21st May 2014
Krishnamaachari garu is the head priest at the Kalyana Venkateshwara temple in Nairobi. This year, the temple marked it's 12th anniversary.
Krishnamaachari garu is the head priest of the Balaji temple and has been involved with it right from its inception. All these years, my parents have consulted him on every religious aspect of our life. He has performed so many homams, poojas, satyanarayan kathas, religious ceremonies for us from when we were in college, homams for didi's health, my well being, the list is endless.
All these years, right from the inception of the temple, he has read out our names every evening in sakalpam for archana.
He knows our family in & out as far as any important occasions are concerned- after all, he is the one who sets the dates! He set my pasupudampatam muhurat, he gave me a bright pink sari for my pellikooturu ceremony as prasadam from Venkateshwara swami. He set my donga chalimidi muhurat, he set my shrimantam muhurat. He was there for Sumukh's mundan.
Same for my sister- he advised on her pasupu dampatam muhurat, her donga chalimidi/shrimantam muhurats, ayush homam for Nandan.
He knows our complete religious profile & sometimes is the first one to know of any upcoming event, since he is consulted for the dates. It is not an understatement to refer to him as our family doctor when it comes to religious/cultural affairs :)
After I got married in 2008, he has been reading out Krishna's name too in every sankalpam, along with Shanker's after didi got married.
He garlanded Sumukh with Venkateshwara swami's garland as prasadam to mark Sumukh's first visit to the temple. And also gave me a hanuman pendant that I placed under his pillow.
Krishna meeting Krishnamaachari garu was a momentous occasion for me!
During Krishna's one week in Nairobi, I wanted to mark Sumukh's first birthday with an Ayush homam performed by Krishnamaachari garu, but this could not happen as Krishnamaachari garu had been extremely busy organizing the upcoming Mahakalashabhishekam & Pushayagam marking twelve years of the temple in Nairobi. But we were blessed to witness the first three days of Mahakalashabhishekam ceremonies.
After our regular darshan, as we were waiting on the temple steps & chatting, Krishnamaachari garu passed by. Papa stopped him for a second and introduced Krishna to him in these words:
Ayya, eena: Bharadwaja gotrotbhavasya, Chivukula Krishna Murthy naama dheyasya'.
(Sir, he is the one: goes by Bharadwaja gotram, named Chivukula Krishna Murthy)
Krishnamaachari garu's eyes clouded over in emotion, he just hugged Krishna and said to me, 'Amma, YOU should have introduced him to me proudly, why were you silent earlier?'...
It was an emotional happy moment for us too, Krishnamaachari garu has helped us seek blessings from God almost every day for the last 12 years. My parents love going to the temple at the drop of a hat, it is their favourite haunt.
I can only imagine how Krishnamaachari garu must have felt, finally seeing Krishna stand in front of him, after having read his name out in every sankalpam for the last six years, after having set all the muhurats & done all the prayers for Krishna from the moment of his marriage engagement, to the birth of his child.
I felt really happy seeing Krishnamaachari garu's good feelings for us reflected in the tears that welled up in his eyes.
Krishnamaachari garu prays for countless devotees, for our well being day in & day out. Due to his long association with the temple, he knows all the gotrams & family surnames & first names of all long standing devotees by heart. He is absolutely methodical in conduction of ceremonies. When I think of the temple, I think of the amazing dedicated head priest. After all, the temple has grown by leaps & bounds thanks to his know-how in religious ceremonies/mantrams/stotrams.
I am not as learned & well read as him, but in my heart, I pray that for one who does so much for so many devotees, God bless him & his family always. I hope all devotees in Nairobi are blessed to continue enjoying Krishnamaachari garu's services.
Sumukh loves Krishnamachari gaaru and calls him "Poojagaru" very fondly as he can't pronounce poojarigaru.
Krishnamaachari garu is the head priest at the Kalyana Venkateshwara temple in Nairobi. This year, the temple marked it's 12th anniversary.
Krishnamaachari garu is the head priest of the Balaji temple and has been involved with it right from its inception. All these years, my parents have consulted him on every religious aspect of our life. He has performed so many homams, poojas, satyanarayan kathas, religious ceremonies for us from when we were in college, homams for didi's health, my well being, the list is endless.
All these years, right from the inception of the temple, he has read out our names every evening in sakalpam for archana.
He knows our family in & out as far as any important occasions are concerned- after all, he is the one who sets the dates! He set my pasupudampatam muhurat, he gave me a bright pink sari for my pellikooturu ceremony as prasadam from Venkateshwara swami. He set my donga chalimidi muhurat, he set my shrimantam muhurat. He was there for Sumukh's mundan.
Same for my sister- he advised on her pasupu dampatam muhurat, her donga chalimidi/shrimantam muhurats, ayush homam for Nandan.
He knows our complete religious profile & sometimes is the first one to know of any upcoming event, since he is consulted for the dates. It is not an understatement to refer to him as our family doctor when it comes to religious/cultural affairs :)
After I got married in 2008, he has been reading out Krishna's name too in every sankalpam, along with Shanker's after didi got married.
He garlanded Sumukh with Venkateshwara swami's garland as prasadam to mark Sumukh's first visit to the temple. And also gave me a hanuman pendant that I placed under his pillow.
Krishna meeting Krishnamaachari garu was a momentous occasion for me!
During Krishna's one week in Nairobi, I wanted to mark Sumukh's first birthday with an Ayush homam performed by Krishnamaachari garu, but this could not happen as Krishnamaachari garu had been extremely busy organizing the upcoming Mahakalashabhishekam & Pushayagam marking twelve years of the temple in Nairobi. But we were blessed to witness the first three days of Mahakalashabhishekam ceremonies.
After our regular darshan, as we were waiting on the temple steps & chatting, Krishnamaachari garu passed by. Papa stopped him for a second and introduced Krishna to him in these words:
Ayya, eena: Bharadwaja gotrotbhavasya, Chivukula Krishna Murthy naama dheyasya'.
(Sir, he is the one: goes by Bharadwaja gotram, named Chivukula Krishna Murthy)
Krishnamaachari garu's eyes clouded over in emotion, he just hugged Krishna and said to me, 'Amma, YOU should have introduced him to me proudly, why were you silent earlier?'...
It was an emotional happy moment for us too, Krishnamaachari garu has helped us seek blessings from God almost every day for the last 12 years. My parents love going to the temple at the drop of a hat, it is their favourite haunt.
I can only imagine how Krishnamaachari garu must have felt, finally seeing Krishna stand in front of him, after having read his name out in every sankalpam for the last six years, after having set all the muhurats & done all the prayers for Krishna from the moment of his marriage engagement, to the birth of his child.
I felt really happy seeing Krishnamaachari garu's good feelings for us reflected in the tears that welled up in his eyes.
Krishnamaachari garu prays for countless devotees, for our well being day in & day out. Due to his long association with the temple, he knows all the gotrams & family surnames & first names of all long standing devotees by heart. He is absolutely methodical in conduction of ceremonies. When I think of the temple, I think of the amazing dedicated head priest. After all, the temple has grown by leaps & bounds thanks to his know-how in religious ceremonies/mantrams/stotrams.
I am not as learned & well read as him, but in my heart, I pray that for one who does so much for so many devotees, God bless him & his family always. I hope all devotees in Nairobi are blessed to continue enjoying Krishnamaachari garu's services.
Sumukh loves Krishnamachari gaaru and calls him "Poojagaru" very fondly as he can't pronounce poojarigaru.
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