Shastri Ji Manishbhai Pandya — Hindu priest in the UK

A marriage, a first blessing for a child, the opening of a business, the final rites for someone deeply loved. That invitation is a responsibility, and I treat it as seva — service to the family in front of me.

So I ask about your family before I ask about the date. Customs vary, and I would rather understand yours than impose one. Explanation is part of that: when younger guests, or guests from another background, understand why the fire is lit, the ceremony has been received and not just performed.

My work is rooted in Sanatan Dharma, and I specialise in traditional Gujarati Vedic ceremonies and vidhi. Families keep Vaishnav, Swaminarayan and Shaiv customs, Jain-influenced Gujarati family customs, and Patel, Lohana and Vanik community traditions, alongside other regional Gujarati practices. These are customs a family may keep, and I respect whichever yours follows. Families of other backgrounds are equally welcome. I trained at Shiva Krishna Ashram and work independently for families across the UK and abroad. Mantras are recited in Sanskrit, as tradition requires, and I can communicate in English, Gujarati, Hindi and Punjabi so that every step is understood. I am experienced in conducting and explaining ceremonies for families from North Indian and South Indian traditions.

And where practical support is needed — the materials, the timings, a conversation with a venue — I would rather carry some of that weight than leave it with you.