A unique practice of inducting women priests at the Nookalamma vari temple for decades has come to a halt, thanks to the Endowments Department decision to ‘outsource the services’.
The temple at Suryaraopet in Kakinada has seen women priests since 1870. Madada Kanchana, who is claiming hereditary rights, is a fifth generation priest. The tradition of handing over priesthood began with Bade Ammanna. She performed duties as asadi (priest) from 1870 to 1923 at the temple of Nookalamma, a village deity.
The idol of the deity was unearthed in 1870 when labourers were digging a tank to meet drinking water requirements. A temple was constructed, and the Dutch officials asked Bade Lakshmaiah, who was serving them, to take care of the temple. His wife Ammanna performed rituals on his behalf. The priesthood was passed on to daughters since then: Bade Appayamma (1923 to 1977), Bade Kodandamma (1977) and Bade Kasiratnam was the last to hold the post till her death in 2015.
Speaking to The Hindu , Ms. Kanchana said she had applied for the post soon after her mother’s demise and was running from pillar to post to get it. It appears the government was deliberately discontinuing the practice, she said.
“We want to keep the tradition of women priests alive. I underwent training in performing temple rituals under the tutelage of my mother. I also passed devatha agama examination,” she said.
The endowments officials, however, said she was not eligible for compassionate appointment as her mother was not a time scale employee. But, Archaka Sangham president Peddinti Rambabu said she was eligible as per GO 1357 issued in 2011. The government was paying consolidated salary saying the revenues were not sufficient to pay scales though the Supreme Court had ordered pay scale salaries in 1997. Now they cannot take shelter under the rule that compassionate appointments were given only for time scale employees, he said.
Endowments Deputy Commissioner Kakinada Ch. Hanumantha Rao said Ms. Kanchana’s application was rejected by the Endowments Commissioner.
Hyderabad’s popular Chilkur Balaji temple priest S. Rangarajan, who is spearheading a movement for protection of temples, said that the right to archakatvam is a fundamental right which the Supreme Court has upheld.
