Kambalapalem Village, Alluri Sitarama Raju District: A transformative five-day training program for aspiring Archakas (temple priests) from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community commenced today in Kambalapadu village, a remote agency area in Alluri Sitarama Raju district. The program is being held at the unique Vidyalayam-Devalayam (school-cum-temple) facility, previously constructed by the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF) for the benefit of the local children in this tribal village.

A total of 12 Hindu brethren from various agency villages across the district have enthusiastically joined the training. The participants arrived at the venue the previous night, showing their eagerness to learn. The training is being imparted by Shri Krishnareddy Garu, an experienced Archaka who has undergone priest training at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) three times. The entire program is being meticulously organized and facilitated by the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF), with GHHF National General Secretary Shri Thunuguntla Rajesh and Shri Tota Ramakrishna Garu, a GHHF activist from Alluri Sitarama Raju district, overseeing all arrangements on the ground.

The day began early for the participants, who woke up before sunrise, completed their morning ablutions, and engaged in a brief session of meditation, setting a spiritual tone for the training ahead. Following a simple tiffin, the forenoon session was dedicated to introductions. Each participant introduced themselves, sharing their village origin and their strong motivations for undertaking this Archaka training.

A common thread emerged from the participants' sharing: they hail from remote villages deep within the forests, where travel and access are extremely difficult. Many villages lack proper temples, with residents often worshipping small idols or revering nature, seeing the divine in trees, anthills, and stones. They expressed that because it is difficult for priests from outside to travel to their remote locations to perform pujas, they felt compelled to take this training themselves to be able to perform worship properly in their own villages.

Significantly, several participants also spoke of the challenges posed by Christian missionaries. They noted that due to the lack of temples, their isolated location in the forests, and their limited awareness of Hindu scriptures, missionaries are attempting to convert their communities. They explicitly stated that a key motivation for taking this training is to deepen their understanding of Hindutva and empower themselves to resist these conversion efforts.

The afternoon session, after lunch, delved into the core aspects of temple worship. The participants were introduced to the important concept of Shodashopacharas – the sixteen steps of respectful service offered to the deity during Puja. The day's learning concluded in the evening with a devotional Bhajan session.

GHHF has generously sponsored the entire program, providing the training completely free of cost. They have also made comprehensive arrangements for the participants' comfortable stay at the Vidyalayam-Devalayam, including providing nutritious meals, tea, and tiffin throughout the five days. Considering the participants' poverty, GHHF also covered their travel expenses. This initiative by GHHF aims to empower the ST community, enable them to preserve their religious traditions, and strengthen their resistance against external pressures.

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