Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), in a historic move has has decided to appoint Dalits, Adivasis and fishermen as priests in temples it’s building across Andhra Pradesh. In a sharp departure from tradition, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is ready with its first batch of non-Brahmin priests. The priests, mainly belonging to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe are expected to assume charge soon.
Traditionally, only Brahmins can hold the distinguished position in the temple even as the Supreme Court in a landmark judgment stated that the eligibility for priesthood should be based on the knowledge of rites and traditions, and not the caste. Many temples across the country even prohibit the entry of Dalits and people from other backward communities.
About 200 people from Dalit and backward communities have undergone rigorous training for three months as part of a pilot project by the TTD management. The TTD, is training in batches more than 200 people belonging to SC, ST and fishermen communities in priesthood and other Vedic rituals and religious practices.
The Devasthanam will, however, not appoint the trained priests from the backward communities in the “regular temples” it operates. Instead, the trainees will be accommodated as priests in temples it is constructing in various Dalit colonies, tribal areas and fishermen villages across the state.
TTD has announced that it would construct 500 Sri Venkateswara temples in the agency areas of Andhra Pradesh. And these trained priests will be appointed in these temples. These Temples are being constructed with the objective to popularise and spread Sanatana Hindu Dharma and inspire the weaker sections to become partners in its propagation.
Earlier, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) in Kerala reserved 32% seats for SCs, STs and OBCs in recruitment of priests in the temples under its control, in a departure from tradition. Even Karnataka government taking the cue from Kerala has recently announced that, the state will train and appoint Dalit’s as priests. Meanwhile in Telangana Brahmin’s Associations met Chief Minister K Chandra Shekhar Reddy and gave him a letter urging him not to appoint other caste people as priests in the State.
The programme, which was taken up by the TTD’s Sri Venkateswara Employees’ Training Academy (SVETA) was launched two years ago but discontinued later.
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