Priesthood would remain an exclusive male bastion in Kerala for some more time as no woman has sought appointment as priests in the temples managed by the State Devaswom boards.
No woman has approached the Travancore, Cochin and Malabar Devaswom boards, which have administrative control over the nearly 2000 temples of the State, with requests for appointment.
Incidentally, it appeared that there were no qualified women candidates as none had been formally trained in the temple rituals and poojas at the two government recognised thanthra schools of the State.
The lack of interest of Kerala women in priesthood stands in stark contrast with their counterparts in Tamil Nadu where many women have sought permission to perform puja in temples. P. K. Sekar Babu, the Tamil Nadu Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, had stated that women, if trained, could be appointed as priests in temples.
K. Radhakrishnan, Kerala Minister for Devasom, was unavailable for comments.
N. Vasu, the president of the Travancore Devaswom Board, said the agency has not discussed the issue as no woman has approached the board with such a request.
M. Nandakumar, president, Cochin Devaswom Board, said the board alone cannot take a decision on the issue as the government had to decide on it in consultation with priests and other stakeholders.
Usually, women don't enter the sanctum sanctorum of temples though women are the head priests at Mannarasala and Pambumekkattu temples, he said.
M. R. Murali, president of the Malabar Devaswom Board, said no woman has come up with such a demand.
Akhila Kerala Thanthri Mandalam, a collective of priests, which offers a training programme for Hindu males in temple rituals, will hold an online meeting on Monday to discuss the issue.
S. Radhakrishnan Potti, general secretary of the Mandalam, said only men were trained in rituals at the institute run by the organisation.
Conforming that no women candidates have been admitted to the thanthra courses, Mullappally Krishnan Namboothiri, the working president of the Aluva Thanthra Vidya Peedam, said the government should strive to enroll women as priests in the all the religions. Women empowerment and renaissance would become meaningful only when women are made priests in all religions and not Hindu temples alone, he said.