The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Performing a key role

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Monday, Mar 31, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Performing a key role

P. Ram Mohan

They inherited the family’s traditional occupation from their father as they have no brother

AT WORK: Women priests performing a yagna at Choutpally village in Nizamabad district.

CHOUTPALLY (NIZAMABAD DT.): Whenever there is any ritual in the village, they make their presence at the place. It is not because they are important guests, but because the rites cannot be performed without them.

Pranaveswari, Rajeswari, Bhuvaneswari and Gnaneswari are all women priests who are cut out to play an important role in society. Daughters of Kacham Kasiram Joshi and Narsubai, the ‘upanayanam’ of the sisters was performed at an early age. As they have no brother, they inherited the occupation from their father. Though they all are married and have children, they have not given up the “pourohityam”.

Whether it is a wedding or any Arya Samaj or traditional Hindu ceremony, including installation of idols of gods and goddesses, ‘vrathalu’ or even rituals related to solemn occasions, the sisters are there to perform.

Sooth-saying

People have immense faith in fortune-reading of Ms. Pranaveswari Joshi, the eldest of the sisters, and also her knowledge in ‘vaastu sastra’. The 46 year-old Pranaveswari, despite being slightly physically challenged, has toured the entire country performing “yagnas and yagas”. She visited 12 Jyotirlingas in the country and installed a “Sivalingam” brought from Kasi at the village.

Talking to The Hindu, she says: “I had taken up priesthood as a challenge at the time when it was considered non-remunerative and public patronage was on the decline. Since then, I had never looked back. At present, we are busy performing pujas and other rituals.”

Ms. Pranaveswari initiated her well-qualified son, daughter and daughter-in-law too into the profession.

Vedic school

Last but not the least, they are also running a Vedic school (Madanananda Veda Pathasala) exclusively for girls. They had set it up on a site donated by Choutpally Hanumantha Reddy, former Zilla Parishad Chairman and grandfather of Assembly Speaker K.R. Suresh Reddy.

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