Fw: OPENING A HORNETS NEST - THINGS CHANGE SLOWLY BUT CHANGE THEY DO!

[Guest guest]

Hi Bana,

 

Swami Anandakapila has just sent me this email which you

may find of interest. I have copied it in to Dr Anandaji, Swami Anandakapila and the group. 

 

Best

Sangeet

 

---

On Mon, 12/4/10, JONN MUMFORD <drjonnm

wrote:

JONN MUMFORD <drjonnmRE: OPENING A HORNETS NEST - THINGS CHANGE SLOWLY BUT CHANGE THEY DO! " 'Sangeet' " <sbird39Monday, 12 April, 2010, 11:45

 

 

 

As ‘maharajin buas’, these women perform last rites March

30th, 2010 - 12:17 pm ICT by IANS -

By

Asit Srivastava

Allahabad, March 30 (IANS) They are called ‘maharajin buas’. Hindu women from

several families have defied tradition in Maniaya village of Uttar Pradesh to

take up the profession of priests who perform the last rites. The women

priests of Maniaya village in Allahabad can be seen lighting pyres and

performing other Vedic rites along the banks of the river Ganga. “If

men can become priests and carry out cremations, why can’t women? I don’t see

anything wrong with it,” Kaushalya Rani, 25, a woman priest, told IANS. “With

the same proficiency, we too can perform the last rites like our male

counterparts. I am sure in the coming days, more women will take up the

profession of maharajin bua,” she added. There

is nothing in Hindu Vedic texts that bars women from carrying out cremations,

though traditionally men have taken up the profession. Also, these women

priests are not necessarily Brahmins and are different from temple priests. Women

from nearly seven families in Maniaya village have taken up the profession

that is still considered a male domain. While

some of the women do it to diversify their family income, others have taken

it up to continue their ancestral profession that could have otherwise

ended

in the absence of a male family member. “I

took up the job for both reasons. My father, who was a ‘mahapatra’ (male

priest who performs last rites) died two years ago. There was no male member

in my family who could have carried forward our ancestral business,” said

Guddan, 24, another woman priest in Maniaya village. “After

his death, our relatives not only stopped coming to our home but even

declined to help us financially in the bad phase. It was then that I decided

to take up my father’s job. Today I am the sole bread-winner in the family

comprising my mother and two younger sisters, besides myself,” she added. According

to locals, it has been nearly three years since women began performing

last

rites in the village. “Though

male priests are in a majority, maharajin buas are also establishing

themselves gradually,” said Sheelan Desh Pandey, 65, who owns a dairy in

Maniaya. “Recently

we have observed that residents of the adjoining villages like Kaundhiara,

Dharwara, Karma and Naribari also approach the women priests of our village

for various anniversaries, be it ’shraddh’ or last rites,” he added.

The

women priests say initially they had to face stiff opposition from people,

particularly male priests. “My

neighbours were shocked when they came to know about my decision. They

made

every effort to dissuade me. But I remained firm on my decision and

ultimately started performing the cremation,” said Kaushalya Kishori, another

women priest in the village. CHECK

OUT http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/as-maharajin-buas-these-women-perform-last-rites_100341096.html

LOTS OF OTHER INTERESTING ARTICLES IN A SIMILAR VEIN. A temple where upper castes bow to Dalits March 25th, 2010 - 10:45 am ICT by IANS -

By Asit Srivastava

Lucknow, March 25 (IANS) Stories of socially marginalised people not being

allowed into places of worship are common in India. In such a scenario, a

Dalit family presiding over an Uttar Pradesh temple for ages is nothing short

of exemplary. It’s only Dalits who have been priests of the

Kali Mata temple, dedicated to goddess Durga, in Lakhna town in Etawah, some

300 km from Lucknow, ever since the shrine came up around 200 years ago. “Caste divisions and discrimination may

not have

given Dalits a place of respectability in society, but here as priests

they

are revered,” Ram Dular Rajbhar, who owns a grocery store in the town,

told

IANS on phone. “Be it Brahmins, Thakurs or people from

any of

the other higher castes, after coming inside the temple, all have to bow

before the Dalit priests and touch their feet. For others it may be

surprising, but it has become a custom for us,” he added. Situated along the banks of the Yamuna river,

the temple is sought after by the residents of Lakhna town for holding

marriages, ‘mundan’ (tonsure ceremony of Hindu children) or other rituals

particularly performed by Brahmins or members of the upper caste.

“It’s not just a temple. It’s a place that is an

example of social equality,” said Umesh Dixit, who owns several garment shops

in Lakhna town. “People in Lakhna also approach the priests to

name their babies as it is believed that names given by Dalit priests would

bring good luck and prosperity to the children and their families,” he

added. According to locals, there’s a story behind the

custom of Dalit priests. They say King Jaipal Singh, who got the temple

constructed, made it mandatory that the priest of the temple would only be a

Dalit. “While the construction of the temple was under

way, Jaipal Singh noticed a Dalit labourer, Chhotelal, was being assaulted by

a group of upper caste people for touching the idol that was to be placed

inside the temple,” said another resident Ram Raksha Pandey, who owns an

eating joint in Lakhna. “Jaipalji soon intervened in the matter

and said

only Chhotelal and his family would be taking care of the temple after

its

construction. Since then, the practice has been alive,” he added.

At present two brothers, Ashok Kumar, 43, and

Akhilesh Kumar, 45, who are fourth generation descendants of Chhotelal

are

the priests at the temple

 

More at : A temple where upper castes bow

to Dalits http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/a-temple-where-upper-castes-bow-to-dalits_100339118.html#ixzz0kaLODA1h

 

 

 

 

 

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 Swami Anandakapila Saraswati

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  Swami

Anandakapila Saraswati

Dr

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