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KAUAI, HAWAII, May 20, 2001: Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami embarks August 10 on a two-week travel-study pilgrimage through Northern Europe and Russia with 70 devotees and monks. Along the way, Subramuniyaswami will be attending major functions of the Hindu community in London; Hamm, Germany; Oslo, Norway; Stockholm, Sweden; and Copenhagen, Denmark. The chariot festival at Hamm is expected to attract 20,000 Hindus from all over Germany and neighboring countries. It is the U Thant Peace Awardee’s first visit to Europe in six years. The “2001 European Innersearch” is conducted during a 12-day, five-star cruise aboard Holland America’s MS Amsterdam, which serves as a temporary floating ashram for classes, meditations, personal study and time for deep inner reflection upon the part of each pilgrim. Every port will bring the opportunity for this international group of pilgrims to meet the local Hindus and visit their temples. The journey is a very special event for those of the Sri Lanka Tamil community now scattered across the nations of Europe by incessant warfare from their tropical island home. Subramuniyaswami is the successor to the great guru of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, Siva Yogaswami, and as such has continued to guide and counsel the Tamil community throughout the difficult years since the 1983 ethnic outbreak in Sri Lanka. The cruise departs Harwick, England, on August 10th, then proceeds to Norway, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Russia, Estonia, ending in Copenhagen on August 22. For over four decades the 75-year-old Subramuniyaswami, affectionately known as Gurudeva, has taught Hinduism to Hindus and seekers from all faiths. He is satguru of Kauai Aadheenam, a 51-acre temple-monastery complex on Hawaii’s Garden Island of Kauai where 30 monks from five nations live a traditional Hindu lifestyle. His organization nurtures membership and local missions on five continents and serves, personally and through books, courses and an extensive website, the community of Hindus of all sects. Gurudeva is the recognized hereditary guru of 2.5 million Sri Lankan Hindus. Hinduism Today (of which HPI is a service) is the influential, award-winning, international bimonthly magazine founded by Gurudeva in 1979. Gurudeva is author of more than 30 books unfolding unique and practical insights on Hindu metaphysics, mysticism and yoga. In 1986, New Delhi’s World Religious Parliament named Gurudeva one of five modern-day Jagadacharyas, world teachers, for his international efforts in promoting a Hindu renaissance. The Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders for Human Survival chose Subramuniyaswami as a Hindu representative at its unique conferences. At Chicago’s historic centenary Parliament of the World’s Religions in September, 1993, Subramuniyaswami was elected one of three presidents to represent Hinduism at the prestigious Presidents’ Assembly, a core group of 25 men and women voicing the needs of world faiths. In August, 2000, while attending the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders held at the United Nations, Subramuniyaswami received the U Thant Peace Award for his contributions to global peace.

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