A Message from the Editors

November 1, 2024

Imagine this: One day Gurudeva is driving through picturesque Kapaa Town. He spies a new shop, an Apple Store, the first on the island, and he directs the monks to halt so we can go in and see what’s up. What’s up, it turns out, will change our life for decades to come. Inside was the first Macintosh (with a mind bending 128-K), with that little uni-color screen and a mouse in sleek white packaging. We had not seen this before, and as he would bravely do throughout life, he bought one and we carried it out to the Jeep. After a week or two of getting to know MacPaint and MacWrite, he clearly saw how this would empower his monks, and he bought one for each monk.

Fast forward to 1997, when the digital waves of the Internet washed ashore on Kauai, Gurudeva was all in. “Let’s start a blog!” he proclaimed. And just like that, “Today at Kauai Aadheenam,” or TAKA, was born. One of the pioneering blogs of its time, it’s been a daily fixture ever since. How’s that for keeping up with the times?

Visualize this: Gurudeva, beaming with pride, seeing the fruits of today’s digital age. With a simple touch on a mobile device, his teachings now reach every nook and cranny of the world, without costing readers a penny. Remember the days when printing a book meant shelling out serious money? The hefty price tags, stockpiling inventory, and don’t even get us started on shipping and returns. But here we are, in the wondrous age of digital publishing, where these age-old troubles are starting to feel like tales from a bygone era.

Now, of course, there’s something timeless about holding a printed magazine or book. We still cherish that. But its digital counterpart? A symphony of well-curated PDF pages or ePubs, videos and more, just waiting to be explored. And searchable! 

Picture Gurudeva in today’s digital world, appreciating the advancements that allow his teachings to be accessed with a tap on a mobile device. While the tactile experience of a printed magazine remains special, the digital evolution offers its own set of merits. Our well-structured digital book pages, for instance, ensure that the content is accessible and easy to navigate. And if you’re curious, our Hinduism Today app (get for iOS | get for Android) serves as a quiet testament to the possibilities of the digital age, available to anyone, anywhere. Gurudeva would surely appreciate the blend of tradition and modernity we have created, all with your help.

With much aloha and warm greetings during the 2024 holiday season,

The Editors
Kauai’s Hindu Monastery
Himalayan Academy Publications