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Jai Gurudeva!

Join us at 3:30pm (Kauai time) for the final event of Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami’s annual founders puja (mahasamadhi puja).

Lord Panchamukha Ganapati, known by nearly all Mauritians as simply “The Big Ganesha”

Arrival at the Spiritual Park on the morning of the homa

Parading to the main mandapam

Vel lights the camphor arati

The homa is then lit

Kulapatis tend the flame while Swami burns the prayers

Next, a silent meditation with all present

Paramacharya gives an upadesha

Rajen translates to creol

An award from the Mauritian Department of Health

Final offerings

Pancha Arati. Jai!

Some wonderful bhajans to end the event

Our deep gratitude to everyone in Mauritius for the increadible stay! Aum.

Jai Ganesha!

On October 5th, the final day of Paramacharya Sadasivanathaswami’s and Sannyasin TIllainathaswami’s journey in Mauritius, the two had a wonderful time attending the monthly Ganesha Homa at the Spiritual Park. The day happened to coincide with a massive event at Ganga Talao, the island’s sacred hilltop lake, so only the staunchest Ganesha bhaktars were in attendance. This reduced the morning’s usual crowd of several thousand. When our swamis arrived they were greeted and garlanded at the entrance to the park, then paraded to the feet of Lord Panchamukha Ganapati. An arati was performed by Vel Mahalingam, the homa was kindled, and thousands of paper prayers were added to the flames. Following the homa was a silent meditation and then a talk by Paramacharya about the joys of Hinduism. An award was also presented to the Spiritual Park by the country’s Minister of Health, for the massive success of the blood donations that take place just outside the park during most monthly Ganesha homa days. Next was a final arati, followed by bhajans, and a loving farewell to our traveling monastics. Aum.

The youth gather at the end of the morning to take an all tribes photo.

Tillainathaswami speaks on the nature of consciousness.

The tribes made 8 circles for their discussions.

Each tribe’s spokes person gave a report on their shared conclusions.

Our new monk from Mauritius, Arinien, with his father, Ananda, waiting at the Murugan Temple for the arrival of the swamis.

Arinien signs his Aspirant Agreement in a family shrine room, affirming his decision to follow the Saivite monastic life

On October 4, in the island nation of Mauritius, some forty under-25 seekers gathered at the Spiritual Park for a two-hour workshop that joyfully spilled into overtime. Sadasivanathaswami spoke on the nature of real spirituality, sharing the story of a fraudulent magician who, during the 1982 Innersearch pilgrimage in India, pretended to possess mystical powers—an act that aroused Gurudeva’s ire. Paramacharya then outlined Gurudeva’s practical tools for overcoming all kinds of fear. Tillainathaswami followed with mystical teachings on the nature of the mind and a guided meditation that everyone deeply enjoyed.

The real excitement came after the tea break, when the group was divided into eight “tribes” of five and asked to sit in informal circles to discuss two topics:

1. The place of AI in Hindu spirituality—including Zoom pūjās, digital gurus, and online Hindu studies; and
2. How can we help our elders perform their duties better?

Brave themes indeed, which the youth tackled with intelligence and enthusiasm. Each group then appointed a spokesperson to report back on their tribe’s conclusions. It was a wonderful morning—filled with friendship, lively discussion, and new bonds formed with the swamis from Kauai.

One of the participants, Arinien Mootoocurpen, shared with the traveling monks his decision to come to Kauai to become a monk. He has the full blessings of his parents, who raised him in our fellowship from birth and had long hoped this day would come. He signed his Aspirant Agreement in the home shrine of Mougam Pareatumbe and his wife Amutha, in the presence of his parents. Arinien, is presently on pilgrimage in South India with his family while the monks prepare his U.S. visa application. As you might imagine, the monastery is joyfully celebrating this happy turn of events. There are photos of him at the end of the slideshow.

Beginning the evening ascent up to the hillside temple

A view of the temple (in the background behind the hall) just before dusk

Shishaya wait at the base of the steps to warmly greet our swamis

Greeting Shivacharya at the top

The view of the town from the temple at night is quite lovely

Paramacharya is seated to give an upadesha to everyone

The temple’s hereditary manager introduces the monks

Aum Saravanabhavaya Namah

Vel Muruga!

Recently while in Mauritius, Paramacharya Sadasivanathaswami and Sannyasin Tillainathaswami traveled to Quatre Bornes for an evening event at the Mayil Kovil there, which resides upon the nearby Corps-de-Garde hillside. Arriving in the evening, our swamis led the march up the nearly 300 steps stairway to the temple. Several hundred people were in attendance. After being greeted by the resident Shivacharya, the group circumambulated the temple and then stepped inside for worship at the main shrines, concluding with an arati to Lord Murugan. Paramacharya was then asked to give an upadesha to everyone. He discussed many of the joys and strengths of Hinduism, as well as provided advice for handling the encroachment from other religions, while including some stories about the advice that Gurudeva had given many years ago to crowds in Sri Lanka. Aum.

A song-filled welcome to the swamis from Hawaii.

At the Sivalingam Mandapam

Rohit chants the mantras.

With the river behind, Nandi gets a bath of milk.

And sandalwood.

Then flower decorations and final arati.

Nandi’s importance is shared with a large crowd.

Shining from His oil bath, H seems happy with the special rudraksha mala brought from Kauai for the occasion.

We go back a month to the arrival and installation.

Hard working team makes it happen.

A stone is selected as the foundation.

Early in the Mauritius mission, Sadasivanathaswami and Tillainathaswami were enthusiastically paraded through the Spiritual Park to the Sivalingam Mandapam. The path became a river of devotion, alive with sweet chants, flower petals, and a palpable, loving welcome from all present.

They were headed to a sacred consecration abhishekam for the newly arrived Nandi, recently brought from India. After an arati to the 9-foot-tall Panchaganapati who presides over the Park, the procession continued another 100 feet to the Sivalingam Mandapam.

There, Paramacharya offered an arati to Lord Siva and was then invited to bathe the newly installed Nandi murti with milk, sandalwood paste, and other sacred offerings. He had brought with him a small vial of holy water preserved from the 2023 abhishekam of Mahalingeshvara in Kauai, which was affectionately poured over Nandi.

A short talk followed, celebrating Nandi’s unwavering, joyous focus on God Siva and Gurudeva’s call to each of us to fill both our spiritual and daily life with the presence of Siva and the constant protection of the parampara. We also show a few installation photos at the end of the slideshow.