Iraivan Temple Sivalinga Installation Ceremonies

As most of you already know, the large crystal Sivalinga has been “temporarily” residing in Kadavul Temple since August 1987, awaiting its move to the Iraivan Temple sanctum. Our architect, Selvanathan Sthapati, has indicated that now that the Iraivan Temple structure is complete and the 11,000-pound panchaloha Avudaiyar base has been moved into the inner sanctum, we need to move forward with installing the Sivalinga. Actually, Sthapati was more colorful in his urgings, reminding us that the temple is a living being, with a conception (Gurudeva’s three visions), a birth and a lifespan. And, he offered, we have waited long enough, to the point that the temple is like a pregnant woman who is two weeks overdue, and we can no longer delay the event. Based on that instruction from our Master Builder and guidance from India’s Sivacharyas, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami has set the Sivalinga installation rituals for March 21-26, 2023. These historic rites will be professionally filmed and livestreamed on our youtube channel for everyone to have a front row seat wherever you live around the world.

A just-uploaded trailer video for the ceremonies can be viewed here.

If you would like to plan ahead for watching the livestreams, here is the schedule of morning and afternoon streams:

March 21
Morning Ceremonies
8:00 AM Start
12:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam
Afternoon Ceremonies
3:00 PM Start
7:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam

March 22
Morning Ceremonies
8:00 AM Start
12:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam
Afternoon Ceremonies
3:00 PM Start
7:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam

March 23
Morning Ceremonies
7:30 AM Start
12:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam
Afternoon Ceremonies
3:00 PM Start
7:30 PM Distribution of Prasadam

March 24
Morning Ceremonies
8:00 AM Start
12:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam
Afternoon Ceremonies
3:00 PM Start
7:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam

March 25
Morning Ceremonies
8:00 AM Start
12:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam
Afternoon Ceremonies
3:00 PM Start
7:00 PM Distribution of Prasadam

March 26
Morning Ceremonies
6:00 AM Start
10:19 AM Auspicious Moment
12:00 PM Anna Dhaanam

Access to Iraivan Temple for these installation ceremonies will be through the monastery, with cars utilizing our existing parking lot of 37 spaces. Our maximum capacity of confirmed attendees for the event has already been reached, based on the existing facilities of the Aadheenam and Iraivan Temple. Permitting greater attendance would create substantial issues for us with our neighbors and the county over traffic and parking.

The good news is that starting on March 28th and thereafter, all Saiva Siddhanta Church sishyas and those on a prearranged pilgrimage to Kauai Aadheenam will be able to attend a daily puja at Iraivan Temple, something we have been waiting for all these years.

After March 28 visitors to the Aadheenam who are not formal pilgrims, Saiva Siddhanta Church sishyas or students of Himalayan Academy can still access the rudraksha grove and the monastery entrance areas, including Kadavul Temple, the Meditation Banyan and the MiniMela gift shop. But they will not have the opportunity to attend the Iraivan Temple daily puja until we fully establish additional facilities at the rudraksha grove entrance, thus meeting county regulations to have more parking and bathrooms to accommodate greater numbers of visitors before we can host large crowds. This development is still a couple of years away.