The temple system is facing a crisis situation and the role of the priest is being undermined, said C.S. Rangarajan, convener of the Temples Protection Movement and priest of the Chilkur Balaji temple. “Bishops and imams assume significant positions as heads in other religious institutions, but the archaka is seldom treated as the head of the Hindu institutions,” he said.
‘Hereditary priesthood’
Addressing a media conference in Kadapa on Tuesday, Mr. . Rangarajan cited the example of the Devunikadapa Lakshmi Venkateswara temple, where the priests were in dire straits, faced as they were with a peculiar situation.
As the temple changed hands, the fortunes of the priests changed from bad to worse. The shrine was once managed by Sri Ahobila Mutt, then acquired by the Endowments Department and later taken over by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).“Today, the priests neither have the benefit of priests working in endowments temples, nor the advantage of the TTD priests working at Tirumala and are literally in ‘Trisanku Swargam.’ They do not want to continue in the pay scale system and want to revert to the original system of hereditary priesthood,” he explained.
Referring to G.O.M.S.No.76 issued on Feb 17 2017, which was later withheld, Mr. Rangarajan maintained that the government believed that the order could revive the abolished mirasi system at Tirumala. The order, copies of which were circulated to the media, mentions the rule of succession, which reads as follows:
“In every case where the office or service is hereditary, the priest next entitled to succeed.... shall with the permission of the commissioner assume charge of such service.”
Mr. Rangarajan said the priests viewed every political leader as just a devotee sans party affiliation.
“The G.O. in question is completely in tune with the wishes of former Chief Ministers N.T. Rama Rao as well as Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy,” he pointed out, adding that the State government’s latest controversial decisions were a result of ‘wrong advice’ to the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.