Two widows, who were appointed priests by former Union minister B Janardana Poojary, took charge at Gokarnanatheshwara temple in Kudroli on Sunday.
Indira hails from Bannur village in Puttur taluk and Lakshmi from Bantwal Muda village in Bantwal taluk. They began their priesthood by offering puja to Narayana Guru Swamy’s idol.
The duo draped in yellow sarees offered arathi to the idol and entered the sanctum sanctorum of Gokarnanatheswara (Lord Shiva’s idol- Shiva Linga). They also offered arathi to idols of Lord Ganapathi, Subrahmanya, Kala Bhairava, Nava Grahas, Durge and Hanuman.
A marble idol of Dattathreya was installed by the new priests. Poojary said one of them was a Gram Panchayat member and was planning to resign. However, he did not disclose the background of the widow priests saying that they are in for a new challenge.
“Social saint Narayana Guru always dreamt of woman empowerment and betterment of widows,” Poojary said. On criticism for appointing widows as priests, he said Narayana Guru had installed Lord Shiva’s idol being a Shudra (the depressed class). Guru called the idol Shiva of Shudras, he said. There is no question of withdrawing the decision, as social reformation is required, said Poojary. Women, as well as widows, should get equal status like men. The rules against women are all made by human beings and not by god, he added.
According to the temple tradition, the new priests will have Shanthi as their surname. Henceforth, they will be called Indira Shanthi and Lakshmi Shanthi. They will assist the priests in all the pujas. At present Laxman Shanthi and Lokesh Shanthi are heading the pujas.
Poojary said the hall on the temple premises will be given free of cost for widow re-marriages.