Non- Brahmin Priest Complaint of Being Banned from Tamil Nadu Temple Entry

Two non-Brahmin priests have been appointed at a Tamil Nadu temple to undertake a landmark cast inclusive reform by the state government. The new priests have accused the hereditary priests of barring them from entering the sanctum sanctorum (main complex of the temple), where Lord Murugan recite. The priests also alleged that they have been restricted to performing rituals only in the secondary shrines at the Kumaravayalur Subramania Swamy Temple in Tiruchirapalli. 

The priests, S Prabhu and Jaipal, were appointed in 2021 after the Tamil Nadu government initiated to open the priesthood to all casts. However, they have never been allowed to enter the inner sanctum of the temples, despite serving for over three years.

Petition from Priests

In a formal petition, addressing Chief Minister MK Stalin and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endorsement (HR&CE) department, Jaipal and Prabhu complained that their inclusion has not been ensured despite legal and administrative backing for their role.

In the formal petition, they wrote “We were appointed by the government under a historic scheme that enabled individuals from all castes to become temple priests. But since our appointment on August 14, 2021, we have not been allowed to perform pooja inside the sanctum sanatorium of the presiding deity. Now, with the kumbabishekam scheduled for February 19, we are being completely sidelined.”