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Bodhinatha's birthday will be next week when he is traveling so the monks are giving their gifts to him early. He was invited to open them at lunch since we secretely knew they would be useful for the journey he is about to make.

A new piece of luggage. This is a more high-class hard case style that will stand up to heavy usage.

It fits exactly into the overhead compartment as Bodhinatha often travels very light, with just this one piece of luggage and no check-in bags.

The second gift today was a book on "Planned Giving Essentials." Bodhinatha was the master mind behind the Hindu Heritage Endowment that he created with Gurudeva's guidance in early years and he continues to oversee the growth and development of HHE as Gurudeva had done. One important focus is on helping everyone put HHE funds into their wills, a process also known as "planned giving."

[Today we bring you a photo documentary by Task Forcer Scott Falzone, who took the pictures despite some exposure problems our camera is haging and he wrote today's captions. He is working with the publications team this phase. Here is his photo-tale.]

Our loving Lord Ganesa tenderly guides us along the path of dharma. Here at Kauai Aadheenam, He gently directs us down the path to Iraivan Temple.

This is the grand image we see when gazing at Iraivan's resplendence from afar. This white granite sanctuary seems to beam brilliantly like a mighty pearl in the powerful Kauaian sun.

Set against a cloud-spotted cyan sky, the gold-leafed capstone reminds us of our own inner golden light, easily seen within the akasha.

Today our silpis had a rather important task before them regarding our drainage system for Iraivan. A few days ago, John Andersen visited us to cut the concrete foundation in segmented areas for the purpose of installing proper drain pipes. The aftermath of the concrete cutting involved the silpis chiseling out the pre-cut areas. Here we see some of our team collaborating on how to get the job done.

John is a licensed contractor here on Kauai who has been working with us for decades, and as a result has done innumerable important jobs for us. Thanks, John! Here we see a more or less completed section where drainage piping will soon be placed.

Since Iraivan is an "outdoor temple," draining rain water from the floor is necessary. Mt. Waialeale - just near by - is considered to receive more rainfall than any other place on Earth.

Chelliah - one of our dedicated silpis - has been working on Iraivan for much of his life, since he was just 13 working. At our carving site in Bangalore, Chelliah began his work in temple architecture at his father's side, and now he has been able to come to Kauai and see the manifestation of his life's work.

A close up view of the carving-out process...

All of the concrete waste accumulated by this process must be dealt with as the work goes along. Here, we see how the silpis scrape away the excess matter.

Our silpis don't seem to mind the hot, mid-day Kauaian sun. They continue to work tirelessly through the elements. What's more, is that they do it all with a big smile.

Such time consuming work may appear to many as overwhelming or even mundane. Amazingly, our silpis seem to be unfamiliar with the concepts of frustration or impatience. With each strike of the chisel, they are performing Sivathondu. It's not easy, but like Gurudeva said, "Anything worthwhile is not easy."

One always knows when the silpis are working - even if they're out of viewing range! The "clink, clink" of their tools reminds us throughout the day of how efficiently Gurudeva's vision is truly coming to fruition.

Here are some of the base stones for some upcoming pillars...They are rose-colored because they are at the floor level and will match the rose flooring pavers when they are installed. Yes, the floor will be two feet above the existing foundation level which you see below.

No, this is not an ancient 2,000-year-old temple in a remote Indian village. It's Iraivan pretending to be old today. Not long ago, the roof beams were set into place by our silpis. But teh lighting today makes them look well aged. Of course, we can't neglect to thank the ever-jovial Larry Conklin for helping us with his mighty crane. What a beautiful ceiling to gaze up at while musing over the nature of vastu shastra - temple metaphysics.

Here are some of the metal stencils with which the silpis use to denote ornamentation on the temple's stones.

A prayerful moment. Here we see a motif atop one of Iraivan's pillars set against a bright sky. The act of folding the hands in worshipful respect (anjali mudra) is practiced throughout many cultures and in many eras. This truly shows the innate unity of all jivas as Siva on the path to merger.

Our beloved Gurudeva encouraged us to go deep within ourselves, where we are to find the Self. Here, Gurudeva (whose photo adorns the entry to the sanctum so all may look into the eyes of the founder) seems to be urging us inward to the lofty realms of our own being - shown here by the barely-visable sanctum sanctorum.

Just as Ganesa gracefully shades Himself from the late morning rays, He lovingly shields us from the lower realms of the mind.

Lord Skanda as Dandapani - the great renunciate. Dear to all on the path, particularly to sannyasins, the Beautiful One raises the kundalini force within those ready to receive it. This is a particularly adorable Murugan, clearly happy not to own anything but to be everything instead.

As Dakshinamurthi, Bestower of Divine Wisdom, God Siva gracefully extends His hand - imparting the timeless truths of the Vedas enscribed on olai leaves.

Gurudeva often likened the soul's maturation to that of a lotus. In the beginning, as young souls, we reside in the murky depths of our own egoity and fearfulness, like the mud beneath a pond. Later, as we grow, the leave the muck and mire behind to enter the more lucid realm of the reason and higher emotions, similar to water - yet still hidden from the light. Finally, as we become ripened, old souls, we break through all barriers. We get our first breaths of Life, shine flawlessly in the light, and wonder why we didn't realize this before. Botanists visiting us today will quibble that these are water lilies, and they are right!

A serene moment. The sun is in full force. There is a light breeze. The birds are singing their devarams, and Siva is dancing His dance.

Om Namasivaya...

Meanwhile it was a bright lovely day for this week's tour day.

Kiran and Leela Patel, from West Virginia. Lila knows Tamil and did a wonderful job translating all that the silpis explained about their work, and our guide could stand back and actually learn some new things about the carving! Nandri Leela!

About eighty bright souls today joined us on the two tours, one at 9 am and the second at 11 am.

Here is the second group, among them Kiran and Lila.