Pillar Installation at the Nandi Mandapam

On this auspicious day of the summer solstice, we held a short blessing for the installation of first of 12 pillars which will stand in Iraivan Temple's Nandi Mandapam. In the late morning, Satguru and the monks gathered at the temple for the event. Satguru placed gems and the first trowel of mortar for this initial pillar and Sannyasin Yoginathswami performed a short Ganesha puja. The pillar was then raised into place with great precision. For perspective, it takes one carver six months to create just one of these pillars. If one person were to have done all these pillars, it would have taken them six years. Even if one were to do this carving with a machine it would still take them one one and a half months to complete.

The nandi mandapam\

s first pillar is lifted into place.'

Four more pillars lay in wait to be installed

Iraivan Temple shines brightly in the solstice sunlight, having been fully cleaned just two days ago

Satguru loves to walk, and arrives by foot to the event

Yoginathaswami begins the event with a Ganesha puja

The pillar is ready to be installed

The Nandi Mandapam has some of the Temple\

s most detailed granite carving'

And of course, Nandi observes the event

Satguru places gems beneath the pillar

He then adds the first mortar

followed by each shilpi

The big moment arrives!

Up it goes!

It is set, and is then adjusted bit by bit to rest perfectly

It will be here for a thousand years, so you want to get it right

Satguru performs a final arati.

Now the rest of the pillars can be installed. Aum Namah Sivaya

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