The process of selecting priests to perform prayers at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya was recently completed. As part of the process, regular applications were invited from interested devotees, and around 3000 people participated. The interested parties had to undergo a rigorous selection process that included specific criteria for choosing the priests for the Ram Mandir. In this entire process, 200 applicants were interviewed, out of which 50 candidates were selected for the post of priests.
Subsequently, the reports saying that Mohit Pandey had been selected as the chief priest went viral on social media. Reacting to these reports, certain social media users tried to cast aspersions and raise questions over the selection process for priests asking why only a Brahmin was selected for this post.
Many predictable handles, fanning the casteist divide and playing SC, OBC cards, started linking his selection with Brahminism highlighting his name, Manoj Pandey.
A Dalit portal named ‘The Mooknayak’ tweeted in Hindi, ” Mohit Pandey will become the priest of Ram temple! Is it forbidden for Dalits to become priests?”
Dilip Mandal fumed and wrote, “This temple is being built by the Government of India as a trust. It is not anyone’s ancestral property. There should be an agitation if the reservation is not given in the temple management. Everyone will give Dakshina and only one caste will withdraw all the money, this will not work.”
An X user named Suraj Yadav in a sarcastic tone claimed that Dalits, OBCs, and Tribals are not Hindus. He wrote, “If he is a Hindu then he is selected. Keep in mind that Dalits, backward people, and tribals are not Hindus. Shudras, Ati Shudras, and people outside the caste system have no place either in the trust or in the place of worship. And this is especially for those Yadavs who are supporters of Manuvad or Brahminism.”
However, the pertinent thing is that those who are casting aspersions, neither know about the selection process nor are they aware of the merit due to which Mohit Pandey was selected for the post of Chief Priest.
For those unversed, the necessary condition to become a priest in the Ramlala temple was that the candidate should have studied Vedas, Shastras, and Sanskrit from a recognised Gurukul. Additionally, the candidate must have been initiated into the Ramanandiya tradition. In line with that, attention was paid to the knowledge of Vedas, rituals, and Vedic mantras during the interview process to select priests for the Ram Mandir. The upper limit for the candidates was fixed at 30 years.
Furthermore, despite their selection as Priest and Chief Priest, the selected candidates will have to undergo a long training period, which would last for 6 months, before they start performing their duties. In this training phase, they will be imparted in-depth knowledge of Vedas, rituals, Vedic mantras, and Ramayana. Only after the training phase is over, the priests will be able to perform the worship of Ramlala.
Candidates were adjudged on the selection criteria
As per the selection criteria, it was necessary to be a scholar of the Ramnandiya tradition, as well as to have expertise in the knowledge of Vedas, Shastras, and Sanskrit. The fact that Mohit Pandey passed all the selection criteria based on merit and ability, just like other candidates who were also evaluated, means that allegations of casteism and religious favoritism don’t arise.
Notably, Mohit Pandey studied for seven years at Dudheshwar Ved Vidyapeeth, Ghaziabad. He obtained a Shastri (Bachelor) degree from Sri Venkateswara Vedic University, affiliated with Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams in Tirupati. In 2023, he earned a master’s degree in Samaveda. He is also a scholar of the Ramanandiya tradition and possesses expertise in Vedas, Shastras, and Sanskrit.
Likewise, other selected priests include youth from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. All the selected priests belong to the Ramanandiya tradition and have expertise in the Vedas, Shastras, and Sanskrit.
Mohit Pandey chosen as per the selection process
Speaking with The New Indian Express, Professor Rani Sadashiva Murthy, Vice-Chancellor of Sri Venkateswara Vedic University expressed happiness over the selection of Mohit Pandey to the post of Chief Priest of Shri Ram Lal Temple.
Murthy said, “Many students from the University serve as priests and acharyas in various temples. A soft-spoken person, Pandey’s nature, focus and dedication to his studies have earned him the opportunity to serve Lord Ram in the esteemed Ayodhya Ram mandir.”
Mohit Pandey’s journey, from Ghaziabad to Tirupati and now Ayodhya after being selected as the Chief Priest of Ram Lala, is a testament to his dedication and rigorous training. Institutions like Dudheshwar Ved Vidyapeeth and Sri Venkateswara Vedic University in Ghaziabad have played a crucial role in nurturing individuals with spiritual abilities, as evidenced by their selection process.
In such a situation, those who are pointing fingers at his selection and linking it with castism are vitiating society by fanning the caste divide.
While the ecosystem has been carrying out smear campaigns and cast aspersions, it is important to highlight that there are several temples in different states of India, there are not only Dalit or Women priests, prayers are performed by Dalit women priests in these temples.
In a previous article, OpIndia highlighted temples in which women and Dalits have been performing the responsibility of priests. Click here to read this complete report.