Iraivan Temple

Iraivan Temple is a Hindu sanctuary in Kauai County, built from white granite blocks hand-carved in India and shipped across the Pacific to Hawaii. The stones were fitted together without mortar, and each element locks precisely into its intended position so that the structure holds by its own weight.

Construction began in 1990 after Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami received spiritual visions that led him to choose this location on Kauai. The work stretched over decades because each stone had to be prepared individually in India and then shipped to Hawaii.

The name comes from the term Iraivan, meaning the Supreme Lord in Hinduism, and the sanctuary serves Hindu worshippers as a place of prayer on the island. The outer walls show carvings from the Tamil tradition that depict the god Siva in different forms and remain visible to visitors.

Visitors should check the rules of conduct in advance, as this is an active place of religious worship. Access is usually restricted to certain areas, and wearing appropriate clothing is expected.

Inside sits a Sivalinga made from a single quartz crystal weighing about 700 pounds, naturally formed with six facets. This formation was left unaltered and forms the central point of religious veneration in the sanctuary.