Presence of Siva in the Kauai Island
Dr. Sukumar Canada
Kauai Beach
Kauai is one of the major islands in the Hawaiian archipelago of the United States. With its clear blue skies, an even deeper blue ocean stretching endlessly, and generally calm, pleasant weather, Hawaii feels like paradise for travelers. The main islands include Hawaii (the Big Island), Maui, Oahu, and Kauai.
One of
the most cherished and notable places for visitors on Kauai is the Kauai Hindu
Monastery. Hawaii is widely known for its breathtaking natural beauty and its
tropical climate—often described as heaven on earth. Among all the islands, it
is fair to say that Kauai stands out as the most beautiful. (The famous movie Jurassic
Park was filmed here.)
Lush green forests, towering trees spreading wide, flowing streams and cascading waterfalls—wherever you look, the scenery captivates and holds you in awe. Much like Kerala, Kauai experiences gentle rains and a mild climate. You’ll even find coconut trees, banana plants, and chickens roaming about, adding to its familiar charm of Keralam.
Banana Pant and Chicken of Kauai
The Keralam of Kauai
Location of Hindu Monastery
Sanmarga Iraivan Temple behind the Waterfall
The Hindu monastery in Kauai was established in the traditional style of the Aadheenams of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu. It was founded by the American-born Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927–2001). Today, this institution has become a major center of Saiva Siddhanta in the United States and oversees around 40 temples and educational centers across the country.
The current head of the monastery is Bodhinatha Veylanswami. After completing their daily spiritual disciplines and mantra chanting, the monks and brahmacharis here step into highly modern roles—truly “high-tech swamis.” The monastery is well known for its high-quality printing and photography work. Hinduism Today magazine, renowned for its production standards, along with numerous Vedanta and Puranic books, is published in the United States from this monastery. The campus features state-of-the-art studio and printing facilities, sponsored by companies such as Adobe and Apple.
Rudraksha Forest of Kauai
Near the temple stands a Rudraksha grove planted in 1978, where 108 rudraksha trees were carefully nurtured to maturity. Visitors often find themselves drawn into meditation amid the serene and gentle atmosphere of the grounds. Guarding the Rudraksha grove are majestic statues of Hanuman, the son of Vayu, and Lord Ganesha. Many varieties of rudraksha beads—bearing different numbers of faces (mukhis)—are cultivated here and shipped worldwide for use in prayer malas and other spiritual purposes. These items are also available for purchase at the temple’s gift shop. However, since agricultural seeds and organic materials are not permitted to be transported from Hawaii to the American mainland, we were unable to bring back the rudraksha beads that had fallen to the ground.
In
addition to the roughly twenty monks who reside permanently at the monastery,
people from many countries come there for study, short-term courses, and
service. We met not only American residents—both of Indian origin and
otherwise—but also visitors from India, Mauritius, Australia, and Malaysia. Unlike
many ashrams in India, the monks here do not regularly give public discourses
or lectures. Opportunities for visitors to engage in extended conversations
with them are also limited. Living as lifelong brahmacharis, deeply absorbed in
meditation and spiritual discipline, they follow the Saiva Siddhanta tradition
in their daily lives at the monastery.
Kauai – Kaapa Kadavul Temple
At the Kadavul Temple, first established by the Satguru, the deities and ritual practices follow the traditional South Indian style. As you walk through the forest path toward the temple, you see on the left a large banyan tree. Beneath it are meditation seats and a majestic statue of Lord Subramanya. Near the temple there is also a small pond, and at the temple entrance stands the sacred image of Nandi. The shrine is designed to accommodate around twenty visitors at a time to participate in the worship services.
Lord Subramanya Swami – Meditation Forest
Kadavul Temple
Temple Pond
San Marga Iraivan Temple
This Siva temple, completed over a span of thirty-three years, was consecrated with the installation of the main deity, the crystal Shiva Linga, in 2023. The temple is built near one of the many waterfalls of the Wailua River—close to a cascade known as Nani Kaua (“Beautiful Rain”). Surrounded by lush greenery and flowing waters, the setting enhances the temple’s serene and sacred atmosphere, making it a place where nature and devotion blend harmoniously.
Engineering Marvel – A Structure Designed to Last a Thousand Years
This temple is not only spiritually significant but also an engineering marvel. It was designed with the intention of lasting at least a thousand years. To achieve this durability, the concrete used in its foundation was enhanced with fly ash—a byproduct from thermal power plants—mixed into the cement.
Research led by Dr. Kumar Mehta of the University of California, Berkeley, in collaboration with the American Concrete Institute, demonstrated that such fly ash–blended concrete offers exceptional long-term durability and resistance to deterioration. The temple stands as a large-scale application of that research.
In a remarkable feat of construction, 108 concrete trucks arrived in succession to pour the foundation in a single continuous mass concrete placement. The foundation itself is an eight-foot-thick, crack-resistant slab, specially designed to endure for centuries. Approximately 30,000 cubic feet of concrete—engineered under Dr. Mehta’s guidance—were used for this purpose.
Speaking about the project, Dr. Mehta offered a symbolic comparison: just as Lord Siva became Neelakantha by consuming the poison that emerged during the churning of the cosmic ocean, this concrete too incorporates what would otherwise be industrial waste—fly ash from thermal power plants—transforming it into something enduring and beneficial. In this sense, he suggested, concrete becomes like a modern embodiment of Siva: capable of absorbing and stabilizing what might otherwise be harmful.
Indeed, even hazardous wastes—such as those from nuclear power plants—are often sealed within concrete before being deposited deep underground or beneath the sea. The temple’s foundation thus represents not only structural strength, but also a thoughtful example of transforming waste into resilience.
Built at a cost of roughly ₹100 crores, much of the intricate stone carving for this temple was carried out in Bengaluru, India. The carved granite blocks were then shipped in sections by sea and carefully assembled on site. The temple itself was constructed by traditional sthapatis (temple architects) and skilled stone artisans from India.
In recognition of the master sculptors who seemed to make poetry bloom in stone, statues honoring these craftsmen have been installed within the temple complex itself.
The
temple priest currently serving here is from Tamil Nadu. At present, only about
forty visitors at a time are permitted inside for darshan, ensuring a calm and
reverent atmosphere.
Statues of the Sthapati, the Satguru, and the Sculptors
Within the temple complex, statues have been installed to honor the sthapati (traditional temple architect), the Satguru who envisioned the project, and the master sculptors who brought the stone carvings to life. These memorials stand as a tribute to the lineage of sacred architecture and craftsmanship that made the temple possible.
Reaching Kauai
Lihue
Most
major cities in the United States offer flights to airports in Hawaii. From
there, you can travel to Kauai and arrive at Lihue Airport. The temple complex
is about a thirty-minute drive from the airport. Visitors are required to make
reservations in advance before coming to the monastery and temple grounds.
Come with me for a short video tour of the temple
