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--Gurudeva

Join Bodhinatha in Malaysia!

Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami will be traveling through Malaysia on his pilgrimage to India in 2004. Please join him and his devotees for a gala event in KL.

Monday, Jan 19th, 2004
Kalamandapam, Sri Kandaswamy Temple
Scott Road, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.
7:30pm to 9pm

Bodhinatha will be giving vibhuthi blessings after the event. Those who attend will also receive a free copy of the new Island Temple magazine.

Look up and you will see the list of places where Bodhinatha will be at gatherings where you can meet and have his darshan during Innersearch India. We know a number of viewers are looking in from India and we would love to see you when we come. Please do join us.

With only 4 weeks left before innersearch the energy for preparations is rising... Click here to see many of the locations in Tamil Nadu that we will be going to at this world images photo site. We will go to all the points in Tamil Nadu shown here with the exception of Tiruchapalli.

Bodhinatha's Sun One Video. Most Recent update: September 12, 2003. Bodhinatha speaks on Ahimsa, noninjury, yama #1, which is noninjury in thought, word and deed. The law of karma decrees that it is wise not to harm or hurt others, for we will then receive harm and hurt in exchange in the future. 12 minutes, 29 seconds.

Course 22 of the main temple tower is underway. We look forward to the completion of the Vimanam and the exciting moment of raising up the capstone sometime in the spring of 2004.

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Kulam News:

Today, Sun Three, our Pilliyar Kulam members shared at lunch their activities.

Talaivar Shanmuganathaswami has been working on Hinduism Today promotion and subscription flyers with the help of Thambynathan Girish Shanmugam. They printed out 1000 flyers for Singapore, Malaysia and India.

The Pilliyar Kulam is responsible for Himalayan Academy Publications sales and Sadhaka Jivanandanatha designed a lovely email template for let all our web guest book people and book buyers know about the beautiful crystal Ganesha's that we have... and an email was sent to everyone and there were quite a LOT of orders according to Sannyasin Muruganathaswami who handles incoming orders from the web.

Muruganathaswami is also responsible for the annual mailing to parents of monastics. Each year a letter and small gift is sent to the parents of the monks around the New Year holiday season. The letter tells what the monk has been doing through the year and gives the monks' parents an overview of his life and the work of the monastic order.

Muruganathaswami also coordinates the honey bear giveaways on the island. He and Sadhaka Jivanandanatha are driving out every day going here and there and return home and share the stories of people they meet. Muruganathaswami was delight to share with us the visit to the representative of the governor's office. Usually anyone contacting the local leaders comes with a problem or a request, so it was delight instead for some of our island administrators to have the monks coming to give instead of asking for something. Sometimes they can hardly believe it. "Is there *really* nothing you want for us?" we respond, "No we just came to give you some honey and share a little news from the monastery and wish you well, that's all."

Sadhaka Jothinatha, also in the Pilliyar Kulam shared with everyone some very interesting communications to the web master from Turks in Turkey who want to become Hindus and need support. In fact the one writing said he had been to India and received the Namakarana Samskara and that there are "many Turks who have completed the 6th step as outline in Gurudeva's book, How to Become a Hindu." Since we put this book on the web, many people around the world are making use of its guidance for self-conversion to Hinduism.

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At the top of the temple, space is a premium and our silpis have to work in tight spaces at times.

The process is the same day after day, test fitting the stones, then making adjustments by chiselling away excess stone, then after the stones are assembled, evening out each joint so that every two adjacent stones are flush to each other.

Sankaran works on the stone on the right which must be taken down a bit to smoothly match up to the stone on its left.

Our Siddhidata Kulam regularly faces the challenge of re-working the scaffolding and work area around the site. Every few courses, everything has to be moved up a few levels and safety barrier installed all around. They are doing a really great job!

Gurudeva's spiritual center in the island country of Mauritius
in the Indian Ocean near South Africa

The December 2003 Ganesha Homa at the Spiritual Park was as usual a very special event at the Spiritual Park. The event was sponsored by the Mardemootoo and Pallanee kutumbas. Many devotees attended and those who came a little late had to find sitting accommodations on the lava rocks steps of the Ganesha Mandapam.

Four kulapaties of the Mauritius Mission sat around the Homa pit to keep strong the spiritual vibration of the sacred fire. From the right, clockwise are: Kulapaties Koothan, Valaytan, Periatumbee and Kulagan.

As it was the last Homa for 2003, many regular devotees made it a must to attend the ceremony on that day.

The children too are happy to be inside the Ganesha Mandapam.

The ladies seated and singing devotional songs while the vibration of the Homa fire is building up.

As in most Hindu places of worship the ratio of woman participation is always higher to men. Women are the more preserving agents of culture especially on the practical side.

Now the fire is bright and strong, thus firmly establishing a mystical contact between this physical world and the inner more subtle worlds where inner beings dwell. This is how Gurudeva explains it. With the mantra being chanted they are being called upon to read the notes being burnt in the fire.

After the Homa, and a short meditation, it was time for some readings from Gurudeva's book Loving Ganesha. Kulapati Parmesh Palanee is here explaining about the Pancha Ganapati festival and the five shaktis of Lord Ganapati. The festival runs from December 21-25th.

The Ganapati murthi looked splendid and happy on that day decked with beautiful garlands.

Everyone contemplating the murthi and feeling the darshan of this great Mahadeva: Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati.

After the main arathi to Lord Ganapati, everyone lovingly comes forward for the sacred flame and a pinch of vibhuti.

It's now time for prasadam and meeting everyone for friendly casual talks in the shade of the mango groves. This is our hot season and the trees in the park afford wonderful protection from the sun.

The ladies of the Mardemootoo and Palanee kutumbas with others, serving prasadam to everyone present.

Another serving station with food consisting of sambar and various curries, including Sivayogaswami's favorite jack-fruit curry is being served. The meal on that day has been sponsored by one friend of the Park, Mr. Veeren Canagasaby of Riviere du Rempart.

From the left, Ulasha, Toshadeva and Sukhanta of the membership enjoying their food. Bon appetit!

A very humble donation was obtained from devotees present on that day. According to Kulapati Amba Valaytan and Tiru Vedapragassen Peruman who have been counting the sum received, this figure is going up at each Ganesha Homa. All donations received will help maintain and upgrade existing infrastructures on the property.

Here is Tiru Soondiren Arnasalon and Tirumati Vijayam with some children of other members. The Arnasalon family was very busy too on that day.

The Spiritual Park was donated a new garden bench on that day by our newly enrolled Himalayan Academy student Kiran from Vacoas. The bench has been placed near the Mini Mela.

Everyone is welcome to generously donate to the Park. This will enhance the beauty of the place and make it a memorable day for all new visitors. Aum.

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MORE UPLIFTING THINGS		2004 Indian Odyssey Join Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami on an 18 day Innersearch to South India, from Jan 19 to Feb 5, as we pilgrimage to ancient monasteries, magnificent 1,000 plus year old sacred temples and meet with India's holy men in a life-transforming adventure. Click on the above link for more details.
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