Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday said that women are all set to enter temples in the state as priests in accordance with the Dravidian model of governance.
"Despite women's achievements as pilots and astronauts, they were barred from the sacred role of temple priests, deemed impure, even in the temples for female deities. But change is finally here!” Stalin posted on X (formerly Twitter).
"In Tamil Nadu, as our Dravidian model government has removed the thorn from Thanthai Periyar's heart by appointing people of all castes as priests, women are also now stepping into the sanctums, bringing a new era of inclusivity and equality," the CM said.
Under a state program to suitably train and appoint persons belonging to all castes as priests, three women have already completed training at the Archakar (priest) Training School run by the Sri Ranganathar temple in Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli.
Reformist leader 'Periyar' E V Ramasamy had once described not permitting non-Brahmins to perform the role of priests in temples as a "thorn" in his heart.
Already, women officiate as priests in some temples in the state.
In 2021, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister P K Sekar Babu declared that women could be appointed as priests in temples following their training.
With inputs from PTI