Innersearch Visits Grand Bassin in Mauritius

On the 5th, the Innersearch visited one of the most sacred places on the island of Mauritius. Ganga Talao or "Grand Bassin" as it is also known, draws many thousands of Hindus from all over the island for Mahasivaratri each year. Years ago, a temple priest, originally from India, was lamenting over his inability to use real Ganga water for his Siva puja. He had a dream where the Gods guided to him to a mystical lake and explained that the water here was the same as that of Mother Ganga. Upon awakening he set out with five others into the low mountains to find the crater-lake He succeeded. Soon temples were founded at the lake and roads were formed, birthing one of the nation’s most important pilgrimage sites. The Innersearch arrived to witness the installation of a Murugan murti at the Somnath Spiritual park, a newly constructed temple and goshala near the lake. Bodhinatha was asked to bless the installation.

Upon arrival the group took a walk around the lake which included a visit to the Hanuman temple atop a high hill, overlooking the mountainous vista. We then paraded from the giant Siva, down the road to the Somnath Spiritual Park. Upon arrival, three priests performed a homa and the installation, charging up multiple kumbhas with divine energies to be poured over the Deity.

Following the installation, the group moved into the goshala for a short dance prefromance. After which Bodhinatha gave a talk and Sadasivanathaswami presented malas to a few deserving parties, including the Sivacharyas who had done the puja.

Siva is having some minor improvements made

Innersearchers take a walk around the lake

Bodhinatha visits one temple before heading up to the Hanuman temple on the hill

a picture is taken of the camera monk

The beautiful, flat lake is at a perfect level with the shore

The Hanuman Temple atop the hill

one of our wild and waving innersearchers

A glorious veiw from the top

The Somnath Spiritual Park

There is a sacred island in the center

one of the many monkeys around the lake has found a banana

Bodhinatha arrives at Siva\

s feet to begin the parade'

Sadasivanathaswami points out one of the granite signs that match those on Kauai

across the road from Siva, they are building a large Lakshmi Statue

An elaborate worship is performed, interspersed with bhajans

Rajanatha stokes the homa to keep it from smouldering and filling the room with smoke

In the goshala, the crowd gathers for presentations

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