Jai Ganesha! A big thank you also to Jiva and Kanmani Rajasankara, who have managed the Iraivan stone carving site for about five years now, and to the wonderful team of carvers who are putting the temple together everyday in Bangalore. For those of you who have never been to the site, the next issue of Hinduism Today will tell an awe-inspiring story. The 75 craftsmen in India are doing something so extraordinary, so beautiful, so graceful (and it's so difficult!) In today's audio message, Gurudeva speaks directly to the carvers. Be sure to listen.

Since the temple is on everyone's mind today, we thought virtual visitors to the ashram would like to see one of the modern wonderments that is discussed in the magazine. Basically, there will be a pair of time capsules in the temple, one modern and the other a traditional stone crypt holding etched copper plates sandwiched in dry sand. The high-tech time capsule will contain sacred objects, CDs, movies and books and more, all kept in argon gas and buried in the concrete foundation to be opened in 1000 years, so generations yet to be born can rediscover the Indian spiritual tradition that gave birth to the temple in the early years of the millenium.

Here is a report from the good souls, Deva and Gayatri Rajan, who donated and had the capsule constructed for Gurudeva. And some photos they took as it was being shipped to Kauai earlier this week. The capsule is 27 inches long, not including the extended valves in the last photo. It weights 500 pounds, and the lid alone weighs 100 pounds.

REPORT FOLLOWS:

Some interesting stats on the stainless steel materials used for the construction of the capsule:
* Tensile strength = 87,000 psi (required to stretch it)
* Yield strength = 47,000 psi (to break it)
* Valves used to inject and hold in the argon gas won't leak up to 10,000 psi pressure
* The SS pipe was made by the "continuous casting" process (hot,liquid SSteel is poured into an extruding process that creates this pipe form without seams or welds.)
* The SS pipe and flange were annealed at 1900 deg. F. and water quenched to below 800 deg. F. in less than three minutes (to create hardness)
* All materials used were tested to meet US Oil Refinery Specifications and radiographically examined
* The following elements were used to create this steel alloy known as Stainless Steel

Data taken from the Bristol Metals L.P. Mill Test Report #02500015, dated 05/15/97

Note: A pressure gauge was not installed on the capsule. Apparently, they all have threaded couplings and would not hold the capsule air-tight over time. The valves have a specially designed packing of "billowed stainless steel" instead of conventional packing which would deteriorate over time. The valves are rated to not leak up to 10,000 psi of pressure.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR TIME CAPSULE ASSEMBLY AND CLOSURE
1. Place and secure the Fiberglass Canister in the desired location s heavier than oxygen). Let it run at 15 cfm for 10 to 15 minutes to purge all of the oxygen from the capsule.
13. Then close the exit valve and build up pressure in the capsule to approx. 5 or 6 lbs. (psi)
14. Then close the entry valve and tighten the handles (hand tight only)
15. Remove the argon hose and insert the stainless steel plugs into the valve stems. Lightly tap them in with a hammer.
16. Then 'fusion-weld' the plugs to the stems.
17. Then install the stainless steel cover to the fiberglass cannister using a silicone caulking between the cover and the fiberglass cannister. Install the flat washers below the fiberglass flange and bolt up - hand tight.
18. Cover the fiberglass cannister and capsule with the selected stone flooring materials.
19. Wait 1000 years, open and enjoy.

Time Capsule Name Plate
Attached to the top of the capsule is a stainless steel plate. Title and instructions for opening the capsule can be inscribed on this plate. Another plate could also be created with machine-precise lettering and attached to the capsule name plate.

All for now,
Aum Sivaya,
Kulapati Deva Rajan