Today we bring you another installment of life inside Nataraja Nilayam, or the monastery kitchen. We present a simple slideshow of Natyam Nandinatha's process of making idli sambar – the classic South Indian dish consisting of idli, fermented and steamed savory rice and dal cakes and samba; an intensely flavorful, liquidy, spicy vegetable and dal creation. All culinary traditions around the world have their version of soup and bread, and we think it's safe to say that idli sambar is the Tamil version of that.

This morning the monks began their first day of the two week observance of Sadhu Paksha. These are the weeks leading up to our change of seasons as we enter into the new ritau. It is a time when the monks diverge from their usual morning routine in Kadavul temple, and instead they walk among the sacred gardens to settle down on a rock, a small hill or by the stream or river, to go within themselves. Om Namah Sivaya.

"Space is an ashram. It is best for one to live as nature prompts." Yogaswami

Just a few days ago Jnanideva Cevvel arrived from Canada for a short stay on Kauai for the taskforce program. While here he is helping Acharya Kumarnathaswami to instal the Media Studio's soffit, which is the last major project that has yet to be completed on the renovated Media Studio.