Madurai (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 16 (ANI): Three non-Brahmin priests (archakars) have been appointed at temples run by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department.

According to a statement issued by the HR&CE department, in February 2018, the first government-trained non-Brahmin priest in Tamil Nadu, D Marichamy, a member of a backward community, was ordained a priest at the Ayyappan Temple in Tallakulam, which is under the control of the Allagarkovil Kallazhagar Temple Administration.

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"Two years later, P Thiagarajan of Arapalayam, a government-trained non-Brahmin priest, was ordained a priest at the Siddhi Vinayagar temple in Nagamalai Pudukottai, which is managed by the Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple authorities," the statement said.

"However, for fear of backlash from Hindu organizations, their appointments were concealed and not formally announced and approved during the previous AIADMK regime. Implementing a historic government order issued during the tenure of former DMK leader M Karunanidhi, 54 non-Brahmin priests were appointed to temples managed by the HR & CE department."

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At a function in Chennai on August 14, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin handed over letters of appointment to 54 non-Brahmin priests.

Accordingly, three more non-Brahmin priests were appointed in Madurai, taking the number of districts for the five non-Brahmin priests. Following their appointment on Saturday, two priests - P Maharajan and S Arunkumar - have been working. (ANI)

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