After an auspicious solstice and Pancha Ganapati we begin the next half of the solar year with homa. Kulapati Aran Sendan is the special guest for today’s homa.

Bodhinatha continued on his talks about the colors of the aura. Today was on the color green and he also spoke on how we can work to transform our reactions through careful observation.

Over nearly two years of discussion and waiting for county approval the next Peace Pole was finally installed at Lydgate Park. Sadhaka Rajanatha give is a blessing before departing.

Sivakatirswami drove the tractor to the park and the pole was in the truck. Sadhaka Tejadevanatha was our rigging engineer. A few blankets around the center and a strap turned out to be enough.

The team had poured the concrete foundation two weeks before and the stainless steel bracket was already in place.

The pole was made on behalf of the Interfaith Round Table of Kauai.

and down!

A near perfect fit.

Sivakatirswami made this pole using a natural Blue Gum log, cyprus plaques, covered with epoxy. When we poured the foundation we realized it was going into a playground area with little children all around. Swami added a “magical realm” to the pole but embedding special stones that inspire a little wonder in the little ones whose visual world is only three feet above the ground.

We also added a bell and this little girl is delight to ring a bell for peace!

We have to re-do the bell and also add covers for the metal straps below and the installation will be complete. It started to rain shortly after we drilled holes for the bolts and we called it a day. It was our Pancha Ganapati gift to the Kamalani Playground at Lydgate Park.

A formal dedication will take place later.

Pancha Ganapati is becoming famous and today we bring you the first of some series of photos, starting with those here at Kauai Aadheenam where a special murthi of Pancha Ganapati was set up in Kadavul in front of the Maha Ganapati shrine.

These photos are from the evening of Pancha Ganapati.

Here Brahmachari Vel Mahalingam decorates the magnificant image of Pancha Ganapati in the Aadheenam’s Anna Purna Vegetable garden.

Master course student Toshadevi, her husband Fremont, daughter Lily and brother Vanore (behind the camera) celebrate Pancha Ganapati in their home in St. Lucia.

Vanore writes:

Namaste Swami,

This is Vanore. I’m sending this email on behalf of my parents to share some photos of our Pancha Ganapati celebration with the monastery. As you may notice, we tried to dress in the colors of the day. Here we are dressed in red and orange.

We thoroughly enjoyed our fourth Pancha Ganapati celebration thus far. It is always so fulfilling for the family to worship Lord Ganesh together at this time of year, though we missed having our sister Velika with us. (We will keep up our shrine until she comes home in early January.) My sister, Lily, and I are especially grateful to Gurudeva for creating this meaningful festival for Hindus. Jai Gurudeva! Jai Ganesa!

Aum Shanti

Vanore

Pancha Ganapati Greetings to all TAKA viewers from devotees of the paradise island of Mauritius. We had a wonderful festival of this festival dedicated to Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati at the Spiritual Park on December 22. We bring you a few photos of the event.

The event was organised by catalyst trainees teaching Bodhinatha's Saivite Hindu Religion (SHR) series to some hundred youth all over the island. Each class presented an item. Most of items were short sketches based on the teachings as presented in the SHR series. Here parents and youth stands up for the arati to Lord Pancha Mukha Ganapati.

A song sung by the Rempart yputh living close to the Park.

Sivarathna accompanied all the new singers with his mrdangam.

The youth seated on the first level of the Mandapam steps appreciate the event. Due to limited space inside the Mandapam we could not set up a proper stage, and performance were done in an informal way to the joy of everyone present.

A Hatha Yoga demonstration as taught by our Himalayan Academy by the students of the young SHR Catalyst couple Jessen and his wife Kevina.

A sketch from the SHR class of Trainee Catalyst Kamila Jagambram.

Lots of sweets from devotees offered at the Holy Feet of Lord Ganapati. The youth were really spoilt.

A item presented by the SHR Catalysts Ananda, Anandee and Nuckiren from Quatre Bornes.

Happy to be at the Park today….

SHR Catalyst Vandana Nathoo with her students from Floreal.

Time for a juice break.

Kumaren taking care of our PA system.

The youth of SHR Catalyst Naden Caremben presenting an item on the benefits of home worship of Lord Ganapati.

Another item from the far south of the island by the SHR Catalyst Maurimotoo.

Another item from Jessen/ Kevina class on Lord Siva .

SHR Catalyst Kevina/Amba had a nice sketch on a large belly Ganapati.

The program nearing its end. All youth happily squeezed around Lord Ganapati for a souvenir photo.

Food was served to all present.

Bon Appetit to our young SHR student!

These SHR youth are making history at the Park. They are the first ones to hug as devotees do at Kauai Aadheenam, our still small Mauritius rudraksha tree at the Park.

The boys want to hug too. It was on the whole a very nice ceremony and it was as well a very fruitful moment for all SHR parents, students and catalysts to happily meet as one big family studying with Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami.