Non-Brahmin priest graduate, Tirupati.

[Vinayaka]

First batch of SC-ST priests ready to take charge at Tirupati temples - Times of India

I think this is overdue. Ever since Brahmin priests had difficulty making a decent living, or simply say a much better living, outside the priesthood, the entire religion has suffered. Small village temples have closed, no priest to even do the basics. This gives decent and respectable employment to people in need of it, as well as keeps the numbers of priest up.

A while back there was another program elsewhere (Gujarat, Maharashtra?) for women.

Thoughts?

 

[LuisDantas]

Please help me with the context.

SC-ST, from the article, seems to mean "Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe", and TTD is the trust that manages a specific, traditional temple.

If I understood the article correctly, this trust took the bold but probably wise decision to part with the tradition of accepting as priests only people from the Brahmin caste in order to specifically train people from castes and tribes that it perceives as deserving some inclusion in the ranks of Hindu priests.

The goal and the hope, it would seem, is to build bridges, making Hinduism more accessible and more effective to those groups of people, and perhaps also making it better aware and better equiped to deal with those people's various needs.

How correct would such an understanding be, and how may I improve it, please?

 

[Vinayaka]

Please help me with the context.

SC-ST, from the article, seems to mean "Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe", and TTD is the trust that manages a specific, traditional temple.

If I understood the article correctly, this trust took the bold but probably wise decision to part with the tradition of accepting as priests only people from the Brahmin caste in order to specifically train people from castes and tribes that it perceives as deserving some inclusion in the ranks of Hindu priests.

The goal and the hope, it would seem, is to build bridges, making Hinduism more accessible and more effective to those groups of people, and perhaps also making it better aware and better equiped to deal with those people's various needs.

How correct would such an understanding be, and how may I improve it, please?

Pretty correct, Luis. I would add that it also addresses the shortage of priests. TTD manages a group of temples. Often what happens is a large and popular temple (In this case it's the Tirupati Venkateswara temple, the most popular temple in all of India, in terms of daily crowds, and besides other temples, it also manages many charities.) I'm pretty sure the new priests will be allocated to the smaller surrounding temples, or be used as assistants. Three months sure isn't very long for training, but they'll all continue to learn as they work, like an apprenticeship.

 

[Viraja]

Welcome change, indeed!

Priestly life is hard, priests are expected to maintain a certain discipline throughout their life, which spans into hours beyond the strict working "temple" hours... for instance, they have to wake up early to do daily rituals, control their diet to avoid non-vegetarian food and maintain this strict discipline always, wear just traditional attire (dhoti) and keep a 'shikha' for their hairstyle, etc.. and last but not least, train to not expect too much for monetary compensation. That SC-ST caste comes forward to accept this lifestyle for good in order to pursue the priestly profession is, as Luis Dantas said, a welcome change because there are certainly rewards associated with this lifestyle and masses from these groups can now be influenced via these priests to pursue the same... for example, whether or not it is scietifically proven, to my idea, the daily practice of "Gayathri Mantra" and "Sandhyavandhanam", etc, along with sattwic lifestyle promotes knowledge, intelligence and the higher self. I hope I make sense.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Tirupati Venkateswara temple is one of the most important temples of Lord Vishnu in India and it is a very welcome step to erase the caste differences at least in matter of worship. Venkateswara, IMHO, is originally a regional deity like Vitthala in Maharashtra and Jagannatha in Puri, who has merged into Hinduism. Religious schools in Kerala also are doing the same thing, preparing SC/St people for temple worship.

A while back there was another program elsewhere (Gujarat, Maharashtra?) for women. Thoughts?

Could be, but I do not remember any.

 

[Shantanu]

First batch of SC-ST priests ready to take charge at Tirupati temples - Times of India

I think this is overdue. Ever since Brahmin priests had difficulty making a decent living, or simply say a much better living, outside the priesthood, the entire religion has suffered. Small village temples have closed, no priest to even do the basics. This gives decent and respectable employment to people in need of it, as well as keeps the numbers of priest up.

A while back there was another program elsewhere (Gujarat, Maharashtra?) for women.

Thoughts?

I am very pleased about this development. Anyone should be allowed to do any job they want to, which is what priesthood is. Seeking religion is another matter. One goes to a guru for guidance on that, which is not the same as going to a temple to be served by a priest doing his rituals. Some may think however that it is impure to allow people who are not initiated in religion to serve the people through the priesthood. They can then go to another temple where they will find Brahmin priests doing these chores. So everyone will be served in a temple of their choice.

 

[atanu]

This is a radical and welcome departure that should go a long way to unify society.

 

[DeviChaaya]

I hope that in the future we see more SC/ST men and women taking up this mantle. Especially women. One day I hope for a quota for temples where 50% of the priests are women. We have something important to offer in the service of these deities and we should be allowed to do it professionally. Plus there are many small village temples that have female pujaris (I know it's technically pujarini but I'm going with the masculine here because it's easier to type!). Also, it's always struck me as odd that men serve as the priests in Devi temples, surely Ma would want to uplift Her daughters?

 

[Vinayaka]

I hope that in the future we see more SC/ST men and women taking up this mantle. Especially women. One day I hope for a quota for temples where 50% of the priests are women. We have something important to offer in the service of these deities and we should be allowed to do it professionally. Plus there are many small village temples that have female pujaris (I know it's technically pujarini but I'm going with the masculine here because it's easier to type!). Also, it's always struck me as odd that men serve as the priests in Devi temples, surely Ma would want to uplift Her daughters?

Change is slow. Widow priests in India Hindu temple

 

[Aupmanyav]

Perhaps change should be slow, otherwise it creates much turbulence.