Chennai: After a recent anti-encroachment drive at a renowned temple in Chennai, Hindu Religious Affairs Minister PK Sekar Babu comes out with an interesting plan as for the first time, in the country, the state department is planning to deploy women priests in the temples which come under the endowment department.
Women priests in the temple is not new, said an official. A Dalit woman was appointed a priest in a temple in Mangalore City and in many other temples in the country where only women are allowed to perform prayers. This is rather seen as to break gender biases and to give social justice.
While announcing, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department said that the interested women will be offered training. “Women are also part of our society when all Hindus can become priests, women can also look forward to becoming and after getting it approved from CM MK Stalin, the government will start offering training to interested women,” said HR&CE Minister PK Sekar Babu as quoted by Times of India.
“We are checking on for the vacancies in the department, once it is done, we will call upon trained non-brahmins for priest positions,” said an official from the department.
The minister was also loud and clear in saying that trained non-brahmins in the state can also apply for the priests' positions as all the Hindus can be priests also he mentioned that this idea would co-relate with the Late CM M Karunanidhi’s ideology of breaking caste barriers.