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	HC Allows Woman to Become Priest of Temple The Times of India September 6, 2008 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/HC_allows_woman_to_become_priest_of_temple/articleshow/3450353.cms MADURAI: Observing that "altars of God" must be freed from gender bias, the Madras High Court has directed that a woman priest, who is the only legal heir of her father, be allowed to perform pooja in a village temple where the presiding deity is Goddess Durga. Justice K Chandru of the Madurai Bench allowed a petition filed by Pinniyakkal, the only legal heir of the temple priest and rejected the plea of one of the respondents, a male cousin of the petitioner, that only he should perform 'pooja' on the grounds that only a male member can be a priest. The Judge viewed that such a contention did not have legal or factual basis. "It is ironical that when the presiding deity of the temple is a Goddess, objections are being raised against a woman in performing poojas in such temples. Even in vedic times it is recorded that women had performed poojas. Fortunately the temple is not trapped under any Agama sastras. The sub-cultural deities established in south India are freed from the norms of Manusmriti and hence women being subordinated to home making alone is not warranted," Justice Chandru said. "Neither provision of law nor any scheme prohibits a woman from performing poojas in the said temple," the Judge said.
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