Thread: temple priests

Alexevelyn:

What the hell is this all about? You must have wandered into the wrong site!!

Dear Friends,
I agree with you that the temple agamas should be followed and no government has the right to change them.But I have a few thoughts about temple priests to share with you:-
1. Most of them are extremely poor. Since they are trained only in Agamas, most of them cannot become Purohiths.
2.The Brahmin society looks down upon the temple priests asa comunity. It is almost impossible for a temple priest to get an educated working bride.It is also extremely difficult to get his children married(boy or girl) for a temple priest.
3.Most of us are not concerned about their welfare.
P.R.Ramachander

To Ramchandar,
nice reply.
you are right.
we agree.
let us start finding sources of improvments.
one such way is education .
thank you .
GPS

Friends,

What is wrong if people from other castes become priests?If they are trained in chanting manthras and temple rituals what else do we need?When people from other castes can become scientists and doctors by training and education,why not temple priests?

I think such a move will strengthen our religion and also will go a long way in removing the bhramin-nonbhramin divide.I hope that this law is made applicable to all temples in India.

Dear Friend,
All these practices are a matter of faith and not logic.Our Agama sasthras say that a particular community should do pooja.We have faith in these sasthras.Similar to this is
a.The mariamma temples , the poojari belongs to another caste
b.ManiyakkaraN OF A VILLAGE BELONGS TO ANOTHER CASTE
c.WE remove our shirt while doing religious duties
d.We cover our heads while entering Gurudwara
and so on
Let us respect our faith.Ramachander

Dear Ramachandar,

Is a muslim free to follow his faith of jihad?Or is a hindu woman free to follow her faith in sathi,child marriages,and preventing widow remarriages?

Any faith can be followed as long as it is not affecting others,or discriminating others unfairly.If anybody changes his poonol according to shastras inside his house or marries a woman of his caste they all cannot be prevented by anybody.

But we cannot impose our faith on others.How can I tell to somebody who belongs to other caste that "you are not allowed to do poojas,because it is my faith?".Our faith should be in our heart.It should not come out in public affecting or discriminatring others.

If somebody prevents dalits from entering temples citing same agamas and shastras is it fair?If somebody follows untouchability citing agamas and shastras is it fair?

Blind faith will destroy our society.Blind faith can be followed in private,but it cannot be imposed on another person.


In a democracy nobody has any rights to say "you should not do a lawful profession,because it is my faith".

Originally Posted by Ramachander

Dear Friend,
All these practices are a matter of faith and not logic.Our Agama sasthras say that a particular community should do pooja.We have faith in these sasthras.Similar to this is
a.The mariamma temples , the poojari belongs to another caste
b.ManiyakkaraN OF A VILLAGE BELONGS TO ANOTHER CASTE
c.WE remove our shirt while doing religious duties
d.We cover our heads while entering Gurudwara
and so on
Let us respect our faith.Ramachander

How did dalits become poojaris in mariamman temples?They built their own temples because they were not allowed entry into temples till 1947.They became poojaris of their own temples because none of the us were willing to become poojaris in temples in slums.As a result they started offering liqour,meat and arrack to our gods ,because thats what they eat and none of us educated them about how to do poojas are ahamas.

So what is the point in saying dalits only are poojaris in mariamman temple?How many of us are willing to become poojaris in dalit temples?Dont cite salary as a reason for not working there.when dalit poojaris can work for a pittance anybody can work like that.They do such a job because of their love on mariamman.Whose devotion is higher?Ours or his?

Men not wearing shirts inside temples and covering heads in gurudvaras is common for all men.If anybody says "only upper caste men should remove shirts" it is discrimination.But saying "lower caste men cannot do poojas is discrimination based on caste".Both cannot be equated.

Dear Friend,
What you say is not quite correct. Mariamman temples , Ayyanar Temples etc had their own priests who are not brahmins(not always dalits) long , long before anything was known about rights of individuals. I am sorry that you are misunderstanding my intention. The faith that a Brahmin was to be a priest, even today , is not only held by brahmins but good number of others.As I told in the first letter , these brahmin priess are the poorest lot, who do not have recognition in the society they live.Very few temples have good income. Ramachander

Dear Ramachandar,

My only contention is why should there be seperate temples for dalits to worship the same god which all of us worship?Why arent dalit priests allowed to do pooja in big temples?In what way are they inferior?

I dont know how many people still feel only bhramins have to be priests.Tamilnadu assembly which is representative of people has passed this resolution unanimously.Supreme court,the highest legal authority in our country has given this judgment.