University to teach rituals to priests in Kerala

The CPM-led state government is considering setting up a university to train Hindu priests and others associated with conducting rituals in temples, reports Ramesh Babu.

The LEFT seems to be taking a 'right' turn on beliefs and customs. The CPM-led state government is considering setting up a university to train Hindu priests and others associated with conducting rituals in temples.

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This has been promised by State Temple Affairs Minister G. Sudhaskaran to the Travancore Devaswam Board.

"It is high time to teach priests how to conduct rituals to the satisfaction of devotees. They don't know the basics of the religion and what the rituals and mantras are all about. They have little knowledge of Sanskrit too," the CPM Minister said.

An autonomous body, the Travancore Devaswam Board, runs around 1,200 temples in southern Kerala, including the famed hill shrine of Sabarimala. The board is currently under a probe panel, which is headed by a former Supreme Court judge, for alleged corruption and malpractices.

The panel had recently pulled up a high priest of Sabarimala as he had fumbled before it when it tested the amount of knowledge he had on Hindu philosophy and scriptures.

The minister also said that the government could bring in a legislation to set up the university in consultation with Hindu scholars.