PRIEST SERVICES & SACRED PUJAS

Our revered Temple Priest provides a comprehensive range of sacred services, spiritual counseling, and Vedic rituals to meet the religious needs of our community, both within the holy temple sanctuary and at devotees’ private residences.

Regular Priest Services & Specialized Pujas:

  • Archana & Daily Prayer Services: Brief individual or family offerings chanting the holy names of the deities to invoke immediate divine blessings, peace, and prosperity.
  • Shri Ganesh Puja: Sacred invocations and prayers to Lord Ganesha, the remover of all obstacles, traditionally performed to bless new beginnings, milestones, and new ventures.
  • Mataji Puja: Elaborate rituals dedicated to the Divine Mother (Durga, Lakshmi, or Saraswati), channeling strength, abundance, protection, and spiritual wisdom into our lives.
  • Shri Balaji Abhishekam: A majestic, ritualistic holy bath of Lord Venkateswara utilizing sacred elements like milk, honey, and sandalwood paste, performed with Vedic hymns to bring health and spiritual bliss.
  • Shri Satyanarayana Vratam & Puja: A deeply profound ritual and recitation of the sacred story of Lord Satyanarayana, traditionally performed on Full Moon (Purnima) days or special milestones to bring harmony and gratitude to the household.
  • Shri Shiva Abhishekam & Puja: Sacred, continuous hydration and offerings made to the Shiva Lingam accompanied by the powerful chanting of Sri Rudram, creating an aura of ultimate purification and cosmic peace.
  • Shri Dattatreya Puja: Holy prayers dedicated to the divine trinity incarnation, Lord Dattatreya, emphasizing spiritual guidance, inner peace, and the removal of negative energies.

Special Festive Pujas & Celebrations:
Our priest beautifully orchestrates community-wide and personal rituals during major festival days throughout the year, preserving our vibrant Sanatan Hindu heritage in Lexington:

  • Maha Shivaratri (Grand overnight Akhanda Shiva Abhishekam and continuous chanting)
  • Sri Rama Navami & Krishna Janmashtami (Special Alankaram, kirtans, and holy cradling ceremonies)
  • Ganesh Chaturthi (Grand clay idol installation, multi-day modak offerings, and Visarjan rituals)
  • Navaratri & Diwali (Nine nights of vibrant Durga Pujas, Lakshmi Puja for prosperity, and community deepotsavam)
  • Dattatreya Jayanti & Hanuman Jayanti (Special specialized homams, prayers, and community feasts)

PUJA SCHEDULE AND SERVICES OVERVIEW

The following indicative schedule outlines standard suggested donations for services at the temple versus outside locations.

| Name of the Puja or Service | Service Location | Suggested Temple Donation | Min Priest Dakshina |
| Archana / Daily Prayer | At Temple | $15 | Devotee Discretion |
| Samuhik Abhishekam / Puja | At Temple | $31 | Devotee Discretion |
| Satyanarayana Puja (Group) | At Temple | $31 | Devotee Discretion |
| Satyanarayana Puja (Individual) | At Temple | $51 | Devotee Discretion |
| Satyanarayana Puja (Private) | At Devotee Home | $151 | $125 |
| Shri Ganesh Puja / Basic Puja | At Temple | $51 | $51 |
| Shri Ganesh Puja / Basic Puja | At Devotee Home | $151 | $101 |
| Rudrabhishekam (Standard) | At Temple | $101 | $51 |
| Rudrabhishekam (Standard) | At Devotee Home | $151 | $101 |
| Gruhapravesh (Housewarming) | At Devotee Home | $151 | $101 |
| Gruhapravesh with Havan | At Devotee Home | $175 | $125 |
| Vahan (Vehicle) Puja | At Temple | $31 | $20 |

GUIDELINES FOR DEVOTEES BOOKING PUJA SERVICES

To ensure your scheduled religious activities proceed smoothly, please review our booking procedures:

  1. Initial Consultation: Devotees must contact the temple administration or the priest directly to discuss and confirm the date, time, and specific astrological requirements (Muhurtham) for the desired service.
  2. Booking Window: For minor rituals or in-temple services, please notify us at least 1 week in advance. For major life events or outside home services (such as Weddings, Upanayanam, or Gruhapravesh), a notice of 4 to 6 weeks is highly recommended.
  3. Commute & Timing Surcharges: For private services scheduled outside the standard hours of 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, or located further than 30 miles (or more than a 45-minute drive) from the temple, an additional travel/timing surcharge of $51 applies to the temple donation and $51 to the priest dakshina.
  4. Havan / Homam Safety: All private or community pujas involving a sacrificial holy fire (Havan/Homam) inside the temple premises must only be performed in the designated auditorium space. Please consult the priest prior to the puja day regarding the precise list of samagri (materials) you will need to bring.