Two Brahmin priests in the Vayalur Murugan temple in Trichy have filed petitions in the Madras High Court seeking the removal and the transfer of two non-Brahmin priests who were appointed in August 2021. The petition, filed in September 2022, was taken up for hearing by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday, November 14.
In a petition, one of the Brahmin priests, N Karthick, stated that he had been working as a priest in the Vayalur temple for almost 13 years without any payment and had applied for the position when the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) advertised it. However, Karthick alleged that his application was rejected because he had not completed training in an archaka training centre set up by the Tamil Nadu government, which was one of the qualifying criteria for appointment. Three other priests (who are not Brahmins), namely Kailash, Prabhu and Jayabalan were appointed on August 12, 2021.
The petition stated that those who obtain training in the archaka training institutes do not receive any training in the agamas (treatise detailing how temples are supposed to be constructed, rituals must be performed, and so on). It said, “They (Brahmin priests) obtain Deekshai or Samskara (initiation) from their Guru/Acharya, who is most often their respective fathers, at a very early age between five and seven and undergo rigorous Vedic education for a minimum period of three years.” The petition also said that the Brahmin priests perform smaller pujas and homams (ritual offerings made in sacred fire) before they become archakas in a temple and those who are appointed after completing the training do not have experience.
Karthick’s petition said the appointment of Jayabalan, the non-Brahmin priest, in the Vayalur temple was against the agamas. The temple, which he claimed was constructed as per the agamas, must only have priests belonging to a certain denomination of Brahmins. The petition said, “If the 5th respondent (Jayabalan) or any other person is allowed to touch the deities, it would result in defilement and remedial rituals will have to be performed.”
Citing the August 2022 Madras High Court order which said that the state government can appoint priests of all castes in temples excluding those that were built according to the agamas, Karthick stated that the appointment is in violation with this order and requested that Jayabalan’s appointment to be stayed and that he must be transferred to a non-agama temple. Karthick contended that if Jayabalan’s appointment is not stayed, he would “suffer irreparable loss, hardship, and injury.”
A similar petition was filed against the appointment of another non-Brahmin priest – Prabhu by Parameswaran. He had also asked for a stay on Prabhu’s appointment and for his transfer to a non-agama temple. The petition will be heard again on November 24, 2022.