Non-Brahmins can also become priests: SC

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Non-Brahmins can also become priests: SC

New Delhi, Oct 5

 

Administering a crushing blow to the age old custom and tradition of

bestowing priesthood of Hindu temples exclusively on Brahmins, the

Supreme Court has held that non-Brahmins can also perform religious

ceremonies and function as priests if they are well-versed with the

relevant rituals.

 

Affirming a full-bench judgement of the Kerala High Court and

dismissing an appeal against it, the Court said, ''Any custom or

usage irrespective of any proof of their existence in pre-

Constitutional days cannot be countenanced as a source of law to

claim any rights when it is found to violate human rights, dignity,

social equality and specific mandate of the Constitution and law by

Parliament.

 

The appeal by N Adithyan raised the question whether the appointment

of a person who was not a Malayala Brahmin as ''Shanthikaran''

or ''poojari'' (priest) of the temple in question- Kongorpilly

Neerikode Shiva Temple at Alangad village in Ernakulam District in

Kerala-was violative of the Constitutional and Statutory rights of

the appellant.

 

Resolving a dispute over the appointment of a non-Malayali Brahmin as

the priest of the temple, Mr Justice S Rajendra Babu and Mr Justice

Doraiswami Raju dealt with various issues of vital Constitutional,

social and public importance, having religious overtones.

 

The judges said it was not essential that only a Brahmin, who was

neither qualified nor well-versed with the rituals, could become the

priest.

 

The Court cited a 1966 judgement which had said, ''Hinduism is far

more than a mere form of theism resting on Brahminism.'' The Court

referred to Article 17 of the Constitution which

abolishes ''untouchability'' and quoted revelations made in the

Bhagavat Gita and the dream of the Father of the Nation Mahatma

Gandhi that ''all distinctions based on castes and creed must be

abolished and man must be known and recognised by his action,

irrespective of the caste to which he may, on account of his birth,

belong.'' Dealing with the importance of daily rituals, 'pujas' and

recitations to maintain the sanctity of the idols, the bench

said, ''no doubt only a qualified person, well-versed and properly

trained for the purposes alone, can perform pujas in the temple since

he has not only to enter the sanctum sanctorum but also touch the

idol installed there.''

 

The Court said if traditionally or conventionally in any temple all

along a Brahmin alone was conducting 'pujas' or performing the job of

a priest, it may not be because a person other than the Brahmin was

prohibited from doing so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNI