Female Hindu priests in India are making
strides in a male-dominated profession
For centuries, many Hindu rituals have been performed by male priests. But now a few institutions
in Pune have begun offering courses to
female priests.
Chitra Lele works as a female Hindu priest
in Pune
Hindu chants ring through Pradnya Patil's
new home. It's on the 11th floor of a
luxury apartment building in Pune. In the
sunny living room, statues of Hindu gods
are arranged on the floor. A smell of
incense fills the air. A traditional house-
warming ceremony is underway.
But Pradnya Patil has broken with tradition
today - the 35-year-old has invited a
woman priest to perform the ritual. Patil is
convinced that women priests are better
than their male counterparts. "I recently attended a house-warming ceremony led by a male priest -
it took five whole hours! But women priests perform similar rituals in just one hour. They explain
the importance of the rituals and why they are still relevant. They're very sincere and committed.
Now, my relatives and even my conservative father have switched to women priests."
Chitra Lele sits on the floor in Pradnya Patil's apartment and explains the ritual in the local
language Marathi. She looks nothing like a traditional Hindu priest in austere white robes. Instead,
she wears a colorful silk sari and trendy rimless glasses.
The 41-year-old is married and has a teenage daughter.
She was drawn to the priesthood out of an interest in
Hinduism and Sanskrit. She performs all kinds of
rituals: naming ceremonies, weddings as well as
festivals.
She says female priests have struck a chord among
young urban Indians. "We women priests explain the
gist of the ritual in just one hour. We try and involve
the people watching. So we're popular among the
young generation."
Priesthood courses
Women like Chitra Lele are challenging traditional
notions of priesthood. And they are learning to do that at Pune's Dyanprabodhini center, which was
started by a social reformer. The school's imposing stone building is located in the bustling old part
of the city.
Mostly young, urban Hindus are calling the female priests for ceremonies
More than 20 women are currently enrolled in the one-year priesthood course. They come from all
Hindu castes. Most are housewives between 40 and 65 years of age. They are trained in religious
rituals and each of the 16 sacraments of Hinduism. And they’re taught Sanskrit, the country's
classical language in which the Hindu religious mantras are chanted - and which few Indians
understand.
"We have a great pleasure that women who are learning here are performing outside in society very
confidently. They are progressive but they still preserve our ancient traditions and culture also",
says Aarya Joshi, teacher of the course. The 30-year-old explains that women priests largely
perform religious ceremonies at private homes – not at temples. And they don't perform funerals or
death rites either. They are more widely accepted in big cities than in more conservative rural India.
Joshi is a Sanskrit researcher herself. She's working on her doctorate on Hindu ancestral worship.
She points out that Hinduism has never barred women from performing religious rites. There's even
mention of them in ancient religious
writings. But later men came to dominate
the profession. They declared that priests
could only be male and only from a
particular Hindu caste. That thinking
prevails till today.
"The problem occurs because I think that
people don't have an exact idea of women
priesthood", says Joshi. "They don't know
that this is an ancient tradition for the past
5,000 years. It's a typical orthodox mindset.
Some 25 percent of the people aren't ready
to accept women priesthood. But we think it
will change with the period of time, so we
have to wait for that."
EDUCATION
Starting Vedic Studies
Backed
by
scripture,
girls
get
their
sacred
thread
V.L. Manjul, Pune, India
Ten young brahmin girls received their upanayana, or thread ceremony, commencing the study of
the Vedas, on April 2, 2000. Normally this rite of passage is only for boys and not allowed for girls.
This was the first ceremony of its kind for girls in Pune, India. The followers of Shankar Seva
Samiti organized it with Vedamurti Karmabalekar Shastri as the officiating priest. The girls came
with their parents and were initiated into the Gayatri Mantra by their fathers. Many orthodox
Hindus are against this concept, but the women priests showed them ample literary references to
women's thread ceremonies and Vedic study in the ancient Vedic culture.
It was about 25 years ago, in the Ahmednagar district, that the Shanker Seva Samiti organization
began teaching women the Vedas as well as training them as priests. Now around 10,000 women
are qualified priests. Many are even more popular in the community than their male counterparts
because of their enthusiasm, concentration and devotion in doing worship.
In all four Vedas, there are references to women ascetics reciting Vedic hymns and even creating
mantras. The names of Apala, Ghosha, Shashwati and Indrani are popular in the Vedas. In the
Upanishads, Gargi and Maitraiyee are famous women ascetics. The Rig Veda (10.109.4) says,
"When a brahmin's wife wears the auspicious thread, she becomes very popular."
Other scriptures also mention women wearing the sacred thread. In the Harit Smriti it says,
"Brahmin women have the right to a sacred thread ceremony, a fire ceremony, the study of Vedas
and a right to sacred begging." The Yama Smriti says, "Performing the thread ceremony for young
girls, studying Vedas and recitation of Gayatri Mantra was allowed in ancient times."
Paraskar Grihya Sutra (4th-5th century) states, "Those females who have undergone the thread
ceremony and those who have not should sleep on their left side with their heads towards the east."
P.V. Kane, in the History of Dharmasastra, afforded this topic three-and-a-half pages. Writes Kane:
"An interesting question is whether women ever had upanayana performed, or whether they had to
wear the sacred thread. Harita Dharmasutra, as quoted in the Smriti-candrika, says, 'There are two
sorts of women. Those who are bramavadinis (students of sacred lore) and those that are
sadyovadhus (who marry straightaway). Out of these, brahmavadinis have to go through
upanayana, keeping fire, Vedic study and begging in one's house (under the parents' roof). But in
the case of sadyovadhus, when their marriage is drawing near, the mere ceremony of upanayana
should somehow be performed and then their marriage should be celebrated. Therefore bramavadini
women had upanayana performed in the eighth year from conception, then studied Vedic lore and
finished student-hood at the age of puberty.' "
Kane continues, "Yama smriti says, 'In former ages, tying of the sacred thread was desired in the
case of maidens. They were taught the Vedas and made to recite the sacred Gayatri verse.'" Kane
also indicates that Manusmriti, confirmed the performance of upanayana for girls but hinted to its
going out of practice.
Though too many neglect their duties, this initiation indicates a growing interest and that a
significant number faithfully follow their disciplines. The future sucess of the girls' as well as boys'
upanayana depends on how well they study the Vedas and follow their disciplines.
In Pune, female priests have become quite popular
Mixed reactions
On the hot, busy street outside the school, people are divided about whether women should work as
priests.
"I don't think women should be conducting religious ceremonies. Our culture doesn't allow it. That's
how it's always been," says one man. But another one is more open: "I don't have a problem with
women priests. But I think it's bad if they conduct religious ceremonies during menstruation. It's
impure." A woman adds, "I think it's good if women work as priests. As a woman, you feel less
scared talking to them than you do to male priests."
Male resistance
Back at the school, Joshi says the main opposition to women priests usually comes from the male
clergy. "Actually male priests, who are performing rituals in the traditional ways, have a great
worry about their source of income because this is their bread and butter."
Anand Pandharpure agrees. He's been working as a priest for the last 20 years, having been trained
at an early age by his own father. He says that to become a Hindu priest, men have to undergo
rigorous daily training at special religious schools for at least 7 to 8 years. The 40-year-old is
dismissive of what he calls "priesthood light" courses for women.
"You face many complex questions as a Hindu priest", says Pandharpure. "But women often can't
answer them because they only get superficial training. And I think people are being fooled when
so-called women priests shorten religious rituals. It's more like entertainment. It gives priesthood a
bad name."
Pandharpure is dressed in the traditional clothes of a Hindu priest – a white dhoti and a black
peaked cap. He rejects the idea that women priests pose a threat to him and his male colleagues.
"Women often turn to priesthood after 40, once their kids have grown up, and they have nothing to
do. But I don't think that’s right. Priesthood is not just a hobby. It's an important responsibility. For
us men, being priests is a lifelong learning experience. But frankly we don't take the issue of
women priests too seriously – their numbers are really negligible."
A laptop puja: tradition and modernity tend to blend well in India
Hindu rituals in English
They may not be taken seriously by some, but female priests are increasingly charting their own
course in the male-dominated field. Manisha Shete has been working as a priest for three years. The
cheerful 40-year-old has found a new target group for her services.
"Nowadays I conduct a lot of marriages in English because Indians who go abroad increasingly
marry foreign partners. But they're keen on having an Indian wedding. And Indian parents who live
overseas often want their children to learn about their culture. But the children don't understand
Marathi. So I conduct the thread ceremony – a rite of passage for boys - in English."
The simplified rituals in English can sometimes lead to unexpected reactions. "A father of one of
the boys once came to me and said 'you know, my thread ceremony was done decades ago – but it's
only now that I understand why it was done and what it meant'", laughs Manisha Shete.
Author: Sonia Phalnikar (Pune)
Editor: Thomas Baerthlein
