Govt-trained Archakas welcome GO relaxing age limit of priests

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Association for Trained Archakas on Saturday welcomed the State government’s order to extend the age limit to 45 years from 35 years in the appointment of temple priests under the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious Institutions Employees (Condition of Service) Rules, 2020.

"The Chief Minister who removed the thorn from Periyar's heart did not see our demands as a mere petition seeking jobs but a rare task to remove the untouchability in the sanctum sanctorum. His government on September 2 issued an order to relax the age limit to 45 years," V Ranganathan, president of the association, said.

He said that his association heartily welcomes this government order which establishes equality in the work of God even as the appointment of all caste priests is under threat due to the Madras High Court judgment.

As many as 207 students got trained as Archakas in 2007 during the DMK government led by Karunanidhi. "However, the court stay by Brahmin priests prevented us from getting appointed in the HR&CE run temples. After a long legal struggle we got the verdict in our favour but the previous AIADMK government did not take any steps to appoint us. When DMK came to power, the qualified Archakas, including Brahmins, were appointed in the government run temples. But most of the 207 qualified Archakas crossed the age limit of 35 years. Hence, we demanded the Chief Minister to relax the age limit to allow all the government trained to get appointments in the temples," he recalled.