Sitting in Medak, this priest performs puja for Lord Ganesh in Dallas

He started offering online services in 2009 when he had performed a Naga Dosha puja to a couple living in the USA over an audio call when video calls were not so popular.

Medak: A priest from Medak is drawing attention with is high-tech rituals, which involve performing a Vinayaka Puja in virtual mode to a Ganesh idol installed in Honey Creek Colony in Dallas, United States.

Dorbala Mahesh Sharma (39), the chief priest of Saraswathi Temple located in Peruru in Medak mandal, is usually busy at the temple. During the Vinayaka Chaturthi celebrations, his schedule becomes all the more hectic. Sharma still accepts requests to perform pujas virtually for his customers who stay abroad.

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Sharma, who completed Yajurveda education from the Vedic School at Kotilingala Temple in Siddipet 25 years ago, had started assisting his father initially at the temple in various pujas. He started offering online services in 2009 when he had performed a Naga Dosha puja to a couple living in the USA over an audio call when video calls were not so popular. Since then, Sharma said he was performing different pujas for Telugu people living in the USA, the UK, Canada and various parts of the world. His customers call him ‘Hi-tech Panthulu’ for using technology effectively.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Sharma said Telugu people living abroad would approach him for various ‘dosha’ pujas. However, he would always suggest them to believe in their work 50 per cent and leave the rest to God. Unless they put in committed efforts, they would not get the desired results even after performing these pujas.

As for the Ganesh in Dallas, the idol was installed by a group of Telugu people living in Honey Creek Colony, who then contacted Sharma to do the virtual puja.