Row over non-Brahmin priest dents Travancore Devaswom Board image

ALAPPUZHA: While the government gets applauded for radical changes in the priesthood by its latest appointment of 36 non- Brahmins including six dalits as priests, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is not able to fight the conservative attitudes at the administrative-level. The result is that it mars the image of Kerala being an egalitarian society. The recent non-Brahmin priest controversy at Chettikulangara temple proved that TDB projected a conservative image and in future too, that might hold, unless it appoints evolved officials in key positions. Many serving non-Brahmin priests in various temples under TDB, who do not want to be named, believe that the government or the High Court should take steps to make structural changes in the administration of TDB and establish professionalism in key decision-making posts.

The recent Chettikulangara row was sparked on the basis of a regressive order issued by Devaswom Commissioner C.P. Ramaraja Prema Prasad, which violated the Constitution. ‘If such conservative minds continue to be appointed in key posts like Commissioner, creating trouble for non-Brahmin priest’s survival is highly likely,” they say. Till the latest 36-member list was finalised, the TDB had appointed non-Brahmin priests only from Ezhava community as others had not applied. The addition of the 36-member list which represents almost all Hindu communities, comes at a time when at least 200 Ezhava priest are working in the various temples under the TDB. They were selected after proving their merit in the PSC-model written test and interview.

A non-Brahmin priest who works in a famous temple under TDB says the Melsaanthi (Chief Priest) of the temple did not come to the temple for a couple of days to perform daily pujas in protest against a non-Brahmin’s appointment as his Keezhsaanthi (assistant priest). “If the Brahmin priest dares to show such an attitude to non-Brahmin priests, competent TDB officials holding top posts should be able to correct them. Otherwise, they will draw flak from the public. That’s the lesson, the Chettikulangara case has taught us,” he says. Not long ago, fed up with complaints of dereliction  of duty and rampant corruption among the top brass of the TDB, the High Court suggested to the government to appoint IAS rank officials in key posts to make functioning of the devaswom boards smooth.