The historic decision to break with a 900-year-old tradition and allow women and non-Brahmins as priests in the Vitthal-Rukmini temple in Pandharpur has hit a roadblock.
Caving into opposition from the powerful Warkari sect, the temple administration has sought the State government’s nod for the move.
This means the plan could go awry, especially with the Assembly polls due in October. The temple attracts almost one crore devotees every year, mainly during the holy month of Ashadh. Most of the pilgrims are Warkaris, a powerful vote-bank.
The Vitthal Rukmini Temple Trust (VRTT), which functions under the Maharashtra government, recently announced that the temple would allow women and non-Brahmin priests. This was made possible after the Supreme Court’s decision in January to remove monopolistic rights over priesthood given to two families in Pandharpur. Subsequently, 129 people, including 16 women, were interviewed for priest positions.
However, last week, leaders of the Warkari sect protested against the temple trust, saying it was a temporary body set up by the government and could not take “policy decisions”. “An age-old tradition should not have been repealed without the advice of the Warkaris. We have always been an inclusive sect and we respect everyone equally,” Vitthal Patil of the Warkari Sahitya Parishad told The Hindu . He clarified that they were not basically opposed to the move to appoint women or non-Brahmins as priests. The Warkaris have also demanded that a new temple trust be formed, comprising members of their sect alone.
‘Regressive stance’Temple trust chairman and former Minister, Anna Dange, who belongs to the OBC Dhangar community, called the Warkaris’ opposition regressive. However, he is confident that it is a temporary setback. “It is unlikely that our progressive move will be scuttled by the government. We are waiting for their reassurance,” Mr. Dange said.
