[Paul Bunyan]

Hindu Priests, known as ‘Pandits or Pujari,’ are traditionally men and it is etched in the mind of many Hindus that only men can do the traditional pujas. It is true that the puja in temples and other auspicious ceremonies like marriage and housewarming are performed by men but it does not mean that Hindu women cannot become priests. There is nothing in the Hindu scriptures that bars Hindu women from taking up the job of a priest. And a slow change is taking place in Hinduism with more and more women taking up the position of priests and what is even more encouraging is that many Hindus are welcoming the change - there are thousands of Hindu Women performing pujas in Pune, Nagpur, Nashik and Mumbai. Pune has several institutions training women to become priests.

Hindu women priests might be miniscule in number and conservative Hindus clinging to nonexistent tradition out of ignorance might keep them out but not for long because it has been found that young Hindu women are becoming more and more expressive and are slowly but steadily breaking unwanted traditions.