Dalit priest to enter sreekovil' of Travancore Devaswom Board temple today

ALAPPUZHA: Yedhu Krishnan, 22, the first Dalit priest under Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) which administers 1248 temples, is all set to make his way to the sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) of Manappuram Mahadeva temple, Thiruvalla. Though he had received the appointment order on Saturday, he chose to begin his regular job Monday. A disciple of Anirudhan Thantri of North Paravoor, he got priesthood after ten-year training in Tantra Sastra at Sree Gurudeva Vaidika Thantra Peedom he run s along with 29 others. He secured fourth place in the 62-member list approved by the government which included five more Dalit candidates.

The entry of Mr Krishan to sreekovil is eighty years after the Temple Entry Proclamation and three decades after Paliyam proclamation. Son of Pulavar couple P.K. Ravi and P.A. Leela of Pulikunnath, Koratty, Thrissur, Mr Krishnan will be a sole performer of the priestly duties at the Mahadeva temple. He has been asked to do one-time puja in the early morning, the practice Mahadeva temple follows. However, it remains unclear if his posting went to an insignificant single-priest temple as TDB foresees possible opposition from conservatives. The temple has no evening puja.

For last six years, he was serving as 'Shanthi' at Thekkethruthu Valiyakulangara temple near North Paravoor. "I feel being blessed now. I will dedicate myself to my job. In my mind it's nothing but the welfare of the temple', he said. Before taking charge officially visited Chengannur, Aranmula, Chakkulathukavu and Thiruvalla temples. He believes he is strong enough to face any challenge, and for him, the priesthood is not a profession, but Upasana (way of life).