Thila Homam - Rameswaram (Beware of corrupt people)

[rajbas1]

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We seek remedy when our problems seem insurmountable. This is when some of the vathiyars under the disguise of veda pundits take advantage of the situation.

we were referred to one Mr Swaminatha sharma at Rameswaram to perform Thila homam. The initial call went fine and he quoted Rs 50,000 for the homam. He mentioned that he would arrange room at Temple gate hotel, food and these charges would be extra. We agreed to the homam costs and asked him to send pics of hotel to make sure that we would be comfortable. someone in the family has severe stomach issues for past 10 years (one of the reasons to perform homam) and if the bathrooms are not comfortable or clean it presents major challenges. The review online wasnt great (dirty bathroom, dirty sheet, towels, etc). I called Mr Swaminatha Sharma to turn down the hotel offer and told him we will take of the arrangements to stay.

This is when everything went downhill. Mr Sharma was extremely upset and said only Temple Gate was comfortable was him since its nearby. He advised people visit there for homa and not to look for convenient hotels (knowing pretty well about the family medical condition). What was further insulting was when he said if Hyatt at Rs 7000 would be comfortable or if anything better is needed. All the while I was responding that this is due to a special health issue and if bathroom is not comfortable the person may find it difficult to attend the homam. I had to hang up the phone as I was afriad i could utter something rude.

It felt like people like swaminatha sharma has made thila homam a package deal and are not even considerate. Forget about homam- you dont treat a fellow human being that rudely. No amount of veda or spiritual practice helps if you dont see god in the other.

As a devotee of Ramana and Maha Periyava, every word written above is as close the the conversation as possible.

Please avoid people like Swaminatha Sharma at all costs. Homam and Ksethradam are to get pithru blessings and these people, unfortunately make the experience bitter.

 

[renuka]

Its a package deal...that is the person could have got a commission from the hotel he was recommending..so if you stayed in a different hotel he wont get his commission.

Just like when I used to go to India, some auto drivers would insists to take you to some shops and if you refuse they get upset.
Then later I saw that if I purchased something from the the shops the auto driver brought me too, the auto driver was given a commission by the shop owner.

So its all finally a business but one can still remain polite and have a back up plan too and remain professional instead of being rude even if one is business minded.

 

[vembuv]

So its all finally a business but one can still remain polite and have a back up plan too and remain professional instead of being rude even if one is business minded.

Yes Madam.... it is business and definitely not a service.

This temple is one of the twelve Jyotilinga temples and it is also one of the 274 Paadal Petra Sthalam

There are already shortage of priests reported when considering the huge number of pilgrims who visit the temple everyday. There is only few priests who manage the 13 shrines within the temple.

Normally, in such temple towns, where there are more devotees and less priests, there will be cut throat competition among the priests as to who gain more devotees. That speaks volume of their influence, standing in the group.

For them, it may be something like making hey while the sun shines.

Each priest may come up with more attractive offers of package deal which includes comfortable stay, accommodation and nice food. Besides, some of the packages may guarantee high quality service and positive devotee experience. Few also promise to arrange swamy darshan in Rameswaram and to perform Visarjanam, etc.etc

It may be nothing but an act of exploitation of gullible devotees who visit Rameswaram to get rid of their Pitru Dosha.

The temple being one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and the Homam being a powerful vedic ritual perhaps the devotee needs to compromise himself with every arrangement, as it is only for few hours or a day minimum.

While more preach அன்பே சிவம், only less practice it.

 

[Jaykay767]

I understand the OPs frustration and for declining the offer due to health reasons.

However, my view is that we should support our fellow men who are trying extremely hard to make a living, particularly after the disastrous demonetisation and GST implementations.

So what if the shastrigal gets a commission from the hotel ? Let him earn, and make a living for his poor fsmily.

So what If the auto driver gets a commission from the shop keepers, let him earn and make money for his poor family.

See, these folks are not in govt jobs or good private jobs.,they don't get pension, health care, etc..They have to struggle and work every day to make a living for their family.

Let's support them in whatever way we can.

Ps. As I said earlier, I support corrutpion by the poor and for the poor., definitely not by the rich.

 

[renuka]

I understand the OPs frustration and for declining the offer due to health reasons.

However, my view is that we should support our fellow men who are trying extremely hard to make a living, particularly after the disastrous demonetisation and GST implementations.

So what if the shastrigal gets a commission from the hotel ? Let him earn, and make a living for his poor fsmily.

So what If the auto driver gets a commission from the shop keepers, let him earn and make money for his poor family.

See, these folks are not in govt jobs or good private jobs.,they don't get pension, health care, etc..They have to struggle and work every day to make a living for their family.

Let's support them in whatever way we can.

Ps. As I said earlier, I support corrutpion by the poor and for the poor., definitely not by the rich.

One can get a commission but one does not have to be rude...i think the OP was stressing on that.

One can have a legit business..commission and all but remain polite.

Once my husbands family had to do a homa and the priest I engaged we paid for his air ticket cos he was from a different state..he told me he needed a silver small pot for the homa..so i told him i would buy it.
He told me he would buy it and i needed to pay for it.

I said ok.
When he showed me the silver small pot it was dented..stained and old.
I asked him how come its dented..he said airlines staff must have dented it in cargo ..but he only carried a small bag as hand luggage! Lol

I knew he was lying ..he was recycling the same old silver pot and getting full payment for it.

I never asked him the receipt cos it was obvious he wouldnt have it and he also claimed to have not asked the receipt.

During the homa i did wonder..he started with untruth..but yet he did the homa..i never took him again cos if he couldnt adhere to truth there is no use he doing a homa ...it would be reduced to a mere mechanical recitation.

 

[rajbas1]

Folks working hard using ethical means should be encouraged actively, even its a bit more expensive.

The line stops where the sastrigal forces his choices on others. Lack of transparency, high-handed approach, no empathy are the issues. Coming from a veda pundit makes it harder to digest. You look upto them as guru's and they reduce themselves to businessmen first. I'd have gladly paid more if he had simply said it would be $xxx more if I chose to stay at a place of my chosing.

Being poor is not a qualification to be corrupt. Saying this is an injustice to so many honest people in the lower income strata.

 

[Jaykay767]

One can get a commission but one does not have to be rude...i think the OP was stressing on that.

One can have a legit business..commission and all but remain polite.

Once my husbands family had to do a homa and the priest I engaged we paid for his air ticket cos he was from a different state..he told me he needed a silver small pot for the homa..so i told him i would buy it.
He told me he would buy it and i needed to pay for it.

I said ok.
When he showed me the silver small pot it was dented..stained and old.
I asked him how come its dented..he said airlines staff must have dented it in cargo ..but he only carried a small bag as hand luggage! Lol

I knew he was lying ..he was recycling the same old silver pot and getting full payment for it.

I never asked him the receipt cos it was obvious he wouldnt have it and he also claimed to have not asked the receipt.

During the homa i did wonder..he started with untruth..but yet he did the homa..i never took him again cos if he couldnt adhere to truth there is no use he doing a homa ...it would be reduced to a mere mechanical recitation.

Renukaji,
I respect your views and totally understand your reasoning and reactions.

Yes, in an ideal world, we should all uphold honesty and integrity.

But in these times of extreme suffering, poverty, my limited point is - let's ignore such actions by the poor.

JK.

 

[renuka]

Renukaji,
I respect your views and totally understand your reasoning and reactions.

Yes, in an ideal world, we should all uphold honesty and integrity.

But in these times of extreme suffering, poverty, my limited point is - let's ignore such actions by the poor.

JK.

The poor too can afford to be polite.
It costs nothing to be polite.

 

[Jaykay767]

The poor too can afford to be polite.
It costs nothing to be polite.

Not trying to go back and forth arguing on this.

But I guess, it is hard to be polite when one is struggling in poverty, and forced to work every day, every month to pay the next months bills.

So cut some slack doctor Ji -

 

[asadu]

All the noble professions have become money minting avenues. I hear that even the noble prizes are partial. But there are still people who adhere to their ethics even today. finding them and rewarding them is one way of encouraging others to follow suit. It is quite true that learned priests are in dire shortages today. But in medical world, there are no shortages of experts or specialists or availability of professionals today.

 

[tbs]

hi

i did my mother's final rites from 9th to 13th anthim karyams in Rameshwaram...i booked the room

hotel tamil nadu by TTDC....the vadhyar had 4 days package deal with including danam etc....i had

arranged food for myself....ONLY 13TH day food was arranged by vadhyar....its happens....if we start

complaing about facilities....may not be possible....just info...i went myself for the karyams....if wife/

children with me....even my situation will be the same....i understand vadhyars position in rameshwaram..

 

[dshanin81]

We seek remedy when our problems seem insurmountable. This is when some of the vathiyars under the disguise of veda pundits take advantage of the situation.

we were referred to one Mr Swaminatha sharma at Rameswaram to perform Thila homam. The initial call went fine and he quoted Rs 50,000 for the homam. He mentioned that he would arrange room at Temple gate hotel, food and these charges would be extra. We agreed to the homam costs and asked him to send pics of hotel to make sure that we would be comfortable. someone in the family has severe stomach issues for past 10 years (one of the reasons to perform homam) and if the bathrooms are not comfortable or clean it presents major challenges. The review online wasnt great (dirty bathroom, dirty sheet, towels, etc). I called Mr Swaminatha Sharma to turn down the hotel offer and told him we will take of the arrangements to stay.

This is when everything went downhill. Mr Sharma was extremely upset and said only Temple Gate was comfortable was him since its nearby. He advised people visit there for homa and not to look for convenient hotels (knowing pretty well about the family medical condition). What was further insulting was when he said if Hyatt at Rs 7000 would be comfortable or if anything better is needed. All the while I was responding that this is due to a special health issue and if bathroom is not comfortable the person may find it difficult to attend the homam. I had to hang up the phone as I was afriad i could utter something rude.

It felt like people like swaminatha sharma has made thila homam a package deal and are not even considerate. Forget about homam- you dont treat a fellow human being that rudely. No amount of veda or spiritual practice helps if you dont see god in the other.

As a devotee of Ramana and Maha Periyava, every word written above is as close the the conversation as possible.

Please avoid people like Swaminatha Sharma at all costs. Homam and Ksethradam are to get pithru blessings and these people, unfortunately make the experience bitter.

can you please give your contact? I want to discuss abt thila homam

 

[Tkudi]

We seek remedy when our problems seem insurmountable. This is when some of the vathiyars under the disguise of veda pundits take advantage of the situation.

we were referred to one Mr Swaminatha sharma at Rameswaram to perform Thila homam. The initial call went fine and he quoted Rs 50,000 for the homam. He mentioned that he would arrange room at Temple gate hotel, food and these charges would be extra. We agreed to the homam costs and asked him to send pics of hotel to make sure that we would be comfortable. someone in the family has severe stomach issues for past 10 years (one of the reasons to perform homam) and if the bathrooms are not comfortable or clean it presents major challenges. The review online wasnt great (dirty bathroom, dirty sheet, towels, etc). I called Mr Swaminatha Sharma to turn down the hotel offer and told him we will take of the arrangements to stay.

This is when everything went downhill. Mr Sharma was extremely upset and said only Temple Gate was comfortable was him since its nearby. He advised people visit there for homa and not to look for convenient hotels (knowing pretty well about the family medical condition). What was further insulting was when he said if Hyatt at Rs 7000 would be comfortable or if anything better is needed. All the while I was responding that this is due to a special health issue and if bathroom is not comfortable the person may find it difficult to attend the homam. I had to hang up the phone as I was afriad i could utter something rude.

It felt like people like swaminatha sharma has made thila homam a package deal and are not even considerate. Forget about homam- you dont treat a fellow human being that rudely. No amount of veda or spiritual practice helps if you dont see god in the other.

As a devotee of Ramana and Maha Periyava, every word written above is as close the the conversation as possible.

Please avoid people like Swaminatha Sharma at all costs. Homam and Ksethradam are to get pithru blessings and these people, unfortunately make the experience bitter.

In all temple towns , there are priests like Swaminathsn Sharma - more so in north than in South. That does not mean every priest is corrupt . No doubt , they may overcharge a little for special occasions or homams as these are far and few in numbers in a year . I have had very good experience in Rameswaram where in Mahalaya Paksha period , I could do the tharpanam very comfortably with the guidance of a learned priest without being exploited . The priest was Shri Venkatarama Sastrigal ( cell : 9486672258 & 8778063127.
Best place to stay in Rameswaram is Tamilnadu Hotel ( TTDC operated) . It is on the beach , very close to temple . Very decent hotel with all modern facilities, hygienic clean bathrooms ,good dining facilities . Requires advance reservation which can be done online . They have rooms and cottages at reasonable price. With proper planning , visits to pilgrim centres are pleasant . One should not mind spending a little more on priests or transport in such places .

 

[kgopalan]

sir, for thila homam you may also consult mr.n.s.shankara vadhyar; 3, uthira kaliamman koil street rameswaram. (04573) 222544; 9443684262. in charge of sringeri sankara madam.