The first rays of sunlight had not yet appeared on the horizon when the ancient city of Chennai slowly began waking up.
The streets were still calm, the air carrying a pleasant coolness that was rarely felt later in the day.
A gentle breeze drifted through the city as devotees from various parts of Tamil Nadu made their way toward one of the most sacred temples in the region.
Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Temple.
Located in Triplicane, Chennai, the temple stood as one of the most important Vaishnavite shrines in India.
Revered as one of the 108 Divya Desams, it held immense spiritual significance among devotees of Lord Vishnu.
For centuries, worshippers had visited this sacred place seeking blessings, prosperity, and divine guidance.
The temple’s history stretched back well over a thousand years.
Ancient dynasties had contributed to its construction and expansion, leaving behind magnificent architecture that reflected the rich heritage of South India.
Intricate carvings decorated the towering gopurams while countless stories from Hindu scriptures were immortalized in stone.
The presiding deity, Lord Parthasarathy, was worshipped as Lord Krishna in his role as Arjuna’s charioteer during the Mahabharata.
Because of this connection, many families considered the temple highly auspicious for important milestones in life, including weddings, naming ceremonies, and blessings for newborn children.
Today, however, the temple was particularly lively.
The reason was simple.
The youngest son of Megastar Chiranjeevi was about to receive his name.
Inside one of the temple’s designated ceremonial halls, priests moved about preparing various items required for the sacred rituals.
Brass lamps glowed softly while the fragrance of sandalwood, jasmine flowers, and burning incense filled the atmosphere.
The chanting of Vedic hymns echoed throughout the temple complex.
It created an atmosphere that felt both peaceful and divine.
Meanwhile, a certain baby was struggling to keep his eyes open.
Ram let out another tiny yawn.
It was barely five in the morning.
In his previous life, he would have still been sleeping peacefully under a blanket at this hour.
Unfortunately, nobody seemed interested in asking for his opinion today.
His family had arrived at the temple long before sunrise.
As a result, he was currently fighting a losing battle against sleep.
The moment his eyes closed, somebody would pick him up.
The moment he relaxed, another relative would arrive.
Ram seriously suspected that babies had fewer human rights than adults.
At that moment, his grandmother Anjana Devi gently adjusted the silk cloth wrapped around him.
“My grandson is already sleepy,” she said affectionately.
Surekha smiled while sitting beside her.
“He’s been awake since we left the house.”
Ram wanted to nod in agreement.
Unfortunately, he lacked the necessary neck strength.
All he could do was blink helplessly.
Nearby, several priests approached the family and respectfully informed them that the preparations for the Naamkarana Pooja had begun.
According to tradition, the rituals would take place after the morning Abhishekam and prayers.
Everything had been arranged according to the temple’s customs and auspicious timings.
Naturally, this meant everyone immediately became busy.
Ram soon found himself being carried away by his mother, grandmother, and aunts.
The women of the family were responsible for helping prepare him for the sacred ceremony.
Warm water infused with traditional herbs had been prepared for the baby’s ceremonial cleansing.
While the ritual itself was simple, every step carried symbolic meaning rooted in generations of tradition.
Ram quietly endured the process.
At least the warm water felt comfortable.
His grandmother carefully applied a small amount of turmeric paste while chanting prayers for his health and future happiness.
His aunts fussed over every detail.
His mother watched with a smile that never seemed to leave her face.
For a brief moment, Ram could see the happiness in her eyes.
It wasn’t difficult to understand why.
Today was one of the most important days in a mother’s life.
While the women handled Ram’s preparations, the men were equally occupied elsewhere.
Pawan Kalyan looked as though he had been assigned ten different jobs simultaneously.
The young man moved around the temple carrying ceremonial items from one place to another.
Every few minutes somebody called his name and handed him another responsibility.
“Pawan!”
“The coconuts.”
“Pawan!”
“The flowers.”
“Pawan!”
“The priest is asking for the offering plates.”
Ram almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
Watching his uncle run around in circles was surprisingly entertaining.
On the other side of the temple complex, Nagendra Babu was busy managing guest arrivals.
Several family friends had already begun reaching the temple.
Every few minutes he checked the entrance, spoke with organizers, and confirmed seating arrangements.
Compared to Pawan’s visible suffering, Nagendra Babu looked much calmer.
Though Ram noticed his uncle occasionally muttering under his breath whenever a new complication appeared.
Meanwhile, Chiranjeevi was already participating in another prayer ceremony alongside his father.
Dressed in a cream-colored silk kurta paired with a traditional white dhoti featuring a golden border, he looked every bit the respected family man.
The usual aura of a film star was absent today.
Instead, he appeared as a devoted son, husband, and father.
Beside him sat Konidela Venkat Rao.
The family patriarch maintained his dignified presence while carefully observing every detail of the rituals.
Watching the pair together, Ram couldn’t help noticing how similar they looked.
The same determination.
The same strong sense of responsibility.
The same unwavering focus.
Soon, Ram’s own preparations were completed.
A small silk kurta had been specially tailored for him.
The fabric was soft and comfortable against his skin.
A matching dhoti-style bottom completed the traditional outfit.
Although he was still a baby, the outfit made him look surprisingly adorable.
At least according to everyone around him.
His mother was equally stunning.
Surekha wore a magnificent Kanjeevaram silk saree woven with intricate golden patterns.
Traditional jewelry completed her appearance while fresh jasmine flowers adorned her hair.
Several women nearby openly admired her appearance.
She simply smiled modestly and focused her attention on her son.
As the auspicious hour approached, Ram was finally brought to the ceremonial area.
His father and mother sat together before the sacred fire.
Ram was placed comfortably between them.
The priests began chanting Vedic mantras.
The atmosphere immediately became solemn.
Even the surrounding conversations grew quieter.
Just then, another family arrived.
Ram recognized them instantly.
Kamal Haasan.
Sarika.
And little Shruthi.
Unlike her usual energetic self, Shruthi appeared unusually well-behaved today.
Dressed in a tiny traditional outfit, she looked adorable enough to attract attention from everyone present.
The moment she noticed Ram, her eyes brightened.
She immediately pointed toward him.
“Abba!”
“Ba-ba!”
The baby words made several adults laugh.
Sarika shook her head helplessly.
Meanwhile, Sushmita stood nearby staring curiously at the magnificent temple architecture.
Her eyes constantly wandered between the towering pillars, colorful carvings, and rows of oil lamps.
Everything seemed fascinating to the young girl.
As more guests gradually arrived, the atmosphere inside the temple became increasingly lively.
And among those arriving were some of the biggest names in South Indian cinema.
The ceremony was about to become far grander than Ram had imagined.
As the auspicious hour slowly approached, the number of guests arriving at Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Temple continued to increase.
What had initially been a peaceful religious gathering was gradually transforming into a grand assembly of some of the most influential families in South Indian cinema.
Even the temple staff looked slightly surprised by the sheer number of notable personalities entering the sacred premises.
Fortunately, everyone maintained proper decorum inside the temple.
Despite their fame and status, the guests understood the significance of the occasion.
Conversations remained respectful, voices were kept low, and everyone followed the traditions expected within the holy temple grounds.
The atmosphere retained its spiritual essence despite the presence of so many celebrities.
The first major family to arrive after Kamal Haasan was the legendary Nandamuri family.
Leading them was Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, widely known as N.T.
Rama Rao or simply NTR.
To countless Telugu households, he was more than just an actor.
Through decades of iconic performances portraying Hindu deities and historical figures, he had become a symbol of Telugu pride and culture.
Beside him stood his wife Lakshmi Parvathi, while several members of the Nandamuri family followed closely behind.
Accompanying them was Balakrishna along with his wife Vasundhara Devi.
Even at a glance, Balakrishna carried the same commanding presence that made him one of Telugu cinema’s biggest stars.
Nearby stood Harikrishna and his wife Lakshmi, greeting familiar faces from the industry as they entered.
The arrival of the Nandamuri family immediately drew respectful attention from many guests.
Soon after, another legendary family entered the temple.
The Akkineni family.
At the center stood Akkineni Nageswara Rao, fondly known throughout the industry as ANR.
Revered as one of the founding pillars of Telugu cinema, his contributions to Indian filmmaking were immeasurable.
Beside him stood his wife Annapurna Akkineni, while Nagarjuna and Amala Akkineni followed closely behind.
Nagarjuna exchanged warm greetings with Chiranjeevi and several other guests.
The friendly atmosphere reflected the mutual respect shared among the leading families of the Telugu film industry.
Meanwhile, Ram observed everything with fascination.
In his previous life, he had only seen these people on television screens and movie posters.
Yet today, they were all standing only a few meters away from him.
The experience felt surreal.
The next arrivals belonged to the famous Ghattamaneni family.
Krishna Ghattamaneni entered alongside his wife Indira Devi.
The veteran superstar’s presence immediately attracted attention from younger actors and industry members alike.
Following behind him were his sons, Ramesh Babu and a young Mahesh Babu.
Ram’s eyes immediately focused on Mahesh.
The future superstar was still a child, around eleven or twelve years old.
Unlike the confident actor he would eventually become, the young Mahesh looked slightly shy while quietly observing the crowd around him. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Ram couldn’t help feeling amused.
Who would have thought that one day both of them would become major stars of Telugu cinema?
Of course, nobody present could possibly know that.
Not even Mahesh himself.
The arrival of the Allu family brought another wave of greetings.
Allu Ramalingaiah entered with his wife Kanaka Ratnam, receiving warm respect from everyone present.
Widely regarded as one of Telugu cinema’s greatest comedians, his contributions to the industry had earned admiration across generations.
Beside him stood Allu Aravind and his wife Nirmala Allu.
As close relatives of the Konidela family, they naturally received special attention from Chiranjeevi and the rest of the household.
Soon afterward came the Daggubati family.
D.
Ramanaidu arrived alongside his wife Rajeswari Daggubati.
As one of India’s most successful film producers, his influence extended far beyond Telugu cinema.
Accompanying him was Venkatesh and his wife Neeraja Daggubati, both of whom warmly congratulated Chiranjeevi on the occasion.
By now, the temple courtyard had become extraordinarily lively.
Yet the arrivals were far from over.
From Tamil cinema came some of the biggest names in the industry.
Rajinikanth arrived with his wife Latha Rajinikanth.
Despite his enormous fame, he carried himself with remarkable simplicity.
His warm smile and humble demeanor instantly put people at ease.
Walking beside him was Sivaji Ganesan and his wife Kamala Ganesan.
For many younger actors present, simply seeing these legends together felt like witnessing living history.
Not long after, Vijayakanth arrived alongside his wife Premalatha Vijayakanth.
Several discussions immediately began regarding recent films and industry developments as old friends reunited.
Ram quietly listened to snippets of conversation while sitting comfortably in his mother’s lap.
For someone who loved cinema, this gathering was practically a dream come true.
The arrivals continued from neighboring film industries as well.
Representing Kannada cinema was the legendary Dr.
Rajkumar and his wife Parvathamma Rajkumar.
Often regarded as the face of Kannada cinema, his influence on Sandalwood was unmatched.
Following them were Vishnuvardhan and Bharathi Vishnuvardhan, Ambareesh and Sumalatha Ambareesh, along with Shivarajkumar and Geetha Shivarajkumar.
Each arrival was greeted with warmth and respect.
These were not merely actors.
They were icons who had shaped the film industries of entire states.
Adding further prestige to the occasion was the arrival of Shankar Nag’s family.
Though known for his immense creativity and contributions to cinema, he was equally respected for his vision and dedication to storytelling.
Meanwhile, representatives from the Malayalam film industry also began arriving.
Mohanlal entered with his wife Suchitra Mohanlal.
Even at this stage of his career, he was already regarded as one of the finest performers in Indian cinema.
Soon after came Mammootty and his wife Sulfath Mammootty.
The presence of both stars instantly drew attention.
After all, these two men represented the very pinnacle of Malayalam cinema.
Following them were legendary figures such as Prem Nazir and his wife Habeeba, along with veteran actor Madhu and his wife Vimala Madhu.
Their arrival completed what was arguably one of the most prestigious gatherings South Indian cinema had ever witnessed.
As the guests settled into their designated areas, conversations filled the temple courtyard.
Industry veterans exchanged stories.
Families greeted old friends.
Children played under the watchful eyes of their parents.
The atmosphere felt warm and celebratory.
Meanwhile, Ram sat quietly in his mother’s lap while absorbing everything around him.
He could hardly believe what he was witnessing.
In his previous life, attending an event with even one superstar would have been unimaginable.
Yet today, dozens of legendary actors from multiple industries had gathered for his naming ceremony.
The sheer scale of the occasion left him speechless.
Beside him, Shruthi once again spotted him and immediately began trying to crawl in his direction.
Sarika quickly stopped her daughter before she could cause trouble.
This only made Shruthi pout unhappily.
Sushmita found the entire situation hilarious and began giggling uncontrollably.
Ram immediately sensed danger.
Whenever Sushmita looked that happy, it usually meant she was about to create some kind of trouble.
Fortunately, before she could act, the chief priest approached the family.
The auspicious time had arrived.
The sacred Naamkarana ritual was about to begin.
The chanting of Vedic mantras gradually echoed through the temple hall once more.
Every conversation slowly came to an end.
Every guest turned their attention toward the ceremonial platform.
And sitting at the center of it all, Ram felt his heart fill with anticipation.
Because in only a few moments…
He would officially receive the name that would accompany him throughout this new life.
To Be Continued…
Author’s Note:
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