Articles
Yagnas and Pujas
Dt: 10/1/18
Yagnas and Pujas
Dr T.H.Chowdary*
There is furore about the alleged special Rudrabhishekam conducted surreptitiously by some tantriks in the Kanaka Durga temple , Vijayawada. It would be interesting to note that such special pujas had been common among the tallest in the Congress Party. To recall a few, when Dr N Chenna Reddy was Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh (1978 -80) for unknown reason he fell foul with Sanjay Gandhi. He came to know that Sanjay Gandhi was about to get him dismissed . On the advice of a god man he retired to Tirumala Hills unseen by many and had a yagna conducted secretly for days together invoking god’s grace for continuance of Dr Chenna Reddy as Chief Minister, saving him from the wroth of Sanjay Gandhi. In the event, Sanjay Gandhi died while performing acrobatics in a plane in Delhi. Dr Chenna Reddy returned safe from his hide -out to continue as Chief Minister.
2. Sri M L Fotedar the Indira, Rajiv, Sonia loyalist narrates such an event in his autobiographical book, “The Chinar Leaves”. Amitabh Bachan has a special relationship with the Nehru- Indira family. He was in hospital after his near - fatal accident on a film set. Indira was extremely worried about Amitab. She commissioned Fotedar to get one Harsukh Pandit to perform some puja for Amitab’s health and wellbeing. She received an amulet wrapped in a white cloth from a holy man Deveraha Baba. She gave that amulet and prasadam wrapped in a cloth , sealed it and instructed Fotedar to keep it near Amitab’s pillow. The special puja took 10 days to be completed . Amitabh recovered gradually. According to Indira instruction as told by her Guru, all the puja dravyas were immersed in the Arabian Sea.
3. Sri P V Narasimha Rao had his god men like Chandra Swamy who conducted special pujas for Sri Narasimha Rao to survive the conspiracies and the no confidence motions against him.
4. Pt. Nehru who believed in scientific socialism and often criticised the Hindu rituals had willed that his ashes should be immersed in the Ganga and many other rivers in Bharat.
7. There should therefore be no surprise that special pujas and yagnas are conducted for and by politicians. (371 words)