Today’s Panchāṅgam · 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.
Sivachariyar · San Francisco Bay Area
Sacred traditions, faithfully carried forward.
Sacred ceremonies performed with tradition & devotion.
Sri Kumar Naganathan Gurukkal
Sivachariyar · Krishna Yajurvedi
Tamil · Telugu · Hindi · English · Vedic & Āgamic Sanskrit Mantras
Sri Kumar Naganathan Gurukkal has served Hindu families in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1990, performing traditional poojas, homams, weddings and samskaras faithfully to the Vedas and Āgamas.
Sri Kumar Naganathan Gurukkal is a Hindu priest — a Tamil Sivachariyar and Krishna Yajurvedi — serving families across the San Francisco Bay Area since 1990. He performs Vedic and Āgamic ceremonies at your home, at a temple or venue, or with relatives joining remotely, in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and English, with mantras in Sanskrit.
- Ceremonies
- Weddings (Vivaham), Griha Pravesham, Namakaranam, Seemantham, Upanayanam, Annaprashanam, homams (Ganapathi, Navagraha, Rudra, Mrityunjaya, Chandi, Sudarshana), Satyanarayana Pooja, Vastu Shanti, milestone birthdays, and muhurtham guidance.
- Not performed
- Funeral and ancestral death rites.
- Areas served
- Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon, Livermore, Fremont, Milpitas, San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and the surrounding Bay Area.
- Trained at
- Sri Karpaga Vinayaka Vedāgama Vidhyalayam, Pillayarpatti, Tamil Nadu.
- To arrange one
- Call or WhatsApp (240) 602-7327 or (510) 556-3434, email gurukkalkumar@gmail.com, or begin a pooja request. A request is an enquiry — Gurukkal confirms the ceremony and the muhurtham with you personally.
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 →
About the Gurukkal
A life devoted to Vedic and Āgamic priestly service.
Over three decades of faithful service across India, Singapore, and the United States.
Sri Kumar Naganathan Gurukkal is a Tamil Sivachariyar and Krishna Yajurvedi who has performed worship and conducted sacred ceremonies for devotees across three continents. 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
A Lifetime of Service
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.
Languages & Service Area
He officiates in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and English, with sacred mantras performed in Sanskrit according to Vedic and Āgamic tradition. Families from Kannada, Malayalam and other regional traditions are warmly welcome — please speak with Gurukkal about your family’s customs. He serves devotees across the San Francisco Bay Area — Dublin, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Livermore, Fremont, Milpitas, San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and surrounding communities.
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, this calling has taken him from temples in India to Singapore, and across the United States — a devotion he continues today in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Under the guidance of his guru
Sri Pichai Sivachariyar
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.
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.
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
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.
Upcoming Festivals
Never miss an auspicious day.
The next Hindu festivals for the Bay Area — tap one to request a pooja, or open the full calendar.
Or subscribe to the calendar and every festival appears in your own phone.
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.