Historic step: Pandharpur temple allows non-Brahmin and women priests

[cobra commando]

Amidst of the Maalin tragedy, a historic development went unnoticed in Maharashtra. A path breaking leap that perhaps can be seen a strong step towards the annihilation of caste system and patriarchy that still rules the minds of India. For the first time in its history of almost nine centuries, Non- Brahmin and female priests performed the Pooja of Lord Vitthal and Rukhmini on Friday. The historic transition started with the Supreme Court verdict on January 15, 2014. The apex court had taken away the ancestral rights claimed by the Brahmin families, known as Badve and Utpat to appoint priests. After the verdict the temple trust interviewed 129 candidates for the post temple priests. Highlight of the selection process was that most of the candidates that appeared were non-Brahmins and even 16 women candidates were interviewed. Finally on Friday, five priests belonging to backward classes performed Pooja along with upper caste Brahmins at the historic Vitthal temple and 2 women priests performed pooja at the Rukhmini temple in Pandharpur. In a society that is still dominated by caste system and patriarchy, allowing women and people of lower castes to perform pooja at the temple may be seen as historic and pioneering by many. But those aware of the Maharashtra's social essence will see this development as a perfect complement to the very quintessence of the medieval Bhakti movement.
Poetry, literature and Social reforms flourished in the Bhakti movement. Saint Poet Dnyaneshwar (3th Century BC ) is seen as the pioneer of the Bhakti movement. Several great saint Poets Like Tukaram and Namdev were among others.


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Historic step: Pandharpur temple allows non-Brahmin and women priests : West, News - India Today

 

[josan420]

Re: Historic step: Pandharpur temple allows non-Brahmin and women prie

So what.... we have to open eyes...we could have female goddess and can't have female priest????? Which sacred book said that only Brahman can be Priest in a Temple???? Open your eyes bro. God created us human, he didn't created us brahman or any other caste... Brahmin hate so much to low caste people thats why many people are converting to christian and muslim.