The San Marga Iraivan Temple is a Chola-style[1]Hindu temple dedicated to the Lord Shiva located on the Kauai island in the state of Hawaii, USA. "Iraivan" means "He who is worshipped," and is one of the oldest words for God in the Tamil language. It is the first all-stone, white granite temple to be built in the western hemisphere[2] whose construction began in 1990.[3] The Iraivan Temple is located next to the Wailua River and 8 km from Mount Waialeale. It is maintained by the Saiva Siddhanta Temple which is also known as Kauai Aadheenam and Kauai's Hindu Monastery. The temple is under construction. Spatika (Crystal) Lingam will be housed in it after its construction completes, till then crystal Lingam is placed in the Kadavul temple. The centerpiece of the temple will be a 700-pound, 39-inch-tall, uncut quartz crystal, believed to be the largest six-sided, single-pointed crystal ever found [4][5][6][7]
Kauai Hindu Monastery and architect V. Ganapati Sthapati
Date established
1990 construction started
Website
www.himalayanacademy.com
Sri Trichy Mahaswamigal (d. 2005) of Kailash Ashram, Bangalore, describes the temple's importance: "The Iraivan Temple is going to be to America what the temples of Chidambaram, Madurai, Rameshwaram, and other great Siva temples are to India."[8]
Iraivan Temple was inspired by a vision of Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, on February 15, 1975, in which he saw Lord Shiva walking on the land where the temple is now located.[9] It is intended as a place of pilgrimage for Hindus worldwide.[10] Subramuniyaswami set three parameters for its design and construction:
that it follow traditional design according to the Saiva Āgama
that it be designed to last 1,000 years
that it be entirely carved by hand, without the use of any machinery.[11]
The temple design was completed by V. Ganapati Sthapati in the late 1980s. Carving of the 4,000-plus blocks of granite commenced in 1990 at a worksite in Bangalore, India and then transported to temple site at Kauai.[9] Beginning in 2001, the stone were shipped to Kauai and assembly begun by a team of silpi temple carvers under the direction of a master architect or sthapati. The 3.2 million pound temple is expected to be completed in a few years.[12][10] Two Indian swamis: Sri Sivaratnapuri Mahaswamigal (popularly known as Tiruchi Swami) and Sri Balagangadharanatha are assistting with the project and in 1990 provided eleven acres of land outside Bangalore.[9]
Architecture
Artist's conception of Iraivan Temple
The temple is a Chola-Style temple[13] and possesses a number of rare architectural features. The first is that it is being carved entirely by hand. Craftsmen follow and preserve traditional methods, shaping the stone with small hammers and utilizing over 70 types of chisels. The second feature is the 4-foot-thick (1.2 m) foundation is made of a crack-free, 7,000-psi formula using "fly ash," a by-product of coal burning.[14] Fly ash consists of inorganic, incombustible matter present in the coal that has been fused during combustion into a glassy structure. The foundation was designed by Dr. Kumar Mehta, a materials scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, and was the first project to demonstrate his theories on the use of fly ash in concrete. The third set of features are exhibitions of the stone carver's craft. The foremost of these are two sets of "musical pillars" whose tall rods are designed to resonate precise musical tones when struck with a mallet.[8] Others include six stone lions carved into the pillars each of which contains a stone ball freely rotatable in its mouth but not removable, a large stone bell, and 10-foot-long (3.0 m) stone chains with loose links.[8]
Pillared Mandapam inside the temple
The temple is facing south and built according to vastu science.[citation needed] Vastu architecture aims at creating a space that will elevate the vibration of the individual to resonate with the vibration of the built space, which in turn is in tune with universal space. The whole space of the temple is defined in multiples and fractions of one unit, 11 feet (3.4 m) and 71/4 inches. Pillars through the temple are spaced and structured to serve as energy points for the building. Iraivan Temple will be completely free of electricity for mystical reasons, as decreed by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami.
The main murti, or worshipful icon, is a rare spathika Sivalinga, a pointed, six-faced 700-pound clear quartz crystal. In the early 1980s, Subramuniyaswami had been seeing the crystal in his dreams. He found it in 1987 and brought it to Kauai. The stone, estimated to be 50 million years old, was not cut out of rock by a miner. Instead, it was found in a perfect state encased in mud, probably harvested from its original outcropping by an earthquake.
The quartz crystal (sphatika) of the Sivalinga is considered specially sacred because it represents the element akasha.[8]
Current status
The construction of the main pavilion is complete, and a few other ancillary structures are being worked on. The temple is expected to be inaugurated with a maha kumbhaabhishekam in a few years.[when?]
The current head of the project is Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, leader of the monastery and successor to the founder.
Media related to Iraivan Temple at Wikimedia Commons
Iraivan Temple at Hawaii
A Concrete Slab for Y3K
January 06, 2023
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The San Marga Iraivan Temple is a Chola style 1 Hindu temple dedicated to the Lord Shiva located on the Kauai island in the state of Hawaii USA Iraivan means He who is worshipped and is one of the oldest words for God in the Tamil language It is the first all stone white granite temple to be built in the western hemisphere 2 whose construction began in 1990 3 The Iraivan Temple is located next to the Wailua River and 8 km from Mount Waialeale It is maintained by the Saiva Siddhanta Temple which is also known as Kauai Aadheenam and Kauai s Hindu Monastery The temple is under construction Spatika Crystal Lingam will be housed in it after its construction completes till then crystal Lingam is placed in the Kadavul temple The centerpiece of the temple will be a 700 pound 39 inch tall uncut quartz crystal believed to be the largest six sided single pointed crystal ever found 4 5 6 7 Iraivan TempleSan Marga Iraivan TempleIraivan TempleReligionAffiliationHinduismDeityLord ShivaLocationLocationKapaʻaStateHawaiiCountryUnited StatesShown within North PacificShow map of North PacificIraivan Temple Hawaii Show map of HawaiiGeographic coordinates22 03 34 N 159 23 49 W 22 059361 N 159 396946 W 22 059361 159 396946ArchitectureTypeChola style TempleCreatorKauai Hindu Monastery and architect V Ganapati SthapatiDate established1990 construction startedWebsitewww wbr himalayanacademy wbr comSri Trichy Mahaswamigal d 2005 of Kailash Ashram Bangalore describes the temple s importance The Iraivan Temple is going to be to America what the temples of Chidambaram Madurai Rameshwaram and other great Siva temples are to India 8 Contents 1 History 2 Architecture 3 Current status 4 Gallery 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditIraivan Temple was inspired by a vision of Sivaya Subramuniyaswami on February 15 1975 in which he saw Lord Shiva walking on the land where the temple is now located 9 It is intended as a place of pilgrimage for Hindus worldwide 10 Subramuniyaswami set three parameters for its design and construction that it follow traditional design according to the Saiva Agama that it be designed to last 1 000 years that it be entirely carved by hand without the use of any machinery 11 The temple design was completed by V Ganapati Sthapati in the late 1980s Carving of the 4 000 plus blocks of granite commenced in 1990 at a worksite in Bangalore India and then transported to temple site at Kauai 9 Beginning in 2001 the stone were shipped to Kauai and assembly begun by a team of silpi temple carvers under the direction of a master architect or sthapati The 3 2 million pound temple is expected to be completed in a few years 12 10 Two Indian swamis Sri Sivaratnapuri Mahaswamigal popularly known as Tiruchi Swami and Sri Balagangadharanatha are assistting with the project and in 1990 provided eleven acres of land outside Bangalore 9 Architecture Edit Artist s conception of Iraivan Temple The temple is a Chola Style temple 13 and possesses a number of rare architectural features The first is that it is being carved entirely by hand Craftsmen follow and preserve traditional methods shaping the stone with small hammers and utilizing over 70 types of chisels The second feature is the 4 foot thick 1 2 m foundation is made of a crack free 7 000 psi formula using fly ash a by product of coal burning 14 Fly ash consists of inorganic incombustible matter present in the coal that has been fused during combustion into a glassy structure The foundation was designed by Dr Kumar Mehta a materials scientist at the University of California Berkeley and was the first project to demonstrate his theories on the use of fly ash in concrete The third set of features are exhibitions of the stone carver s craft The foremost of these are two sets of musical pillars whose tall rods are designed to resonate precise musical tones when struck with a mallet 8 Others include six stone lions carved into the pillars each of which contains a stone ball freely rotatable in its mouth but not removable a large stone bell and 10 foot long 3 0 m stone chains with loose links 8 Pillared Mandapam inside the templeThe temple is facing south and built according to vastu science citation needed Vastu architecture aims at creating a space that will elevate the vibration of the individual to resonate with the vibration of the built space which in turn is in tune with universal space The whole space of the temple is defined in multiples and fractions of one unit 11 feet 3 4 m and 71 4 inches Pillars through the temple are spaced and structured to serve as energy points for the building Iraivan Temple will be completely free of electricity for mystical reasons as decreed by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami The main murti or worshipful icon is a rare spathika Sivalinga a pointed six faced 700 pound clear quartz crystal In the early 1980s Subramuniyaswami had been seeing the crystal in his dreams He found it in 1987 and brought it to Kauai The stone estimated to be 50 million years old was not cut out of rock by a miner Instead it was found in a perfect state encased in mud probably harvested from its original outcropping by an earthquake The quartz crystal sphatika of the Sivalinga is considered specially sacred because it represents the element akasha 8 Current status EditThe construction of the main pavilion is complete and a few other ancillary structures are being worked on The temple is expected to be inaugurated with a maha kumbha abhishekam in a few years when The current head of the project is Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami leader of the monastery and successor to the founder Gallery Edit Iraivan Temple s side view Vimana over the garbhagriha or inner sanctum Vimana over the garbhagriha or inner sanctum Iraivin temple Interior of Iraivan temple Inside Iraivan temple Iraivan temple under construction Iravian temple view from afar with flagReferences Edit Iraivan Temple In the News ZENTO and Iraivan temple in the news THE GARDEN ISLAND Iraivan Temple In the News THE NEW YORK TIMES amp The Navhind Times Iraivan temple Himalayan academy Kauai Hindu Monastery Kauai s Hindu Monastery Or The Iraivan Temple The Amazing Hindu Temple In Hawaii Kadavul temple a b c d Island Temple PDF a b c Iraivan Temple In the News The Navhind Times India a b Iraivan Temple In the News The Navhind Times India Iraivan Temple In the News INDIA TODAY amp KAUAI MONASTERY BUILDS HINDU TEMPLE TO LAST Iraivan website FAQ Iraivan Temple In the News INDIA TODAY U S Federal Highway Administration Fly Ash Archived from the original on 2007 06 21 External links Edit Media related to Iraivan Temple at Wikimedia Commons Iraivan Temple at Hawaii A Concrete Slab for Y3K Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Iraivan Temple amp oldid 1095511022, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
