Trained but barred, TN women priests face long wait to work in temples
2 years after training began, TN's first women priests await jobs due to legal hurdles and societal opposition, raising questions of caste and gender parity
In 2022, Tamil Nadu made headlines when three women—Krishnaveni, Ramya, and Ranjitha—completed priesthood training at the government-run centre in Srirangam. Chief Minister MK Stalin called it a “new era of inclusivity.” Yet, three years later, none of them have been appointed to temple roles.
Their training was historic: the first batch of women to receive official certification to serve in temples. But their journey has since been blocked—not by lack of skill or will—but by court cases and caste-based resistance.
Dreams deferred
Krishnaveni and Ramya have since taken up jobs in private companies to support themselves. Ranjitha has returned to her native Tiruvarur to care for her ailing mother.
“We completed the course, but we did not get any jobs. I joined the course with great hope,” said Ranjitha.
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Their aspirations are on hold due to a pending Supreme Court case. Traditional priests have argued that these non-Brahmin candidates were not trained in “agamic” traditions. The court has ordered a status quo, preventing new appointments for now.
(Temples that follow the principles and practices outlined in the Agamas, a body of scriptures that detail temple construction, deity worship, and rituals, are called "agamic" temples.)
A legacy of reform
Tamil Nadu's push to democratise priesthood dates back decades. In 1971, Chief Minister Karunanidhi challenged the caste-based monopoly on temple priesthood. In 2006, the state passed Government Order (GO) No. 118, allowing trained non-Brahmin individuals to become priests in temples managed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department.
This was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2015. But only 24 of around 300 trained non-Brahmin priests have been appointed, and even they serve in subsidiary shrines, not main sanctums. The legal challenge to postings in agamic temples is the current roadblock.
“The HRCE is not taking immediate steps to appoint persons to an expert committee to produce a report about the non-agamic temples where non-Brahmin priests could be appointed,” said advocate Vanchinathan.
More hurdles for women
The opposition has only deepened with the inclusion of women in priesthood. For these women, priesthood is about more than ritual—it’s about dignity, equality, and public presence.
HRCE Minister P Sekar Babu told The Federal that the government intends to appoint these women but is constrained by the court’s status quo order. He pointed to other progressive appointments, such as that of a visually-challenged woman odhuvar (singer) in a government temple, as signs of change.
But for the women priests-in-waiting, the delay is disheartening. While Tamil Nadu has been at the forefront of caste and gender reform in temple service, this episode shows that transformation is far from complete.
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