First non-Brahmin priest appointed in TN temple

Away from media glare, the Tamil Nadu government headed by the AIADMK has appointed the first non-Brahmin priest in a temple in Madurai, 450 km from here.

The priest himself does not want to reveal his identity since he fears a backlash, though he is working in the temple for the past couple of months.

If Opposition DMK President M Karunanidhi was active, he would have jumped in joy that after decades of waiting, the TN government has finally taken the first step in “removing the thorn in the heart” of social reformer Periyar E V Ramasamy.

Periyar, whose roots can be traced to present day Karnataka, reformed the social fabric of Tamil Nadu after his family settled in Erode in the state and one of the prime goals of the Dravidian movement was to ensure that people from all sections of the society become priests.

Karuna's big step

And it was Karunanidhi who, stepping into the large shoes of C N Annadurai in 1969, took the first step in issuing an order in 1970 clearing the way for members of all castes to become priests in public temples, but it was struck down by the Supreme Court in 1972.

An unrelenting Karunanidhi, who came to power in 2006, issued a similar order once again, but it was again challenged in the apex court. The court finally upheld the 2006 government order issued by the Karunanidhi government but also came up with a rider that such appointments should be in conformity with the Agama Shastras of the individual temple.

Though becoming the first non-Brahmin priest, Mayilsamy (name changed) is very guarded about the appointment and does not want to talk on the issue. “I attended the interview and I was selected,” he said.

The path-breaking development has come at a time when Karunanidhi, the champion of the cause after Periyar, is battling for his life at a private hospital here.