Udayasthamana Pooja - An ANALYSIS

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna ! Guruvayurappa !

Dear All,

Before we make grand plans, did anyone analyze the

proposed step of Guruvayur Devaswom ?

 

Here is my analysis of the proposed step by GD:-

- As many as 110 people (and their families) get

opportunity to attend the Udayasthamana Pooja on a

single day (Tuesday / Friday). The important thing to

note is that EACH of the 110 people have to

INDIVIDUALLY pay up Rs.50,000/- + expenses to

Guruvayur Devaswom. (They are NOT sharing the payment

of 50000 among themselves)

 

The consequences of this move is that:

 

(*) the existing waiting list of Udayasthamana Pooja

will be cleared in a short timeframe. This will give

many people the opportunity to attend the Pooja they

have booked for - otherwise they would be dead and

gone, if they have to wait for another 40 years or

so..

 

- Also, it will give others who have been praying for

an opportunity to conduct this Pooja to book and

conduct the same in a short timespan.

 

- As many as 110 families will come to Guruvayur

temple, offer prayers on Tuesdays (this is the day on

which Guruvayurappan is not in demand - going by the

absence of crowd in Guruvayur temple). I can vouch for

this, as I am a frequent visitor to Guruvayur,

especially on Tuesdays (!)

 

- When more and more people start making this

offering, the income of Guruvayur temple will

automatically rise very quickly.

 

- Also, with more and more compulsory visitors on

Tuesdays and Fridays, again, the crowd on these two

slack days increases and consequently, the income of

Guruvayur temple will go up.

 

(*) Now, the other side of the coin is that, Devaswom

has to only do one complete Udayasthamana pooja and

can accommodate 110 families. (Pooja is not going to

be done individually; hence Devaswom saves on money).

Only thing Devaswom has to arrange is for Special

Darshan and Elaborate Prasadam (meals included) for

the 110 families.

 

Three things -

- More pilgrim inflow to the temple on slack days.

- More income to the temple and

- More devotees satisfied (which will again increase

the income to the temple).

 

Since this proposal is aimed at clearing the backlog

and getting more and more people to make this offering

to Guruvayurappan, I feel Guruvayur Devaswom (GD for

short) will not alter their proposal. As such, 2 or 3

families sharing the pooja is also not a practical

proposal - Remember, there are several people who have

booked the pooja long long ago and waiting for their

turn since several YEARS. Also, since GD's intentions

are clear - that they are allowing only people who

have individually paid Rs 50000 and booked, to conduct

the pooja - where is the question of 2 or 3 families

coming together and sponsoring (sharing) ??????

 

The current proporsal by GD is a virtual

money-spinner. They will certainly not go back on it.

Let us pray that the money is utilized to maintain the

elaborate worship, offerings & upkeep of the temple

and also to provide more facilities to the devotees

visiting Guruvayur.

 

A better proposal to make is for a good Queue system

for Darshan. Something that will help better crowd

management and ensure speedy darshan to devotees.

Perhaps the members in this forum could propose a more

scientific queue system which will reduce waiting time

or which would provide seats (remember Tirupati)...

something novel - if it can be proposed, it would be a

worthwhile attempt to meet with the GD Administrator

or other officials and present it formally. (Remember,

GD has already acquired some of the lands around the

temple pond; this is a sure sign of more land

acquisition coming up.

 

 

My primary objective in presenting the Q-idea is

that we should try to serve the devotees of the Lord

first.

 

" [Lord Krishna told Arjuna:] ‘Those who are My direct

devotees are actually not My devotees, but those who

are the devotees of My servant are factually My

devotees.’ "

 

People come from far and wide to serve the Lord with

prayers, offerings etc. If we can help them get

darshan, prasadam etc more easily and conveniently,

then I am sure Guruvayurappan will be pleased. (Again,

this is from my own experiences at Guruvayur - those

visiting devotees to whom I have spoken at length on

the Mahatmya of Guruvayur and the Glories of

Guruvayurappan & His primary devotees, and those

devotees whom I have guided in Guruvayur personally,

all promised to visit the temple again and again. The

Tirupati Devasthanam keeps getting good income from

the devotees' offerings and this amount they utilize

to provide better services to the devotees - Thus

devotees look forward to go there again and again -

and of course they donate more and more to Bhagavan.)

 

Our proposals with regard to Udayasthamana Pooja

alone will only help the rich folk - but the

introduction of a scientific system for darshan,

prasadam etc will be a boon for literally everyone

visiting Guruvayur.

 

(FYI, Guruvayur Devaswom website says the

Udayasthamana Pooja is booked until 2048 AD.)

 

Inviting your attention & views on this.

 

Hare Krishna !

-sriram

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