A Lesson in Hinduism

Most people think of Kauai as an island of lush green tropics, dramatic cliffs along the Napali coast and beautiful beaches.  It is certainly all of that.  But it is also home to Kauai's Hindu Monastery founded in 1970 on 365 acres along the Wailua River.

One morning a week the monastery opens its doors to the public for a tour of the gardens, a short lesson in Hinduism and time to meditate and pray in the temple.  Kristin and I were fortunate to get in on this last public tour before our departure from the island.

To say that the visit was inspiring is an understatement.  It is not often that I get to visit a place so beautiful and 100 percent dedicated to harmony, peace and love.  While we did not interact with the monks (swamis) directly, we did see a few around the gardens and doing some chores in the temple.

There are two experiences from our visit that have left an inspiring and lasting impression on me.  One is the Iraivan temple currently under construction on a hilltop overlooking the Wailua River.  This is not your ordinary temple.  The temple came about from a vision of Gurudeva, the founder of the monastery, in 1975 and I believe they said that the construction began in 1990 and will be finished around 2017.

Most amazing about this temple is it is being built using the same techniques used thousands of years ago.  All the stones are cut by hand in India and shipped here for carving by the stone masons.  All of the work here on the island is done by hand.  Believe me, I was looking for an electric saw or any kind of power tool in hiding.  They could not be found.  The stone masons come from India and stay for two years.  The architecture and designs follow the exact plans and dimensions used to build such temples for thousands of years in India.



To see these stone masons working in person--the slow pace of their work, the repetition, the detail, the commitment--is to feel a power and presence that leaves you in awe.  This is solid granite stone that is handled just like it was hundreds of generations ago, and built to last for thousands of years.

The second inspiring experience came when we were able to spend a few minutes inside the Kadavul temple.  This is the monks place of worship and they let us in for a brief period.  (Once the Iraivan temple opens it will become the public temple and the Kadavul will be permanently closed to the public.)  Here, photography was not allowed, so it gave me a few minutes to set down my camera and experience the temple for what it is--a place to mediate and pray.  Amazingly, this temple has a monk inside it in prayer on 3 hour shifts 24/7/365 since 1972.  I was told not even the monastery temples in India have this kind of track record.

And perhaps the best thing I learned today is that despite the swamis' thousands of years of traditions, endless contemplative thought and selfless life of worship, each of the 23 resident monks is equipped with Macs and iPhones.  Maybe there is hope for me yet.

To learn more, visit the Kauai's Hindu Monastery Web site.