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Bodhinatha at the Malaysia Hindu Sangam National Tirumurai Contest (more news below)

At home at the Aadheenam, we had about 50 visitors this morning from the Vedic Astrology Symposium that was held here on Kauai over the past few days. The gathering was organized by the American College of Vedic Astrology to provide accredited classes for certification and training in Jyotish. The conference officially ended yesterday and many participants and teachers came up for a tour of the monastery this morning. After the tour, the President, Dayananda (Dr. Dennis Harness) said the College would like to sponsor the Navagraha Mandapam of Iraivan Temple.

Meanwhile the big news is from Malaysia.

Saravananathaswami sends us photos.

Our documentary continues... Here we are at the top of the hill in Kuala Lumpur, at the Gasing Sivan Temple, on the morning of the Sunday, the 11th...

Children sing thevarams for Bodhinatha

Bodhinatha gives a talk about Siva as the God of love who encompasses, for Saivites, not only destruction but also creation, preservation, veiling and revealing grace

Silvarajoo Muniandy, left, and Dr. Arjunan Subramaniam, right

View from the Gasing Hill Sivan Temple

As part of morning function, the temple asked Bodhinatha to ceremoniously open their first-ever website, www.gasingsiva.org.

Bodhinatha is asked to open the first pages of the website

They set up a projector and screen right in the temple mandapam so everyone could see the new website

Now the process of mantra diksha is introduced, most importantly sharing that in our organization, the diksha is only given after many years of study and preparation

First to receive diksha is Tirumati Parimala

Bodhinatha signs the Panchakshara Mantra booklet that she will keep, which describes various ways of chanting Namasivaya

Now giving the diksha to Tirumati Devika

Applying vibhuti blessing

She signs the book

Parimala and Devika very happy with this deepening of their spiritual life

Next, Komaldeva Sivananda takes his brahmacharya vrata, vow to remain celibate until marriage

Bodhinatha ties the cord around his waist which is a reminder of the vow

Komaldeva sets a good example by taking this vow

Now giving vibhuti blessing to everyone present

The audience waiting to approach

Leaving the Gasing Hill Sivan Temple

In the afternoon we attended the final hours of the Malaysia Hindu Sangam's national Thirumurai contest and prize-giving

About 18,000 youth had participated from across Malaysia, and the cream of them from each state had gathered here this weekend for the final recitals

The youth excitedly waiting to receive prizes

One of older youth sings some beautiful thevarams

Swami Guhabhaktananda on the left, Dr. S.M. Ponniah and Dato Vythilingam to his right

Bodhinatha again speaks about how Siva is the "God of Love", Anbe Sivam, not "The God of Destruction"

The large audience listens attentively

The happy children receiving prizes

Bodhinatha presents prizes to the top "Gold Medal" winners

More prizes

Honoring the teachers of the youth

At the very end, Bodhinatha was asked to perform arati to Nataraja as the audience sang some closing prayers

The Thirumurai contest was held at Batu Caves, so afterwards we went next door to the Divine Life Society to chat with Swami Guhabhaktananda for a while.