A mother and a daughter in Kerala, India, are challenging the centuries-old male dominance in the priesthood and tantric rituals by becoming priests themselves. Jyotsna Padmanabhan, a 24-year-old with a double post-graduate degree in Vedanta and Sahitya, and her mother Archana Kumari are now donning the role of priests at a temple in central Kerala district and performing tantric rituals in neighbouring shrines and other venues. Both women belong to an ancient Brahmin family, Tharanellur Thekkiniyedathu Mana at Kattur in Irinjalakuda. Jyotsna has been learning tantric rituals since she was seven years old and has been performing them for several years. Her mother also started learning the pujas and tantric lessons from her daughter and has been performing rituals at nearby temples.
Despite being a male bastion, the women did not want to terminate their priesthood as a gender equality initiative or any attempt to break gender stereotypes existing in society. Instead, they entered the world of priesthood out of their pure devotion and not to prove any point in society. Jyotsna explained that no ancient texts or traditions have barred women from performing tantric rituals or chanting mantras. In traditional Brahmin families, women used to do 'thevaram', 'nedyam' and other such rituals, so performing puja in a temple may be a new thing, but as women used to conduct other rituals in traditional families, no one has felt any difference in what they are doing.
Jyotsna has been performing tantric rituals and installations and reinstallations of idols in other temples too for several years. She said that pujas in other temples are not done just for the sake of it, but she performs them whenever her father asks her to do so. Sometimes, he cannot go there and then directs her to go and perform the rituals. Archana has also been performing tantric rituals and conducting installation and reinstallation rituals at nearby temples as per the requests of the respective shrine management.
The women have not faced any objection from the patriarchal Brahmin community against the entry of women into the priesthood. The community has been accepting of their entry as women used to conduct other rituals in traditional families.
(With PTI Inputs)
