Migration new mantra for Indian priests

[V.Balasubramani]

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Migration new mantra for Indian priests

With more temples coming up in countries like the US, UK, the country's best and brightest priests are headed abroad

While it is primarily devotion that drives young Brahmin boys to wake up at 4 am every day to study the vedas in their decadelong preparation for priesthood, a few ambitious souls among them are also inspired by the American dream. Over the past 40 years, temples in America have proliferated from one in the 1970s to around 700 today, opening up prospects for hundreds of Hindu priests.

The 2,500-year-old Kanchi Mutt in Kancheepuram is one of the several hunting grounds in India for trustees of temples abroad, who make annual recces to schools of Vedic studies and prominent temples looking for promising candidates. America and Australia are the preferred destinations for young priests-in-training, admits Chandrasekhar S Mehta, PRO at Kanchi Mutt. "They're inspired by their predecessors who've earned well abroad and buy cars and houses on return."

When Pandit Venkatacharilu Samudrala first headed West 32 years ago, he wasn't steered by visions of the good life. In fact, Samudrala strongly resisted joining the newly built Pennsylvania Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple in Pittsburg. "No one had gone abroad before me from Tirumala. Moreover, the agama sastra of Tirupati (temple law) prohibits any priest from re-entering the sanctum sanctorum if they cross the ocean.

They can only distribute prasadam, chant, and partake in processions," says Samudrala, who was 25 at the time. Persuaded by his father, a priest at Tirupati, and his elders, he finally made the crossing on March 17, 1982, on an H-1 visa.

Today, Samudrala is head priest at the very temple he helped develop into a thriving community centre in Pittsburg. Unlike some priests who look for better opportunities across temples and apply for citizenship within the first few years of settling in the States, Samudrala chose to stay with the Balaji Temple and sought citizenship only five years ago.

"I was reluctant to sever ties with India," he chuckles on the phone from Pittsburg.

Read more at: Migration new mantra for Indian priests - The Times of India

 

[krish44]

If IT professionals can head abroad for better pastures why not priests who are bright sparks.

they can also fulfill their american dream.

whenever there is a marriage in delhi the prohitar makes a killing charging as high as 35 to forty thousand.

if they vaishnavite ,the rates are still higher as they are in very short supply..

some prefer to get these people to delhi for weddings as it is better economics.

those who work as priests in temples get agood package with accomodation.

being a vadhyar is not a bad profession.

many govt retired brahmin types with some knowledge of mantras act as sidekicks to chief vadhyars for religeous functions

if you have nothing to do after retirement, become vadhyar apprentice.lol

 

[tbs]

Migration new mantra for Indian priests

With more temples coming up in countries like the US, UK, the country's best and brightest priests are headed abroad

While it is primarily devotion that drives young Brahmin boys to wake up at 4 am every day to study the vedas in their decadelong preparation for priesthood, a few ambitious souls among them are also inspired by the American dream. Over the past 40 years, temples in America have proliferated from one in the 1970s to around 700 today, opening up prospects for hundreds of Hindu priests.

The 2,500-year-old Kanchi Mutt in Kancheepuram is one of the several hunting grounds in India for trustees of temples abroad, who make annual recces to schools of Vedic studies and prominent temples looking for promising candidates. America and Australia are the preferred destinations for young priests-in-training, admits Chandrasekhar S Mehta, PRO at Kanchi Mutt. "They're inspired by their predecessors who've earned well abroad and buy cars and houses on return."

When Pandit Venkatacharilu Samudrala first headed West 32 years ago, he wasn't steered by visions of the good life. In fact, Samudrala strongly resisted joining the newly built Pennsylvania Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple in Pittsburg. "No one had gone abroad before me from Tirumala. Moreover, the agama sastra of Tirupati (temple law) prohibits any priest from re-entering the sanctum sanctorum if they cross the ocean.

They can only distribute prasadam, chant, and partake in processions," says Samudrala, who was 25 at the time. Persuaded by his father, a priest at Tirupati, and his elders, he finally made the crossing on March 17, 1982, on an H-1 visa.

Today, Samudrala is head priest at the very temple he helped develop into a thriving community centre in Pittsburg. Unlike some priests who look for better opportunities across temples and apply for citizenship within the first few years of settling in the States, Samudrala chose to stay with the Balaji Temple and sought citizenship only five years ago.

"I was reluctant to sever ties with India," he chuckles on the phone from Pittsburg.

Read more at: Migration new mantra for Indian priests - The Times of India

hi

its not easy to work as south indian priests in south indian temples of USA...its very hard time for intial yrs.....R 1 visa ONLY

FOR PRIESTS....many temples still treat priests as MODERN AGE SLAVES...LIKE SOME IT SLAVES IN SOME COMPANIES...

some times north indian/gujarati priests far better than south indian priests....just this is another media hype....

 

[V.Balasubramani]

Krish Ji,

I am happy with this trend. Like IT professional, these priests can also go abroad and earn their living especially when there is sufficient opportunity, avenue, scope, etc.

I am also equally happy to note that lot of Hindu temples are coming up at abroad with the involvement and active participation of Hindus settled there.

And when you certify that it is not a bad profession, you can yourself set an example to other Members by becoming an apprentice lol

Besides, you have already reported that they are charging more and hence it is worth the trouble trying it at Delhi especially where there is more demand.

And if one has more appetite to earn dollars, doors are open; one can always try for this profession by joining a Vedapatasala, as reported by you even after retirement,taking advantage of being born as a Brahmin.

 

[tbs]

If IT professionals can head abroad for better pastures why not priests who are bright sparks.

they can also fulfill their american dream.

whenever there is a marriage in delhi the prohitar makes a killing charging as high as 35 to forty thousand.

if they vaishnavite ,the rates are still higher as they are in very short supply..

some prefer to get these people to delhi for weddings as it is better economics.

those who work as priests in temples get agood package with accomodation.

being a vadhyar is not a bad profession.

many govt retired brahmin types with some knowledge of mantras act as sidekicks to chief vadhyars for religeous functions

if you have nothing to do after retirement, become vadhyar apprentice.lol

hi

im a veda patashala student......im born in priest family....i know the difficulties in life...

 

[V.Balasubramani]

hi

its not easy to work as south indian priests in south indian temples of USA...its very hard time for intial yrs.....R 1 visa ONLY

FOR PRIESTS....many temples still treat priests as MODERN AGE SLAVES...LIKE SOME IT SLAVES IN SOME COMPANIES...

some times north indian/gujarati priests far better than south indian priests....just this is another media hype....

Sir,

You are right. It is certainly not easy for these priests to take up the job at USA or else and continue there.

Leave alone VISA and other problems, the climatic condition in some parts of USA is worst at times. It is not like in India where you can take bath thrice a day. Dressing and language are other problems one has to encounter in everyday life.


At times, they may also have to take the avatar of purohits to perform some home blessings and other sacraments. As such these temple priests in US of A are expected to be more knowledgeable in relevant subjects so as to perform the role of a purohit as well as temple priest - a ‘ two-in-one’.


It may appear to be green pasture for some who are here and only a practical experience will prove the real difficulty involved is making dollars at USA.

 

[krish44]

VBji
For my sons engagement I used a retd govt employee [ an iyer] giving him full compensation for doing priestly duties.

this I did because vaishnavite purohits were playing hard to get since it was a sarva muhurtham day.

There is a lot of money to be made in this . But it is tied with turn key contractors for marriages. the contractor arranges the vadhyar collecting his cut.

the free lancing types tend to latch on to bigger vadhyars and get sub contracted . it is a closed profession for ordinary people who happen to know some mantras.

 

[V.Balasubramani]

Krish Ji,

You were in need of a priest to perform your son’s engagement and engaged a Vadhyar who performed his duties and received his service charges. Now, why do you go into the details of the back ground of vadhyar, whether he is serving personal or a retired one and if retired, is he from public sector or private sector, all these information are unwarranted.

Learning is a continuous process. One can still join and learn all these mantras privately. I have seen Asst. Vadhyars doing this with the help of books also. All that is required is ‘will’.

If one got such a will, who knows he may prove to be top vadhyar with command or chief vadhyar with authority of Delhi or elsewhere.

Age and mantras are not barriers for aspirants with abundant aptitude.

All the Best.

 

[krish44]

The person I engaged was not a professional.He was known to me

He offered to do it saying he knows what is to be done and I accepted at face value.

similarly I have engaged north indian purohits for funerals . it is because south indian ones play hard to get and decide when they will turn up for doing their job.

since cremation is time bound and one has to book the funeral van and time of cremation , it is best to engage local ones.

the most disorganised and unprofessional are south indian priests of iyengar variety.

one or two good ones do not like to go to far of places for service.

so best manage with alternatives or put religion on low priority using them minimally.

I do not use them for any yearly ceremony . prefer to donate for causes

 

[V.Balasubramani]

.

it is because south indian ones play hard to get and decide when they will turn up for doing their job.

Vadhyars not turning up in time,

Vadhyars taking away all the pooja/homam materials,

Vadhyars not reciting all the mantras,

Vadhyars demanding exorbitant rates, etc are common complaints.

In fact you will realise that they are the oppressed lot, if you look at them with some amount of empathy.

The Government here at Tamil Nadu with all the powers vested with it like the Police, Transports, etc Departments, still finding itself difficult to implement Auto fare with Chennai City Autos.

While that being the case, you cannot drag the Brahmins Association to come to aid to fix rates for the Vadyars for different rituals.

They charge more from affluent and less from the have-nots.

And to become a Vadhyar one need to study in at Vedha Patasala for 10-14 years. And it requires not less a minimum of Rs.6,00,000/= per year to run a Vedhapatasala and who will sponsor this amount? Vedha patasala are run on free and most of the students are from poor family. They are facing dearth of funds and seeking aid from the philanthropists.

Since they learn and chant Vedha Mantras, IMO they (students, Teachers and the Organisation) need to be supported.

I have great reverence for my family Vadhyar.

 

[krish44]

we also had family vadhyar
.
he has passed away years back .

his children have got well educated and gone for high paying professions.

the next generation is smarter . they would not like to continue the family tradition and continue in poverty as vadhyars,

Good for them.
I understand the troubles these vadhyar undergo to become one .

the really good vadhyars with knowledge and some commercial sense are rolling in money in delhi .

only those who are mediocre suffer.

it is like any other profession.

there is money for good professionals.

 

[V.Balasubramani]

it is like any other profession.

It may be for few arm chair revolunaries who fail to see the difference between apples and oranges and thus exhibit emptiness in thought, understanding and assimilation.

Unfortunately, we too have few with us for whom these Vedas are nothing but a compendium of instructions on religious rights, rituals, etc.

But there are many who know the value of Vedas and have high degree of reverence for those who teach Vedas, learn Vedas and who chant Vedas.

Our elders took all out efforts to preserve these texts from the period of invasion by Moguls and British rule when these texts faced extinction and distortion. And they had to face cultural onslaught, humiliation, persecution and harassment. They were able to keep alive the tradition of studying the Vedas in the midst of worst adversities.

Some have closed mind which cannot accept the other easily. lol

 

[krish44]

when times change, only what is relevant remains .

those which do not fulfills the needs die a natural death.

one cannot put life into dead entities and make it come to life

those who do not realise it will also be cast away along with the dead entities .

thats the law of life .

 

[V.Balasubramani]

Though times change, Truth alone will prevail.

Mundaka Upanished says ‘Satyameva Jayathe’

those which do not realise this may need to die a natural death.

one cannot put life into dead entities and make it come to life

those who do not fulfil it will also be cast away along with the dead entities.

that is the real law of life. Dead woods never learn.

 

[krish44]

shall we sing jana gana mana to this thread ?

 

[V.Balasubramani]

shall we sing jana gana mana to this thread ?

This amounts to misusing the verses of our National Anthem.

There are lot of other ways to express ones desire to close a thread without hurting the sentiments of true patriots who have more respect for National Flag and National Anthem. A decent gentleman will certainly desist from using portions of our mother country's National Anthem for such silly things.

It confirms that dead woods never learn.lol