Priestesses Honor Their Teacher in Pune

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PUNE, INDIA, December 9, 2002: Seventy-five-year-old Malatibai Joshi

is no ordinary teacher. She belongs to the first and the most elite

batch of women purohitas (priestesses) in the city.

 

Trained by none other than the late Shankarrao Thatte, who opened the

doors of priesthood to women in 1975, Malatibai on Sunday presided

over a unique gathering of over 125 women priests, the last such get-

together organized by her before she prepares for retirement.

 

All the purohitas who assembled at the Nrusimha temple in Sadashiv

Peth on Sunday, to pay respect to their "Bai," as she is fondly

called, were her students. In fact, she has an enviable record of

training 700 women in the 35 to 70 age group, and a handful of men as

well, during the past two decades. Chants of Purushasukta,

Shivamahimna, Rudra, Saptashati Paath and Shri Sukta filled the air

under the ever-watchful eye of Malatibai.

 

"This is our last get-together, although we will continue to

study under Bai for some more time. She won't be taking new students

and assignments due to her advanced age," said professor Arya Bhide,

one of her students. "Bai used to organize a get-together every year

in December, where we used to recite all the stotras taught by her,"

she added.

 

Source:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?

artid=306

Cortesy HPI