and this would give them a visualization, and since it would be in bronze, it would last as long as the temple itself.

At the center stands Gurudeva, who is sharing with the master architect his visions and instructions for building Iraivan.

Around them seven stone sculptors are working on the various stages, from quarrying to rough shaping, marking, fine sculpting and chisel sharpening.

So, on the very day of Gurudeva’s vision 36 years later, Holly sent the monastery the two photos below showing her progress. What great timing she has. It was only in January that Palaniswami asked her to proceed, and we were not expecting such progress (though Holly herself says this is only the early stage, called the “work-in phase.”)

Last year, Holly submitted this sketch, with stapathi standing in a traditional gesture of humility, the architectural plans rolled under his arm.

Here is the rough wax work! Rough? It looks to us like it could walk out of the studio and into the Big Island forest where Holly lives.

Holly’s husband just finished the new studio (well, almost) and this is the first major work to be done in the space. It is hard to imagine what she will finally create. And it is hard to imagine a more perfect artist for the work. She once told the monks, “I was born to do this project.” Yesterday Holly wrote in her note, “I am in love!” Her way of saying how Gurudeva and this project are reaching into her innermost self. Stay tuned for what she has in store.

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It’s all possible because of the support of K. Suriyakumar and Rushika. They knew Gurudeva for decades, and when they heard about the bronze memorial they came forward to sponsor it. We sent them the photos yesterday and Suriyakumar wrote back just now:

“Wonderful to see the progress, Swami…..
 
It’s so heartwarming to see our Gurudeva in life-like form……

I can’t wait to see the final. (Holly…what a blessing!)
 
And the timing is incredible…

Thank you so much for sharing.”

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