Temple Trailblazers: Women Priests In Tamil Nadu

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Women Priests in temples will conduct puja and other rituals in some temples in Tamil Nadu in a year. Breaking new grounds, 23 year old Ramya, a Post-graduate in Mathematics could well be among the first set of three women to be appointed as temple priests in Tamil Nadu, in southern India. She is excited that she has successfully completed the one year long studies at the temple at Srirangam, Trichy.

Her father is a Tailor and mother a Home Maker. She told tellmystory.in “I had always wanted to serve the Lord at the temple. I am proud I’d 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. We want the public too to support us”.

The three young women Ramya, Krishnaveni and Ranjitha who pursued the course in Tamil and Sanskrit will be trained in temples for a year before they are formally appointed as Assistant Priests. Krishnaveni a Mathematics graduate said “I thank the Tamil Nadu Government to make it possible for people of all castes to become temple priests. The public should accept this and support us”. Ranjitha a Viscom graduate said “I’d be happy to speak after I become a Priest”.

This was possible after the ruling DMK in the state opened academic avenues for people of all castes to become temple priests. With women breaking barriers and attempting to bring about gender equality in this male dominant space.

Chief Minister M K Stalin said “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!…women are also now stepping into the sanctums, bringing a new era of inclusivity and equality”.

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