is it time for female purohithars in our community

[kunjuppu]

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We are not the first to face this query. Whether to allow, the hitherto mens only club, of purohitham, to break ranks, and all females.

Considering the low esteem with which we treat our priests, I am wondering, there that itself is a barrier to female entry. There is no attraction in the job, though, these days, in the urban areas, it might bring a decent income. Another barrier, could be the still antiquated attitude that many of us have towards menstruation.

If our women can be doctors, which is a much more demanding field, especially as it deals with life and wellbeing, and we trust ourselves to a female, irrespective of the time of the month, to me this should be a non issue. Though I could be a population of one, advocating this.

I don’t think anyone would even deem in today’s world, the capacity of women to master the vedas. Though I have heard that gayatri should not uttered the la femme.

Again, maybe the women might do a better job – re enunciation and honesty with respect to the rituals and maintaining a decorum, sans cell phones and வம்பு பேச்சு on the side.

 

[prasad1]

Leicester's first female Hindu priest conducts weddings


Chanda Vyas is hoping to inspire other women to become Hindu priests
Think about the last wedding you attended. Chances are it was conducted by a male priest.
However, women are becoming more and more prominent as worship leaders in all faiths in England.
And now a woman from Leicester is taking on the largely male strong hold of Hindu priesthood.

Hindu Women Priests
Hindu Priests, known as ‘Pandits or Pujari,’ are traditionally men and it is etched in the mind of many Hindus that only men can do the traditional pujas. It is true that the puja in temples and other auspicious ceremonies like marriage and housewarming are performed by men but it does not mean that Hindu women cannot become priests. There is nothing in the Hindu scriptures that bars Hindu women from taking up the job of a priest. And a slow change is taking place in Hinduism with more and more women taking up the position of priests and what is even more encouraging is that many Hindus are welcoming the change - there are thousands of Hindu Women performing pujas in Pune, Nagpur, Nashik and Mumbai. Pune has several institutions training women to become priests.
In the sai temple in my town, all puja's are conducted by women priest.
In Arya Samaj there have been women priest for last 50 years.

Shashi Tandon was born in Multan, which was then in India, and raised in New Delhi. Her mother taught her how to do daily fire rituals. She concedes that she didn't like it very much at first. However, once she learned the meaning, she felt a desire to be a priest. She studied in an ashram, learned the scriptures and received training to perform all 16 samskaras, the sacraments or rites of passage for every Hindu. Later, she opened a school for poor girls to teach them the Hindu faith. She is an ordained priest in Chicago.
I started a thread
http://www.tamilbrahmins.com/general-discussions/9519-hindu-women-priest.html#post149558

 

[tbs]

hi
Again, maybe the women might do a better job – re enunciation and honesty with respect to the rituals and maintaining a decorum, sans cell phones and வம்பு பேச்சு on the side.

there is no gurantee even for VAMBU PECHHU....new problem may be start....yajamaan may start LOVE WITH WOMAN PUROHIT....

i agreed that women are combat military in USA...front line of war....but some new consequences may face.....i heard

that there are women purohits in pune, maharastra and in arya samaj too...women purohits may be exploited and raped too...

but its easy for male purohits can get gal from woman purohits....becoz like doctors....same professional ,,,,,

 

[mskmoorthy]

Here is a Hindu Priestess officiating a wedding in Hawaii
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/03/fashion/weddings/gitika-ahuja-rajeev-kaul-weddings.html

 

[kunjuppu]

Here is a Hindu Priestess officiating a wedding in Hawaii
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/03/fashion/weddings/gitika-ahuja-rajeev-kaul-weddings.html

murthy,

it was this ad that caught my eye and made me initiate this thread.

i have a south african tamil friend whose grandmother was a priestes of a local mariamman temple in durban. i have heard of female priests in rural areas of tamil nadu for temples dedicated to the local diety.

but i had not heard of such for the vathiars who come for amavasai or poonal or such stuff.

if such were to happen, would we patronize them?

 

[SANDHYAV]

defenitely, number of business meetings at the priest association will be less as well. quoted from women in business!

 

[sangom]

Female purohitars may officiate only if the Yajamaani wears poonal and performs the function/rite. Then what will you do, Kunjuppu?

And a male may not be necessary at all in the future.

 

[C RAVI]

Female purohitars may officiate only if the Yajamaani wears poonal and performs the function/rite. Then what will you do, Kunjuppu?

And a male may not be necessary at all in the future.

Replace all Masculine Man Power with Feminine Man Power. That is, there should be no men working in any profession, it should be all by Women. This may be the right thing to give Women that they probably are looking for, to mean absolute empowerment.

Yes, all married women should wear poonal to perform the functions/rites with the help of Female purohits. This also would not create any issues regarding menstruation of female purohits because poonal wearing yajamanis are also females and may be into menstruation period while performing functions/rites.


:thumb:



All men should stay at home as home maker, watching serials or cricket or reality shows etc..etc. All they should be concerned about is - cooking, trying different recipes; eating; sleeping; supervising maid servant; do all house hold chores and look after children, delivered by their wives.

 

[P.J.]

In some village Amman Temples one can occasionally see an old woman Pujaris perform very basic rituals like doing Aarathi etc. but not in any Perumal Temple, Shiva Temple, or Anjaneya/ Ayyappa Temples.
Purohits are different from Pujaris.

A pujari performs rituals in a temple. These rituals include bathing the murtis (the statues of the gods/goddesses), performing puja, a ritualistic offering of various items to the Gods, the waving of a ghee or oil lamp also called an offering in light, known in Hinduism as aarti, before the murtis. Pujaris are often married.

A purohit, on the other hand, performs rituals and saṃskāras (sacraments) outside of the temple.There is no restriction on them living a married life.

In Tamilnadu, i have never seen any female purohits officiating samskaras like Upanayanam, Seemandham, punya vachanam etc.

However women in the city of Pune are studying the priesthood at two schools and conducting ceremonies.

Pune's revolution to allow women into the priesthood began in the early 1980s, when Shankarrao Thatte--owner of a premier marriage hall in the city, the Udyan Karyalaya--launched the Shankar Seva Samiti, a school to train female priests.
The casual approach of the male priests toward the rituals and ceremonies prompted Thatte to start four-month training courses for women. Today, Pune has two schools for female priests, Thatte's Shankar Seva Samiti and Jnana Prabodhini.
Vishwanath Gurjar, who heads the priesthood division of Jnana Prabodhini, says that women have an equal right to "moksha," the Hindu concept of the liberation of the soul from the continual cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. According to him, there is nothing in the scriptures to suggest that women are not equal to men.
Says Gurjar: "It is only the mindset of people that stops them from accepting women in certain roles." His school started out with three-month courses for female priests and has since expanded to eight months. So far, 12 classes of 30 to 35 students each have completed the course.



Indian City Opens Doorway to Female Hindu Priests | Womens eNews

 

[XLR8R]

I'm not against it - if they want to, let them. I am for full equality

All men should stay at home as home maker, watching serials or cricket or reality shows etc..etc. All they should be concerned about is - cooking, trying different recipes; eating; sleeping; supervising maid servant; do all house hold chores and look after children, delivered by their wives.

As soon as it is accepted that women will start marrying poorer and 3-4 years younger men in marriage, this is also possible

 

[sangom]

In some village Amman Temples one can occasionally see an old woman Pujaris perform very basic rituals like doing Aarathi etc. but not in any Perumal Temple, Shiva Temple, or Anjaneya/ Ayyappa Temples.
Purohits are different from Pujaris.

A pujari performs rituals in a temple. These rituals include bathing the murtis (the statues of the gods/goddesses), performing puja, a ritualistic offering of various items to the Gods, the waving of a ghee or oil lamp also called an offering in light, known in Hinduism as aarti, before the murtis. Pujaris are often married.

A purohit, on the other hand, performs rituals and saṃskāras (sacraments) outside of the temple.There is no restriction on them living a married life.

In Tamilnadu, i have never seen any female purohits officiating samskaras like Upanayanam, Seemandham, punya vachanam etc.

However women in the city of Pune are studying the priesthood at two schools and conducting ceremonies.

Pune's revolution to allow women into the priesthood began in the early 1980s, when Shankarrao Thatte--owner of a premier marriage hall in the city, the Udyan Karyalaya--launched the Shankar Seva Samiti, a school to train female priests.
The casual approach of the male priests toward the rituals and ceremonies prompted Thatte to start four-month training courses for women. Today, Pune has two schools for female priests, Thatte's Shankar Seva Samiti and Jnana Prabodhini.
Vishwanath Gurjar, who heads the priesthood division of Jnana Prabodhini, says that women have an equal right to "moksha," the Hindu concept of the liberation of the soul from the continual cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. According to him, there is nothing in the scriptures to suggest that women are not equal to men.
Says Gurjar: "It is only the mindset of people that stops them from accepting women in certain roles." His school started out with three-month courses for female priests and has since expanded to eight months. So far, 12 classes of 30 to 35 students each have completed the course.



Indian City Opens Doorway to Female Hindu Priests | Womens eNews

The problem in Hinduism which is usually called Sanatana Dharma, is that it can be interpreted in any way by anybody. If one goes strictly by the surname, vishwanath gurjar is most likely an Arya Samajist. His argument that women have equal right to moksha and so they can also ne purohits is a specious argument because many of the Dharmasastras lay down that "pourohityam" is a lowly avocation which will cause a lot of sin to one. Hence ladies will delay their moksha by taking to pourohityam.

If ladies become purohitaas, then they will have yajnopaveetham also. It will then follow that the yajamaani, the wife of the householder who intends to perform a certain rite, should also have a poonal. All these reforms will change the highly cherished sanatanatva of the hindu dharma.

Any takers from our conservative members?

 

[prasad1]

Sorry to disappoint you, but it is my POV.

In todays world (not in Tamil Nadu) we had a marriage. The girl was raised by the widowed mother. The girl insisted that she has to given away by her mother (she did not want any other member of her family to do it). Some of the purohitars refused, but she found one, who was more than happy to accomodate her wishes. The marriage was beautiful, and she & her husband just celebrated 10 wedding anniversary.

I wish I had her guts, as my widowed mother excused herself and let my brother officiate during my marriage.

Who said yajnopaveetham, is needed for anything concerning Moksha.

 

[P.J.]

yajnopaveetham is nothing to do with Moksha, but for performing Hindu Smaskaras, one should have yajnopaveetham.



[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]He who has not been initiated should not pronounce any Vedic text excepting those required for the performance of funeral rites, since he is on a level with a Sudra before his birth from the Veda. II.172

[/FONT]http://www.hinduism.co.za/sacred1.htm

It is up to one's belief to follow this or to leave it.

 

[sangom]

Sorry to disappoint you, but it is my POV.

In todays world (not in Tamil Nadu) we had a marriage. The girl was raised by the widowed mother. The girl insisted that she has to given away by her mother (she did not want any other member of her family to do it). Some of the purohitars refused, but she found one, who was more than happy to accomodate her wishes. The marriage was beautiful, and she & her husband just celebrated 10 wedding anniversary.

I wish I had her guts, as my widowed mother excused herself and let my brother officiate during my marriage.

Who said yajnopaveetham, is needed for anything concerning Moksha.

I think we, following the example set by Shri Visvanath Gurjar, we seem to be mixing up "moksha" with purely mundane matters which may or may not be relevant to Moksha.

You are a person with justifiable pride in being a brahmin and do not even countenance the equality of all castes in a scale of intrinsic importance. Brahmins take pride in their following a very hoary tradition to the best of their scriptures and injunctions. Taking pride of one's caste and at the same time supporting those who flout the social customs/practices appear to me to be contradictory.

 

[prasad1]

Progress comes with a price. As a human being we all have our contradictions, and I will be first one to admit it.
But we must progress or be left behind as ancient relics.

PJji,
We quote veda when it is convenient to us, otherwise coolly ignore it.
Just like you posted elsewhere, how many of us follow veda in our day to day life.

 

[Brahmanyan]

Is it time for female purohithars in our community

Arya Samaj trains women priests to perform all ceremonies. I have seen a woman Priest sent by Arya Samaj performing Gruhapravesam Ceremony.

Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

 

[jaisiyaraam]

Namaste Prasad1ji,

Just like you posted elsewhere, how many of us follow veda in our day to day life.

I believe it is ironic that people that recommend amendments (for their convenience? for progress of human kind?) to vedas, take pride in vedas and quote vedas (for self assertion? for affiliation to elite group-heritage? for gaining acceptance?).

There is no relationship between yagnopaveetam and moksham ie just yagnopaveetam wont guarantee moksham.
Moksham can be attained by all ashramas (brahmachari, gruhastu, vanaprastha and sanyasi) as well as by all varnas (brahmana, kshatriya, vaishya and sudra).

Thanks,
Jai SiyaRaam

 

[Iyyarooraan]

In the eyes of god everything is same. Why not ladies? We yet do not know whether god wants us to do all the rituals. When the rushis initiated these things they wanted to bring the wayward people into orderly livings. In these days gadgets and gizmozs can help any gruhastan to do things himself. One thing is certain there will be more men to do these ordained duties with the permission of the Ejamaani if lady purohit take up the job. If it comes to that, Ejamaani can also replace the ejamaanan. Changes are welcome even if changes will bring problems!

 

[Iyyarooraan]

If everybody wants to sit in the palanquin, who will carry it? In an automobile, which is life - the steering wheel, engine, wheels, tyres/tubes, wheel hubs or the bolts or the nuts or what else? Or the driver without auto? Or the auto without driver? Robot or Remote Control?

 

[sangom]

Some of our members are acutely conscious of the challenges faced by the tabra male youth today in studies, scholarships, jobs and so on. If girls from all castes start posing a challenge even in the vedapathasalas, what will happen to our young boys? That is my worry.

 

[prasad1]

In the eyes of god everything is same. Why not ladies? We yet do not know whether god wants us to do all the rituals. When the rushis initiated these things they wanted to bring the wayward people into orderly livings. In these days gadgets and gizmozs can help any gruhastan to do things himself. One thing is certain there will be more men to do these ordained duties with the permission of the Ejamaani if lady purohit take up the job. If it comes to that, Ejamaani can also replace the ejamaanan. Changes are welcome even if changes will bring problems!

Yes there are problems with changes, but changes are inevitable, in spite of us.

 

[prasad1]

Sangom sir,
I am not arguing with you but we have different perspective.
You said I am contradicting myself, I may be, but I am willing to own it.
I do the so called "religious rites" for social reasons. So there might be contradiction in the eyes of the beholder. For instance I will conduct a religious wedding for social reasons. My friends and family expects me to do it.
When I turned 60 everybody in my family was expecting me to do a sathistapoorty function. I refused to celebrate a birthday as wedding anniversary. Instead I took everybody of my family to visit Kanchipuram and Lunch on the way. So I rebelled against TB tradition. To me that is not a contradiction.
If my child wants a women priest for their wedding I have no objection, and if they want to get married in a civil ceremony I will have to accept that too. But still I have to meet my social obligation so I may still have to do a reception. Life is lot of uncertainties.

 

[P.J.]

Progress comes with a price. As a human being we all have our contradictions, and I will be first one to admit it.
But we must progress or be left behind as ancient relics.

PJji,
We quote veda when it is convenient to us, otherwise coolly ignore it.
Just like you posted elsewhere, how many of us follow veda in our day to day life.

Sir

The Op is about Women purohits not about anyone following Vedas


In Vedic times women and men were equal as far as education and religion was concerned. Women participated in the public sacrifices alongside men. One text mentions a female rishi Visvara. Some Vedic hymns, are attributed to women such as Apala, the daughter of Atri, Ghosa, the daughter of Kaksivant or Indrani, the wife of Indra. Apparently in early Vedic times women also received the sacred thread and could study the Vedas. The Haritasmrti mentions a class of women called brahmavadinis who remained unmarried and spent their lives in study and ritual.

Panini's distinction between arcarya (a lady teacher) and acaryani (a teacher's wife), and upadhyaya (a woman preceptor) and upadhyayani ( a preceptor's wife) indicates that women at that time could not only be students but also teachers of sacred lore. He mentions the names of several noteworthy women scholars of the past such as Kathi, Kalapi, and Bahvici. The Upanishads refer to several women philosophers, who disputed with their male colleagues such as Vacaknavi, who challenged Yajnavalkya. The Rig Veda also refers to women engaged in warfare.

One queen Bispala is mentioned, and even as late a witness as Megasthenes (fifth century B.C. E.) mentions heavily armed women guards protecting Chandragupta's palace.

So there is no bar in Women becoming a Purohit or Vaitheega provided they also undergo the training under a competent Guru after they also undergo Upanayanam.

Hindu Wisdom - Women in Hinduism

 

[tbs]

hi
now a days...EVERYBODY THINK ABOUT GARGI/KAATYAYANI OF YESTERYEARS WOMEN SANSKRIT SCHOLARS.....GAARGI RAREST

IN WOMEN FOLK....

 

[Govinda]

Sir

So there is no bar in Women becoming a Purohit or Vaitheega provided they also undergo the training under a competent Guru after they also undergo Upanayanam.

Hindu Wisdom - Women in Hinduism

I always read, the purohit/archaka in front of agni/deity should sport a upavita, 12 puNDrams/marks on a bare-chest. Was Gargee, just saintly or a scholar or a purohit/bhattar? any ref?