Widows perform special poojas at Kudroli temple

Three women priests belonging to Dalit communities, recently posted at Gokarnanatheshwara temple at Kudroli near here, today led over 1,000 widows who offered special poojas at the shrine on the occasion of Diwali.
Deviating from conventional norms, the women priests-- Indira Shanthi, Laxmi Shanthi and Chandravathi--were brought to the temple in a silver chariot pulled by hundreds of widows from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.
They offered poojas to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu under the guidance of temple priests Laxman and Lokesh, as part of the Diwali festivities. The widows later received a saree, blouse piece, vermilion, jasmine flowers and a one-rupee coin as 'prasadam'.

Temple Managing Trustee and former Union Minister B Janardhana Poojary, who was present on the occasion, said the central and state governments should take steps to follow such social reform measures in temples to bring the marginalised sections to the mainstream.
City Mayor Mahabala Marla and Mangalore South MLA J R Lobo were among those who were present to witness the ceremony.