Today · San Francisco Bay Area
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Pooja at home
Book a pooja or homam at your home.
Sri Kumar Gurukkal comes to your home and performs the ceremony on an auspicious day, with clear samagri guidance for your family. Read about a common one below, or ask Gurukkal for another.
Full month calendar & upcoming festivals → How this is calculated →Sivachariyar · San Francisco Bay Area
Sacred traditions, faithfully carried forward.
Sri Kumar Naganathan Gurukkal
A Tamil Sivachariyar and Krishna Yajurvedi who has served Hindu families since 1990 — across India, Singapore and the United States, and in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2024. Ceremonies at your home, at a temple or venue, or with relatives joining online, in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and English, with mantras in Sanskrit.
- Serving since 1990Hindu families, without a break
- Ādi Śaiva Paramparāseven generations of Sivachariyars
- Kumbhābhiṣekam Ācāryatemple consecrations, including the Iraivan Temple, Hawaii
- Bay Area & N. Californiaat your home, at a temple, or online
- Ceremonies he performs
- Weddings (Vivaham) and engagements · Gṛha Praveśam and Bhūmi Pūjā · Nāmakaraṇam · Annaprāśanam · Chowlam · Karṇavedham · Seemantham · Upanayanam · Aksharābhyāsam · Āyuṣya Homam · Satyanārāyaṇa Pūjā · Gaṇapati, Navagraha, Rudra, Mṛtyuñjaya, Chaṇḍī, Sudarśana, Dhanvantari and Lakṣmī-Kubera homams · Vāstu Śānti · Vāhana Pūjā · business and Lakṣmī-Kubera pūjās · Śaṣṭiabdapūrti, Sathābhiṣekam and the milestone śāntis · Śrāddha, Tarpaṇam and Pitṛ Pakṣa · festival pūjās · muhūrtham, horoscope and Vāstu consultation. This is not a closed list. Families keep different observances, and many have no common English name. If your family has a custom, a vratam or a prayer you would like performed, please ask — Gurukkal will tell you how it is done in your tradition. Families from Kannada, Malayalam and other regional traditions are warmly welcome.See all poojas & ceremonies →
- What happens when you ask
- A request is an enquiry, not a booking. Gurukkal reads it himself and replies personally to confirm the ceremony and the muhurtham with you. Nothing is paid on this website. Call or WhatsApp (240) 602-7327 or (510) 556-3434, or email gurukkalkumar@gmail.com.Begin a pooja request →
- Areas served
- The Bay Area — Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon, Livermore, Fremont, Milpitas, San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale — and across Northern California, including Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto, Santa Cruz and the Monterey Bay. Further afield by arrangement; he has travelled for families before.
- Trained at
- Sri Karpaga Vinayaka Vedāgama Vidhyalayam, Pillayarpatti, Tamil Nadu.
Training
He was trained at the Sri Karpaga Vinayaka Vedāgama Vidhyalayam in Pillayarpatti, Tamil Nadu, in the disciplines of Sivāgama Rathnam, Vishesha Yogyatha, Veda Pandit, and Agora Sivam.
Scriptural mastery
- Ganapathi Upanishad
- Sri Rudram & Chamakam
- Purusha Suktham
- Pancha Sukthigal
- Skanda & Siva Puranas
- Devi Mahathmyam
- The Sahasranamas
- The Ashtothrams
The temples he has served
His priestly journey began at the Sri Bala Murugan Temple in Edaikattur, then continued at the Sri Dharma Muneeswaran Temple in Singapore. Since 2004 he has held senior priestly roles at the Sri Murugan Temple of North America in Lanham, Maryland, and the Hindu Temple of Greater Tulsa, and has led Kumbhābhiṣekams at many temples — including the renowned Iraivan Temple in Hawaii.
Guru & Paramparā
A living lineage of Sivachariyars.
Sri Kumar Gurukkal belongs to the Ādi Śaiva Paramparā, the ancient priestly lineage descending from the Nāyanmār saint Sundaramoorthy Swāmigal. His family recalls at least seven generations of Sivachariyars who served at the Sri Maragathavalli Chandrasekara Swami Temple in Sethur — one of the 108 temples of the Sivagangai Samasthānam, about 56 miles from Madurai. Sri Kumar Gurukkal was trained in the priestly tradition carried forward by Dr. K. Pichai Sivachariyar of Pillayarpatti, whose work in Vedic and Āgamic priestly education has received international recognition.
He undertook specialized study of the Agora Bhadathi section of the Karana and Kāmika Āgamas (Yajur Veda) under his spiritual guru, Sri Pichai Sivachariyar, at the Sri Karpaga Vinayaka Vedāgama Vidhyalayam in Pillayarpatti, Tamil Nadu.
Inspired by Saint Sundarar’s vision of carrying the fragrance of the Śaiva tradition across the world, he has carried this calling from the temples of his lineage to every place he has served since.
Under the guidance of his guru
Sri Pichai Sivachariyar
Guidance for every occasion
What are you celebrating?
Tell us the moment in your family’s life — we’ll guide you to the right ceremony. Not sure of the name? Simply ask the Gurukkal.
Not sure which ceremony you need? Ask Sri Kumar Gurukkal on WhatsApp →
Poojas & Sacred Ceremonies
Every sacred rite, performed with care.
Explore traditional poojas, homams and samskaras, with guidance on their significance and how your family can prepare.
In-depth guides: Satyanārāyaṇa PūjāGaṇapati HomamGṛha PraveśamNavagraha Homam
Descriptions reflect the traditional purpose of each rite. Practices vary by sampradāya and family custom — Gurukkal will guide what is right for your family. Our standards →
Don’t see the ceremony you need? Sri Kumar Gurukkal performs the full range of Hindu rites — please ask.
Preparing for Your Pooja
From preparation to prayer.
Request
Call, email, or send the form with your ceremony, date, and location.
Confirm
The Gurukkal confirms details and sets an auspicious muhurtham.
Prepare
You receive a clear samagri (materials) checklist so everything is ready.
Ceremony
The rite is performed with care and precision, faithful to the Vedas, Āgamas and your family tradition.
Guidance for Your Family
Where Ceremonies Can Be Performed
Wherever you are.
At Your Home
The Gurukkal travels to your home to perform the ceremony with your family.
At a Temple or Venue
Where permitted, ceremonies and archanas can be arranged at appropriate temples and venues, in coordination with the venue and your family.
Remote Participation
For families joining from afar, the Gurukkal shares the ceremony live over Zoom or WhatsApp, with sankalpam in your name — please ask which parts are suitable for your tradition.
Words from Devotees
A few words from families we have served.
“Priest Kumar Gurukkal officiated our daughter’s wedding with remarkable expertise in Vedic traditions and such sincerity. Thanks to his guidance, it was a truly memorable experience.”
— Jai Ganesh“Priest Kumar Gurukkal made our baby shower a spiritually enriching event. His warmth, compassion, and meticulous attention to detail added a special touch to the occasion.”
— PrasathPreliminary Daily Panchāṅgam Reference
View the day’s traditional timing windows.
This tool provides general daily Panchāṅgam reference timings for the selected Bay Area location. It does not calculate, approve or replace a personal Muhūrtham consultation.
Important
This automated tool is for general educational reference only and must not be relied upon by itself to schedule a pooja, homam, wedding, Gṛha Praveśam, saṃskāra or other important undertaking. It does not evaluate your complete horoscope, family tradition, ceremony-specific rules or every Panchāṅgam factor. Automated timings may differ from temple, regional or published Panchāṅgams. Please consult Sri Kumar Gurukkal or your family priest before fixing any date or time.
Personal birth and family details (nakshatra, gothra, birth date and time) are reviewed directly by Gurukkal when they are relevant to your ceremony — they are not entered here.
Common Questions
Frequently asked questions.
Which areas does Sri Kumar Gurukkal serve?+
What languages are ceremonies performed in?+
What ceremonies does he perform?+
How do I book a priest?+
Can the priest help choose an auspicious date (muhurtham)?+
Begin a request
Tell Gurukkal about your sacred occasion.
Share the poojas you are considering, your preferred dates, and a few family details. Sri Kumar Gurukkal will review the ceremony plan, availability, and Muhūrtham before anything is confirmed.
A request is not a confirmation. Nothing is booked until Gurukkal personally confirms the ceremony and the muhūrtam with you.
Contact
Reach Sri Kumar Gurukkal.
Call, WhatsApp or email anytime. To arrange a ceremony, begin a pooja request and Gurukkal will personally follow up.
Sri Kumar Naganathan Gurukkal
Sivachariyar · Vedic & Āgamic Priest
A request is not a confirmation — Gurukkal follows up personally before anything is booked.