Lopamudra was a woman.
The Vedic Period was mercifully short of male chauvinists and sexist tendencies. During the 14th - 16th centuries BC, women equaled and even surpassed men in many a sphere; physical as well as intellectual. Since Hindu civilization revolved around the highest and at the same time practical tenets for living, men and women had an equal say in matters of governance, and religion - the two most important aspects of ancient society.
But like the rest of the world, woman in India, too, had her fall. Slowly she was left by the wayside and the practice of religious traditions and rituals became the mainstay of male priests, the Brahmans. There was a period when it was even sacrilege for a woman to be in the same place where a ritual was being conducted.
But those days are slowly becoming a thing of the past. A new revolution is springing up in Western India to embrace the feminine way of looking at and practicing religion. And the torch bearers of this revolution are a few stoic, matronly housewives of the state of Maharashtra in the western part of the country.
They are popularly referred to as "RUSHIKAS". And they are the new breed of female priests storming the Brahman bastion. Mostly from the orthodox Maharashtrian families in and around Pune, these priests are usually matriarchal housewives who have been trained extensively in the Vedic chants and rituals.
More than 500-strong in number, these female purohits are schooled at Pune's Udhyan Prasad Mangal Karyalaya. Within the short span of 5 to 7 years, they have carved a niche for themselves in the Maharashtrian Hindu horizon. It's a matter of pride to note that the purohits are not saints or self-proclaimed saints, nor the dyed-in-wool charlatans who abound in every nook and corner of the country. Rather they are happily married housewives who have found their true calling in the rich sounds of the Vedic hymns.
The school that exclusively teaches women purohits is Pune's Udhan Karyalaya, founded by Shankar Thattey and his wife Pushpa Thattey in 1975. They are proud that their students come here from all walks of life- they are officials, doctors and many other professionals who embrace the Vedic way of rituals and traditions; and make sure that many Hindu families benefit from them.
Go To Page: 1 2
