NEW DELHI: Picture a marriage. A groom wearing a sehra (forehead garland) and his bride in traditional attire seated before a fire pit. The divine sounds of mantras reverberating in the air.
Only this time, they are being chanted not by a male priest, but a priestess.
Neeru Sharma, a Delhi woman who holds a double Masters degree in Economics, has broken the shackles of patriarchy by officiating marriage ceremonies. Why should only men be the priests, not women?
Born into an affluent family deeply rooted in devotion, Neeru was inclined towards religion from an early age. “From a very young age I was drawn to the divine, a calling that became clear when I started doing seva at my grandfather’s temple. Those early experiences in the temple shaped my path and instilled in me a profound respect for the sacred rituals that connected me to our heritage,” said Neeru.
The 44-year-old priestess claimed that in the last two years, she has married off more than 25 couples across India, with half a dozen in Delhi.
“Initially, I thought that only the Indians who stay in foreign countries and are not able to understand Sanskrit would be interested in hiring me for marriages, so that I could make them understand the mantras. But later, by the grace of God, a lot of people in India started liking this concept,” Neeru told The Morning Standard.
Neeru, who holds two postgraduate degrees in economics—one from Delhi University and the other from Andhra University—said she tries to be different from the common priests.
“I try to explain the mantras in a way that anyone can understand.”
Alongside being an acharya, Neeru also expresses her devotion through music. “As a devotional singer, I find immense joy in sharing the power of sacred chants, bhajans and mantras. Music has always been a bridge to the divine for me, through my satsangs,” she said.
The priestess said she aims to create an atmosphere of peace and spiritual connection for all who participate. “My life is a blend of tradition and spirituality, woven together through the practices of yoga, sacred music, and Vedic rituals,” she said.
“I am deeply committed to serving others on their spiritual paths, whether it is through guiding them through the ceremony, lifting their spirits with devotional music, or helping them find balance through yoga,” said Neeru, who also practices yoga.