Sep 29, 2006 :: Women Hindu priests of Pune

From nowhere thirty years ago, women Hindu priests are over 500 strong in Pune. Vinita Deshmukh, writing for Women’s Features Service, says it was due to Shankarrao Thatte who in early 1980s started the Shankar Seva Samiti to train women in priestly duties. He was riled by the unprofessional ways of male priests who were in any case becoming scarce. Widespread opposition of early days has given way to acceptance though for funeral rites many still prefer male priests. Thatte’s breakthrough came when he took 22 women priests on a tour of Indian homes in US and UK. Today they officiate in many pujas and wedding, christening and other ceremonies.

The big honour must be reserved for Gulabbhai Tripathi who died aged 86 in 2005. In conservative Allahabad, UP, she defied men priests since she was 11. She built her own funeral ghat on the Ganga and ran it for 70 years. Read the full exciting story here.