Poojary demands more women ’poojaries’ in temples

Poojary demands more women ’poojaries’ in temples

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Oct 02, 2014:  Addressing media , Former Union Minister B Janardhana Poojary has urged the State government to appoint women belonging to SC/ST community and widows as ’poojaries’ to perform rituals in the temples coming under Muzrai department.

 

He requested the Chief Minister to take a cabinet decision on appointing of women priests. CM Siddaramaiah and Minister for Backward Caste Welfare H.Anjaneya have assured considering the possibility, he said and welcomed the move.

History has been rewritten in Kudroli Sri Gokarnanatheshwara Temple, where two women priests Lakshmi Shanthi and Chandravathi Shanthi have been appointed as priests. This was with the inspiration of God. Some people criticise the move and create confusions in the name of holy doctrines. But, devotion surpasses all barriers. Which doctrines did people like Prahlada, Valmiki and Kanakadasa master? In Kashi, all devotees are allowed inside sanctum sanctorum to perform ablution to Lord Shiva.

We should not place barriers on ourselves in the name of caste, Poojary said and added that when the Kudroli Gokarnanatha Temple took the revolutionary step of appointing widow priests belonging to SC/ST community, which was first of its kind in India, there was no objection from the greatest spiritual leaders like Pejavar seer, Dr D Veerendra Heggade or Shringeri Jagadguru, but it was from some narrow minded people, he said.

He meanwhile called upon the women to fight against superstitious beliefs and make their voice heard to the world out, as there was a need for social change.