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Non-Brahmin ‘priests’ left in the lurch
Swati Das | Chennai
SC stay stops Karunanidhi’s dream on tracks
Periyar had a dream. Being in power, the DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M Karunanidhi, thought he had fulfilled it with the passing of an order in May 2006. The plan was to demolish caste barriers in the State by training non-Brahmins to become archaka (priests) and offering them jobs in temples that come under the purview of the State Government.
But that dream of social reform lies shattered today. The Government order has been challenged by the Adi Saiva Sivacharyargal Nala Sangam, Thennindia Thirukkoil Archagargal Paripalana Sabhai and other such hereditary priests’ organisations in the Supreme Court. They secured a stay against the order. The case is pending in the court.
These organisations claim that the Government order to appoint archaka irrespective of caste or creed violates Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution that grant the right to freedom of religion.
A disappointed Tamil Nadu Government has practically disbanded the scheme. The first batch of 207 that underwent the training through centres was placed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department. The centres were opened in ancient temples like the Parthasarathy temple in Chennai.
“We have not even been issued certificates. So we are unable to find a job as an archaka in a temple. During that one-year of training we were not even allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum by the priests for practical training. In our batch of 207, only three persons got jobs as archaka and all three are Brahmins. I am a religious person and I would love to do the pujas. But now I am left with no job,” said N Pachayappan (27), a Vanniyar from Chengam in Tiruvannamalai. He comes from a very poor family and now has no option but to return to agriculture. He had studied up to 10th standard and now has not much scope in any other profession.
Similarly, Senthil Kumar (24), a Dalit from Villupuram, who was a keen student at the ‘Junior Archaka Certificate Course’, is now trying to eke out a living by doing flower decorations in marriage halls in Triplicane area of Chennai.
Not only were the students not allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum, they were not allowed to chant or sing some of the shlokas and hymns inside the temples where they were trained.
“Having given us so much hope, the Government should fight for us. It had even offered us jobs in the Government run temples. I hope it will now fight for us,” Pachayappan told The Pioneer.
Following the order in May 2006, an advertisement was published in all newspapers in the State inviting youth, irrespective of caste and creed to take part in the training. The order had declared that “suitably trained and qualified Hindus, without discrimination of caste, creed, custom or usage” would be appointed as archaka to any of the 36,000 temples that come under the HR and CE department.
These included temples like the Parthasarathy Swamy temple in Chennai, Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai, Murugan Temple in Palani and Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam (near Tiruchy). Depending on the preference for Shivite or Vaishnavite school of studies, the students were sent to the six different training centres at the temples. In mid-2007 the first batch of students was taken in, who passed out in June 2008. A monthly stipend of Rs 500 and a promise of job in a temple were offered. But because of the SC stay, the certificates have not been given to them for their priesthood studies. Further training courses have also been abandoned.
Periyar or E V Ramasamy, the father of Dravidian Movement, had envisaged the abolition of the caste barriers and equal social status for all. Towards this aim in 1971 an amendment to the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act was made to abolish the hereditary appointment of temple archaka. “No person shall be entitled to appointment to any vacancy… merely on the grounds that he is next in the line of succession to the last holder of office,” the amendment said.
The Tamil Nadu Government has countered the petitioners in Supreme Court saying that because only Brahmins were conducting religious service in temples for years did not mean that only they had the right to perform the services. According to a source in the HR and CE department, they are looking into the prospect of issuing certificates to the students who have passed out.
But that is not enough. The Government also needs to ensure jobs for these aspirants as promised. When the students faced resistance during their training, they are sure to find it difficult to get a job in any temple.
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