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Priests and temple duty

From the Bhakti List Archives

krish • March 12, 1997 


Dear Bagavatas,
I was rather annoyed by the letter from Chicago Venkatchalapathi
Temple this week. This is the same temple that offered Bhktas 
2000 and 1000 dollar gold chains consecrated by an archana.
This letter pointed out the management does not approve 
arrangement by private parties, directly with the priests
functions in their homes. They have a point that the priests
work for the temple and moonlighting should not afect temple
prayers and duties. I hail from an agrajhram family and was 
brought up around brahmins who made a livlihood of doing
priestly service. To them it is an added income. At first 
and still my sympathy is with the priests. Even in India
rigorous organization of the temple management has removed
the direct contact of the priests. I rarely buy an archan 
service because of this reason and generally tip the priests
when the arathi plate comes. 
To some extent the temple organizations have to adhere to 
these restrictions. But I cannot see the stand taken by
them especially in print.
Krishan Praba