Women priests from Kerala (representational image)
– Photo: iStock
Expansion
Kerala Female Priests: India is a male dominated country and Indian society is dependent on patriarchal thinking. However, now women have started getting equal place with men in the society. With their efforts, women have started coming on the first rung of the society. The role and contribution of women has become stronger in many fields. Religion is given a lot of importance in India. There are temples in every state, city and village, where a male priest or priest conducts the rituals. However, along with the male pundits in the temples, now women priests are also joining.
Mother-daughter perform puja as priests in a temple in Kerala. The mother-daughter duo have received ordination to the priesthood. Let’s know about the priestly mother-daughter of Kerala.
Priestesses of Kerala
Jyotsna Padmanabhan, 24, learned the priesthood with her mother Archana Kumari (47). Jyotsna and her mother Archana belong to a Brahmin family. After ordination to the priesthood, the mother daughter is working as a priest in a temple in Thrissur. Apart from this, worship is also offered in the nearby temples.
I had a desire to become a priest since childhood.
Being from a Brahmin family, Jyotsna and her mother Archana were steeped in worship and devotion from the very beginning. Jyotsna’s father Padmanabhan Namboothiripad used to do worship and tantra practice. Seeing which Jyotsna had a strong desire to learn priesthood.
Mother-daughter worship in the temple
Jyotsna started spiritual practice from the age of just 7 years. Jyotsna is a double graduate in Vedanta and Literature. Later, Jyotsna expressed her childhood dream to her father, that is, her desire to become a priest, who supported her daughter at every step.
