Mathavasis in Los Angeles
October 5, 2022Aum Namah Sivaya
Acharya Arumuganathaswami and Sannyasin Tillainathaswami just concluded a five-day trip to LA. The initial purpose for their visit was to attend a small conference for the Uberoi foundation. The foundation's aim is to help support Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism in the United States through education and scholarly support. Over the years the foundation has funded several of the monastery's educational videos which are intended to supplement the material available to American classrooms for teaching about these traditions. Following the conference, our monks traveled to a Hindu Temple, Buddhist Temple, Sikh Gurudwara and Jain Temple with the eventual goal of creating more educational videos, showcasing temple tours as their basis. There was also the opportunity to have satsang with Southern California members and devotees. Aum.
Satsang at the Suresh home
After the conference had concluded, Mayuran drove the monks to the Malibu Temple
We arrived at sunset
Greeted by Suresh and Shanthi
It was the beginning of Navaratri, so there was a Chandi Homa taking place
Our monks enjoyed the sudden shift from the scholarly conference they had attended into this strong religious atmosphere
The next day, a visit to the Hollywood Sikh Temple. The first such gurudwara founded in LA
The founder is pictured center, with the white turban
Next, off to a Buddhist Temple
We enjoyed this bell shrine outside the main temple
\"To practice good, to purify one\
s mind, this is the teaching\"'
Lastly we visited the Jain Temple. In one section of the building, they have this amazing structure
Originally commissioned by the British as a replica of a famous temple, it eventually ended up at the Mirage in Las Vegas and was later acquired by this temple.
Six North Indian carvers built it over three years in the early 1900\
s. The teak woodworking is breathtaking.'
Monks and Temple leaders
Satsang at the Suresh home
Aum Namah Sivaya
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