Key Takeaways
- The three kinds of provider
- What to ask before paying anyone
- What proof of performance should look like
In This Article
Online puja has grown fast and the standards have not kept up with it. Families abroad are sending money for ceremonies they cannot witness, to people they cannot verify, for rites they often cannot check were performed. This page sets out what to ask for before you pay anyone — us included — and what the answers should look like.
The three kinds of provider
| Kind | Who performs | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| A temple directly | Its own priests | The simplest arrangement. Limited to that temple’s rites, and some have no online facility at all |
| An aggregator or marketplace | A pandit they sub-contract | You are buying from one party and the rite is done by another. Ask who, where, and whether the ghat and samagri are included — that is usually where the margin is |
| Pandits operating directly | Themselves | What we are. Ask the same questions anyway, and expect them answered without hesitation |
| A scam | Nobody | No fixed address, payment to a personal account, no record afterwards, pressure to decide today. Covered below |
What to ask before paying anyone
- Who will perform it, and where exactly? A name and a ghat, not “our pandits at Gaya”.
- What is the total? Including samagri, dakshina and the ghat. If those are separate lines, ask what else is separate.
- What do I receive afterwards? Photographs and a written record naming the ancestor and the gotra should be standard, not an upgrade.
- Can I join by video, and at what hour? A provider who cannot say when the rite happens is not scheduling one.
- What is the sankalpa going to say? It should name you, your gotra and your ancestor. Ask to see the wording.
- Who do I pay, and to what account? A registered business, not an individual’s personal account.
What proof of performance should look like
This is the part that separates a service from a transfer. After any rite performed on your behalf you should receive photographs of the ceremony, a written record naming the ancestor, the gotra, the date and what was performed, and where the package includes it, prasad by courier. A live video link during the sankalpa is normal and should not be charged as an extra.
We provide all of that as standard, and we would say the same about anyone else who does. The point is not that you should book with us — it is that you should not pay anyone who will not commit to it in writing beforehand.
🙏 Ancestral rites performed at the tirtha
- The full total quoted before you pay — samagri, ghat and dakshina included
- Photographs and a written record naming the ancestor and gotra, as standard
- Live video for the sankalpa at no extra charge
- We will tell you when you do not need us, and when home is enough
How the remote arrangement works in detail, including the ash courier for asthi visarjan, is on NRI puja services.
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