Hindu priest shortage spurs women to take up profession

[Guest guest]

Hindu priest shortage spurs women to take up profession

Fewer men choosing religious service

By Margaret Ramirez

Chicago Tribune [u.S.]

July 10, 2008

 

Amid the noise and bustle of downtown Chicago, the groom

rode a white horse, shaking to Indian drumbeats in

procession to the Palmer House Hilton hotel.

 

Inside, the bride and groom took seats under the red

mandap, or wedding canopy, and the priest began chanting

in a high, melodic voice.

 

For some, the chants heard at the service last month sounded

like a break from Hindu custom. Priests are traditionally

men, but the presiding priest at this wedding was Shashi

Tandon, a respected female elder in the Hindu community

and the groom's grandmother.

 

Since emigrating from New Delhi in 1982, Tandon has

presided over countless religious ceremonies for Hindu

families in Chicago, Michigan, Wisconsin and elsewhere,

filling a void that has emerged because of a shortage of

Hindu priests.

 

As more Hindu men enter more lucrative, secular

professions, Tandon and a handful of Hindu women in

America have begun performing priestly duties as a way of

passing their faith to the next generation.

 

There is nothing in Hindu scripture that bars women from

becoming priests, also known as pandits.

 

But in some parts of India and the U.S., women priests face

resistance from conservative Hindus clinging to tradition.

Tandon, 68, a retired teacher with a feisty attitude, recalled a

group of men mocking her at one wedding she performed.

They asked, How can a woman be a priest?

 

" I said to them, 'I have a question for you. Can you tell me

who gave birth to you?' " , she said. " The mother is the true

priest. She is the true teacher, the first teacher of the child. "

 

Neelima Shukla-Bhatt, a South Asian studies professor at

Wellesley College in Massachusetts, said more Hindu

women are learning priestly functions not necessarily

because they feel drawn to religious life. Rather, women-

including Shukla-Bhatt-are stepping forward to meet the

growing Hindu community's needs.

 

According to the American Religious Identification Survey,

there were about 227,000 Hindus in the U.S. in 1990,

composed mainly of Asian Indians. Today there are more

than 1 million Hindus in the U.S. and more than 700 Hindu

mandirs, or temples. The Chicago area is home to some

80,000 Hindus, according to a Chicago-based interfaith

research group.

 

Although no firm numbers exist, Shukla-Bhatt said fewer

Hindu-American men are becoming priests. In her own

family, she noted that her father's cousins were all priests,

yet none of their children took up the profession.

 

" At one time, it was considered prestigious, but now it is not

considered prestigious at all, " she said. " If you are educated,

you do something more secular. It is considered to be a sign

of less educated, less sophisticated, so not many educated

people are interested in becoming priests. "

 

Shukla-Bhatt said many of the earliest Hindu texts speak of

women priests. In Hinduism's most ancient book, the Vedas,

there are multiple references to women making sacrifices

and participating in philosophical debates. But, at some

point, things changed.

 

" It's not that women weren't allowed to do this. It's that

somewhere along the line, it got lost, and it became mainly a

male profession, " she said. " But in the most ancient

scriptures, there were women priests. So, we should reclaim

that. "

 

Tandon's grandson, Nitin Malhotra, said having his

grandmother perform his wedding last month was an

obvious choice. As a child, Malhotra said his grandmother

taught him the importance of faith and puja in daily life.

 

Puja is a sacred ritual that involves fire, bells and chanted

prayers to deities. Her fluency in English and Sanskrit, and

her vivid explanations of religious rituals are the main

reasons that Tandon gained widespread popularity in the

Hindu community.

 

" She taught us how to do puja and chants. And, she explains

everything so well that you never felt like it was a chore, "

Malhotra said. " All these people know about her and fly her

to different places to do their ceremonies. We feel really

blessed to have her. "

 

Tandon was born in Multan, which was then in India, and

raised in New Delhi. Her mother taught her how to do daily

fire rituals. She concedes that she didn't like it very much at

first. However, once she learned the meaning, she felt a

desire to be a priest. She studied in an ashram, learned the

scriptures and received training to perform all 16 samskaras,

the sacraments or rites of passage for every Hindu. Later,

she opened a school for poor girls to teach them the Hindu

faith.

 

" I would sit under a big tree and teach them how to respect

each other, help society, how to read scripture. I felt this

was my calling, " she said.

 

Her three children married and immigrated to Chicago,

where Tandon joined them. Recently, she moved to

Kalamazoo, Mich., to live with her son, Arun Tandon, and

daughter, Renu Sharma. Another daughter, Anu Malhotra,

lives in Naperville.

 

In explaining her mother's role as a priest, Sharma said: " It's

not a profession for her. She doesn't do this for money. It's

part of who she is as a being. "

 

In India, the concept of women priests is not new. In fact, in

the progressive western city of Pune, there are two schools

that train women.

 

However, those in other regions say female priests are a

violation of Vedic law. Some Hindu immigrants from those

regions who have come to the U.S. have been shocked to

find women performing religious rituals. Anu Malhotra said

her daughter-in-law's family, who are from Gujarat, were

surprised when told the wedding would be performed by

Tandon.

 

" In India, each state has its own culture. So for many

Hindus, this is a new thing, " she said. " People don't see it as

much. It's not the norm. "

 

As more women come forward, they have begun to gain

appreciation and respect, especially among second-

generation Hindu-Americans.

 

Tandon believes many women are losing touch with their

religion and are not passing traditions to their children.

 

" Mothers came to America because they didn't have enough

freedom. Then, after getting freedom, they forgot their

culture, " she said. " They are not doing prayers because they

don't know why they need to do them. "

 

For that reason, Tandon is training her two daughters to

perform religious ceremonies. At some point, the

community's growth could lead to the creation of a school

for women priests. Until then, she said she will continue to

perform services, educating future generations on the rituals

and their meaning.

 

" Every single step of worship has a meaning. Do you know

why we use fire? Some Hindus don't even know, " she said.

" Fire gives us light and for us, light is truth. "

 

http://ww.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-

hindujul11,0,6607845.story

or

http://tinyurl.com/6d8sxr

 

photos:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-

080711-hindu-photogallery,0,1917009.photogallery

or

http://tinyurl.com/6ht4yp

[Guest guest]

This is so awesome. We will have to keep a look out for the opening

of her school.

 

I read: " Shukla-Bhatt said many of the earliest Hindu texts speak of

women priests. " Do you know which texts are referred to here?

 

Namaste,

 

pr

 

, " msbauju " <msbauju wrote:

>

> Hindu priest shortage spurs women to take up profession

> Fewer men choosing religious service

> By Margaret Ramirez

> Chicago Tribune [u.S.]

> July 10, 2008

>

> Amid the noise and bustle of downtown Chicago, the groom

> rode a white horse, shaking to Indian drumbeats in

> procession to the Palmer House Hilton hotel.

>

> Inside, the bride and groom took seats under the red

> mandap, or wedding canopy, and the priest began chanting

> in a high, melodic voice.

>

> For some, the chants heard at the service last month sounded

> like a break from Hindu custom. Priests are traditionally

> men, but the presiding priest at this wedding was Shashi

> Tandon, a respected female elder in the Hindu community

> and the groom's grandmother.

>

> Since emigrating from New Delhi in 1982, Tandon has

> presided over countless religious ceremonies for Hindu

> families in Chicago, Michigan, Wisconsin and elsewhere,

> filling a void that has emerged because of a shortage of

> Hindu priests.

>

> As more Hindu men enter more lucrative, secular

> professions, Tandon and a handful of Hindu women in

> America have begun performing priestly duties as a way of

> passing their faith to the next generation.

>

> There is nothing in Hindu scripture that bars women from

> becoming priests, also known as pandits.

>

> But in some parts of India and the U.S., women priests face

> resistance from conservative Hindus clinging to tradition.

> Tandon, 68, a retired teacher with a feisty attitude, recalled a

> group of men mocking her at one wedding she performed.

> They asked, How can a woman be a priest?

>

> " I said to them, 'I have a question for you. Can you tell me

> who gave birth to you?' " , she said. " The mother is the true

> priest. She is the true teacher, the first teacher of the child. "

>

> Neelima Shukla-Bhatt, a South Asian studies professor at

> Wellesley College in Massachusetts, said more Hindu

> women are learning priestly functions not necessarily

> because they feel drawn to religious life. Rather, women-

> including Shukla-Bhatt-are stepping forward to meet the

> growing Hindu community's needs.

>

> According to the American Religious Identification Survey,

> there were about 227,000 Hindus in the U.S. in 1990,

> composed mainly of Asian Indians. Today there are more

> than 1 million Hindus in the U.S. and more than 700 Hindu

> mandirs, or temples. The Chicago area is home to some

> 80,000 Hindus, according to a Chicago-based interfaith

> research group.

>

> Although no firm numbers exist, Shukla-Bhatt said fewer

> Hindu-American men are becoming priests. In her own

> family, she noted that her father's cousins were all priests,

> yet none of their children took up the profession.

>

> " At one time, it was considered prestigious, but now it is not

> considered prestigious at all, " she said. " If you are educated,

> you do something more secular. It is considered to be a sign

> of less educated, less sophisticated, so not many educated

> people are interested in becoming priests. "

>

> Shukla-Bhatt said many of the earliest Hindu texts speak of

> women priests. In Hinduism's most ancient book, the Vedas,

> there are multiple references to women making sacrifices

> and participating in philosophical debates. But, at some

> point, things changed.

>

> " It's not that women weren't allowed to do this. It's that

> somewhere along the line, it got lost, and it became mainly a

> male profession, " she said. " But in the most ancient

> scriptures, there were women priests. So, we should reclaim

> that. "

>

> Tandon's grandson, Nitin Malhotra, said having his

> grandmother perform his wedding last month was an

> obvious choice. As a child, Malhotra said his grandmother

> taught him the importance of faith and puja in daily life.

>

> Puja is a sacred ritual that involves fire, bells and chanted

> prayers to deities. Her fluency in English and Sanskrit, and

> her vivid explanations of religious rituals are the main

> reasons that Tandon gained widespread popularity in the

> Hindu community.

>

> " She taught us how to do puja and chants. And, she explains

> everything so well that you never felt like it was a chore, "

> Malhotra said. " All these people know about her and fly her

> to different places to do their ceremonies. We feel really

> blessed to have her. "

>

> Tandon was born in Multan, which was then in India, and

> raised in New Delhi. Her mother taught her how to do daily

> fire rituals. She concedes that she didn't like it very much at

> first. However, once she learned the meaning, she felt a

> desire to be a priest. She studied in an ashram, learned the

> scriptures and received training to perform all 16 samskaras,

> the sacraments or rites of passage for every Hindu. Later,

> she opened a school for poor girls to teach them the Hindu

> faith.

>

> " I would sit under a big tree and teach them how to respect

> each other, help society, how to read scripture. I felt this

> was my calling, " she said.

>

> Her three children married and immigrated to Chicago,

> where Tandon joined them. Recently, she moved to

> Kalamazoo, Mich., to live with her son, Arun Tandon, and

> daughter, Renu Sharma. Another daughter, Anu Malhotra,

> lives in Naperville.

>

> In explaining her mother's role as a priest, Sharma said: " It's

> not a profession for her. She doesn't do this for money. It's

> part of who she is as a being. "

>

> In India, the concept of women priests is not new. In fact, in

> the progressive western city of Pune, there are two schools

> that train women.

>

> However, those in other regions say female priests are a

> violation of Vedic law. Some Hindu immigrants from those

> regions who have come to the U.S. have been shocked to

> find women performing religious rituals. Anu Malhotra said

> her daughter-in-law's family, who are from Gujarat, were

> surprised when told the wedding would be performed by

> Tandon.

>

> " In India, each state has its own culture. So for many

> Hindus, this is a new thing, " she said. " People don't see it as

> much. It's not the norm. "

>

> As more women come forward, they have begun to gain

> appreciation and respect, especially among second-

> generation Hindu-Americans.

>

> Tandon believes many women are losing touch with their

> religion and are not passing traditions to their children.

>

> " Mothers came to America because they didn't have enough

> freedom. Then, after getting freedom, they forgot their

> culture, " she said. " They are not doing prayers because they

> don't know why they need to do them. "

>

> For that reason, Tandon is training her two daughters to

> perform religious ceremonies. At some point, the

> community's growth could lead to the creation of a school

> for women priests. Until then, she said she will continue to

> perform services, educating future generations on the rituals

> and their meaning.

>

> " Every single step of worship has a meaning. Do you know

> why we use fire? Some Hindus don't even know, " she said.

> " Fire gives us light and for us, light is truth. "

>

> http://ww.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-

> hindujul11,0,6607845.story

> or

> http://tinyurl.com/6d8sxr

>

> photos:

> http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-

> 080711-hindu-photogallery,0,1917009.photogallery

> or

> http://tinyurl.com/6ht4yp

>

[Guest guest]

I asked a fellow e-group member;

here's his answer --

 

Even the Vedas.

Gargi, Lopamudra, and Rama's mother,

etc., were qualified Vedic priests

who performed yagnas and the like.

It is said Rama's mother Kausalya

was doing agnishtomam when the news of

his exile reached her.

 

'The wife should do agnihotra (yagna),

sandhya (puja) and all other daily

religious rituals. If, for some reason,

her husband is not present, the woman

alone has full rights to do yagna.â€

Rigveda Samhita, part 1, sukta 79, sloka 872.

 

“O women! These mantras are given to you

equally (as to men). May your thoughts,

too, be harmonious. May your assemblies

be open to all without discrimination.

Your mind and consciousness should

be harmonious. I (the rishi) give you

these mantras equally as to men and

give you all and equal powers to absorb

(the full powers) of these mantras.â€

Rigveda 10-191-3.'

 

 

http://www.ivarta.com/columns/OL_070503.htm

 

, " prainbow61 " <paulie-

rainbow wrote:

>

> I read: " Shukla-Bhatt said many of the earliest Hindu texts speak of

> women priests. " Do you know which texts are referred to here?

[Guest guest]

Wow, that's great. I love having the references here. That exhortation

from the RigVeda is so powerful!

 

Namaste,

 

pr

 

, " msbauju " <msbauju wrote:

>

> I asked a fellow e-group member;

> here's his answer --

>

> Even the Vedas.

> Gargi, Lopamudra, and Rama's mother,

> etc., were qualified Vedic priests

> who performed yagnas and the like.

> It is said Rama's mother Kausalya

> was doing agnishtomam when the news of

> his exile reached her.

>

> 'The wife should do agnihotra (yagna),

> sandhya (puja) and all other daily

> religious rituals. If, for some reason,

> her husband is not present, the woman

> alone has full rights to do yagna.â€

> Rigveda Samhita, part 1, sukta 79, sloka 872.

>

> “O women! These mantras are given to you

> equally (as to men). May your thoughts,

> too, be harmonious. May your assemblies

> be open to all without discrimination.

> Your mind and consciousness should

> be harmonious. I (the rishi) give you

> these mantras equally as to men and

> give you all and equal powers to absorb

> (the full powers) of these mantras.â€

> Rigveda 10-191-3.'

>

>

> http://www.ivarta.com/columns/OL_070503.htm

>

> , " prainbow61 " <paulie-

> rainbow@> wrote:

> >

> > I read: " Shukla-Bhatt said many of the earliest Hindu texts speak of

> > women priests. " Do you know which texts are referred to here?

>