Today at Kauai Aadheenam

Protecting Iraivan’s 23-Karat Golden Towers

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The drone hovering above and bathing one of the towers.
A close shot of the top of the flagpole, a rare view.
This is Timo, the Maui-born pilot, landing his drone, named Kaimalu which means “Sea Breeze”
The gold right after it was applied, so pristine.
Deva Rajan and Jill, a gilder, at work.
A close look at this image reveals the drone half way up the flagpole.

Yes, that really was a five-foot-wide agricultural drone hovering above Iraivan Temple—no, your eyes weren’t playing tricks on you! And no, it wasn’t lost on its way to a pineapple farm. Let us explain.

In our lush, tropical paradise, even gold needs a little TLC. Though it’s famously resistant to rust, tarnish and decay, the tropics are home to some very determined microscopic critters that just love humidity. They don’t care if it’s 23-karat gold—they’ll settle in anyway!

To keep them at bay, we’ve been applying an anti-mold treatment a few times a year. In the past, this meant renting a huge cherry-picker to reach the soaring towers and golden flagpoles. Effective? Sometimes. Expensive and finicky? Always.

Enter: the drone.

Thanks to the Aloha Aina Drone company from Maui, we’ve found a high-tech solution. Their team brought in a specially outfitted agricultural drone and treated Iraivan’s five gilded towers and two stunning gold flagpoles with two gentle, gleaming coats of protective liquid. Think of it as an airborne abhishekam—but instead of milk and rosewater, it’s mold-defense magic from above.

The best part? It worked beautifully—and instantly. The towers glistened. The flagpoles gleamed. And we all breathed a sigh of relief (and maybe a bit of awe).

With this drone-powered approach, we now have a fast, affordable, and frankly cool way to care for the temple’s golden features. Expect to see our airborne helper buzzing by every few months, keeping Iraivan as radiant as ever.

Who says tradition and technology can’t work together in perfect harmony?

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Natchintanai (Good Thoughts) Book Reprint

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We are running low on copies of the Good Thoughts book of Yogaswami’s songs, so it’s time for a reprint. These days we are using Amazon’s printing service for more books because of the flexibility to print only a few copies at a time (at the same price as many copies).

This third edition will be in hardcover for durability (especially for carrying it around to satsangs and temples), 220 pages and features several new graphics. The photos above show a “proof” copy we received from Amazon to check for any final issues to fix. Soon the book will be available at amazon.com and our minimela.com website.

The third [bonus] photo is of Lord Murugan at the end of Vaikasi Visakham puja the other day.

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Fish Tank Base Update

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Sadhaka explaining what the wood pieces are for
Sadhaka working on with the jointer machine
Sadhaka showing us how the machine works

Jai Ganesha.

Recently, Archarya Kumarnathaswami and Sadhaka Shankaranatha have been working on with the new fish tank base for the aquarium in the Siddhidata Kulam’s recently completed office. Today, we found Sadhaka working in the wood shop, getting the pieces ready to assemble. Sadhaka also explained to us what is a jointer and how to work on with it. Sadhaka is always happy to share his knowledge with everyone of us. Aum.

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Malaysia Trip Update – Days 9 to 14

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Day 9
Day 10
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13
Day 14

Our traveling monks continued the second week of their Path to Siva youth workshop tour with a deepening impact across Malaysia. Each workshop brought new energy, meaningful conversations, and growing enthusiasm among youth and families alike.

Day 9 took the team to Setiawan, where the third workshop was held at the Hindu Sangam Activity Centre. Around 50 to 60 students attended the three-hour session. Swami delivered his talk primarily in Tamil, with some English to support understanding. The group was attentive throughout, though reserved during the Q&A. Once again, the Vasana Daha Tantra exercise stood out as the most transformative part of the day, bringing a palpable sense of emotional release to many. After lunch and photos with members, the monks journeyed onward to Sg Petani, Kedah.

On Day 10, the fourth workshop was held at the Sri Subramaniya Swami Devasthanam. A smaller group of 24 students attended, and Swami adapted the session by inviting each participant to introduce themselves. This built rapport and led to greater engagement during the discussion. That evening, the monks enjoyed dinner with the Thiliga family and paid a short visit to a nearby Siva temple.

Day 11 began with a hearty breakfast hosted by the Thanabalan family. The team then drove to the Ramakrishna Mission in Penang for the fifth workshop, which welcomed 26 students. The serene shrine to Sri Ramakrishna added a sacred tone to the hall. After the workshop, the monks were warmly received at the Temple of Fine Arts and treated to a complimentary vegetarian meal by the appreciative staff. The day concluded with a six-hour return drive to Petaling Jaya.

On Day 12, the sixth workshop took place at Sri Kasi Visvanathan Swamy Thirukovil in Bangsar. With over 30 students and 10 parents or teachers in attendance, it marked the highest number so far already familiar with the concept of karma. The workshop was delivered in both English and Tamil and was enthusiastically received. After a temple-provided lunch and a short rest, the monks concluded the day with a dinner hosted by the Gunalan family.

Day 13 brought the seventh workshop to Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Shah Alam. Sixteen students attended, about half of whom had participated in a previous Path to Siva session. Swami took the opportunity to introduce a breathing technique—nine counts in, one hold, nine counts out, one hold—to help manage emotions and karma. A short video promoting the monastery’s spiritual workout app was shown, and nearly every student downloaded it, inspired by the content and Swami’s presence.

On Day 14, the team traveled to Kajang for the eighth workshop at Sri Subramaniya Temple. Fifty students were present, including several returning participants. Swami emphasized the power of our response to karma, explaining that while we cannot control what comes to us, we can control how we handle it. He used the analogy of a rainstorm—either get soaked or use an umbrella. He also clarified that although some karma is fixed, others—like our physical health—can be improved through personal effort and devotion. The temple hosted a meal afterward, and the day concluded with an uplifting satsang with members at Iraivan Illam in Klang, capping a deeply rewarding two-week stretch of spiritual service and community connection.

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Sadhaka Shankaranatha’s First Chitra Pada Puja

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Jai Gurudeva!

 Jai to the Kailasa Parampara!

Aum Namah Sivaya! 

Today, we joyfully celebrated Gurudeva’s Chitra Pada Puja at Kadavul Temple. This occasion was particularly special, as it marked Sadhaka Shankaranatha’s very first pada puja as the main priest. With deep devotion and steady focus, Sadhaka performed the puja beautifully, invoking a powerful spiritual presence. Through his heartfelt chanting and sacred abhishekam, the atmosphere was uplifted, drawing forth the inner divinity from each of us who were present.

Below is a video of the final ārati, shared so you too may receive the same blessings and spiritual upliftment that we experienced today.

In Other News: Now on Instagram

All this while we were posting the shorter version of Path to Siva chapter content here in TAKA but now it will be available in Instagram and will be posting it on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for you to enjoy the content. We have already posted the first chapter, and in subsequent days we will be posting the rest of the chapters.

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