Respectful P.K. Sekar Babu, Minister for HR & CE, Government of Tamil Nadu presented the appointment orders, to the trained women priests.
Heralding the era of inclusivity and equality, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Government in Tamil Nadu has decided to appoint women as priests in temples. After appointing Ms Suhanjana as the first female non-Brahmin Odhuvar in a temple in August 2021, the Tamil Nadu government in another historic move, is all set to appoint three women as priests in temples administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) Department. S. Krishnaveni, S.Ramya and Ranjitha were part of the 2022-23 batch of the 94 candidates who had successfully completed a one-year training programme at the Government run Archaka Training School at the Sri Ranganathar Temple in Srirangam and are all set to become women priests. This would not only break new grounds but would end the existing ‘only male Archakas tradition’ in temples.
“Despite women’s achievements as pilots and astronauts, they were barred from the ‘sacred role’ of temple priests, deemed impure, even in the temples for female deities. But change is finally here! In Tamil Nadu, as our Dravidian Model government has removed the thorn from Thanthai Periyar’s heart by appointing people of all castes as priets, women are also now stepping into the sanctums, bringing a new era of inclusivity and equality,” Chief Minister MK Stalin said in a post in X (formally Twitter).
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Ramya, a post-graduate in mathematics is excited that she is part of the government’s historic decision to appoint women as priests in temples. Her father is a tailor and mother a homemaker. “I had always wanted to serve the Lord at the temple. I am proud I would be among the first few women priests in temples. We want this opportunity for other women aspirants too. The state government supports us despite opposition and we want the public too to support us,” she said. Krishnaveni, a mathematics graduate thanked the DMK government for making it possible for people of all castes to become temple priests and paving way for women too. Hailing from a non-Brahmin family, she said her grandfather, father and uncle have been priests at an Amman Temple in her village in Cuddalore district. “When my family said the government has opened a training school for Archakas and women too can join, I grabbed the opportunity”, she said. Ranjitha, a visual communication graduate said the public should accept “women becoming priests and support us.” The three young women who pursued the course in Tamil and Sanskrit will be trained in temples for a year before they are appointed as priests.
HR & CE Minister PK Sekar Babu who distributed the certificates to the three women and others at a function in Chennai on September 12, 2023 said “when these women applied for the course, we had interviewed them and found that they had the right aptitude to study and work as Bhattars. They attended the course regularly,” he said.
On September 25, 2023, the Minister handed over appointment orders to five more women Odhuvars. After the DMK came to power in May 2021, the HR & CE Department has appointed 39 Odhuvars in temples under its administration. In addition, 15 more Odhuvars, including five women were appointed on September 25, Mr.Sekar Babu said. With this, 10 women Odhuvars have been appointed in temples administered by the HR & CE Department after the DMK came to power, the Minister said.
“This is yet another milestone in the journey of the Tamils towards equality. Yet another diamond in the crown of the DMK’s Social Justice achievement. In short, as appreciated by the Dravidian ideologues, this is a floral tribute for Periyar by the Dravidian Model government,” said Chief Minister MK Stalin on the appointment of women Odhuvars.
All the Odhuvars completed three years training in different temples and mutts. One of the women Odhuvars, Gomathi from West Mambalam in Chennai, said that becoming an Odhuvar was her childhood dream. “Even at a young age I used to recite Thevaram fluently and it was my childhood dream to work in temples. Now getting appointed as an Odhuvar is a dream come true for me,” she said. Her husband is also working as a temple priest in West Mambalam. Sivaranjani, from Perambalur district, said that she considered her appointment as Odhuvar was “service to God”.
Courtesy: The Rising Sun
