Royal Road to Siva's Feet - Part Two

Today we share the second chapter in the tale of the trail, the making of the 10-foot-side and 650-foot-long concrete roadway leading to Iraivan Temple. The crew is amazingly hard-working, arriving before 6am and leaving after 5:30pm, and all day dealing with heavy concrete. The last photo is our favorite, relaxing at the end of five days effort. Our drone pilot captured a few overview shots toward the end of the slideshow. This roadway will transform the experience of driving and walking to Iraivan Temple, just as the very land on which our beloved Gurudeva stepped is guiding and transforming lives all over the world. Jai Gurudeva!

To begin, a glimpse of the earlier work, now completed and curing.

Yesterday the team dove right in.

The form work itself took days.

The concrete pump is set between the guhas.

We halt for a small Waialeale miracle. It had been raining all January, daily, til the team started when the rains stopped completely. Nary a drop until hours after the roadway was poured, then the clouds took a hint and poured.

The first of today\

s ten trucks arrives.'

It begins.

From the truck into the hopper that feeds the powerful pumps that move the specially mixed concrete.

The pipes and fittings have to sustain over 1,500 psi. That\

s a lot of pressure.'

these are filled with concrete, so moving them requires strength.

As soon as the concrete hits the ground, the team begins to give it shape.

Jim Fain is the chief, and here he is working the five inch curb.

Screeding the wet goo.

Then finishing the surface with bull floats.

Great skill is needed to makt the surface flat and smooth.

Main man Ryan pretends to relax for the camera.

Its taking shape as the morning deepens.

Edging.

We begin the drone shots that give an overview of where the roadway is located.

Under the giant Corypha palms. The world\

s largest.'

Between two ponds.

The white lines are kerf cuts made to prevent cracking. Done with special saws.

Tying two paths together at the intersection.

Beautiful work. Now it can harden for a few days before we drive on it.

End of the day. Done! And well done, team!

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