Can women perform tantric rituals in temples? Though no ancient Hindu text prevents women from performing pujas and other tantric rituals in temples and associated venues, one hardly sees women priests in Kerala temples, despite the State pioneering renaissance movements decades ago.
Now, a 47-year-old mother and her 24-year-old daughter are stoking a silent fire in the State’s conservative Brahmin community by donning the role of priests in a temple and performing tantric rituals in neighbouring temples.
It was Jyothsna Padmanabhan, a double postgraduate who recently completed her MA in Vedanta at Madras University, who first heralded a change at the age of 11 by holding the tantric installation of goddess Bhadrakali at Painkannykavu Sree Krishna Temple at Kattoor in Thrissur, where her father is the chief priest. Since then, she has been conducting daily pujas and other tantric rituals at the temple whenever she is home.
