Temples remain locked for most parts of the day in Telangana
Stopping prayers to God to get prayers heard by powers that be, is what priests in temples across Telangana are doing. All in hope that the political almighty hears their prayers for a pay hike.
Over 6000 archakas, or temple priests, are protesting - wearing black badges, raising slogans and going on bike rallies - and demanding pay on par with other state government employees of the Endowment Department. They claim that a regular employee gets a salary of around Rs. 20,000 per month while they are paid only Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000 per month.
Chakradari Acharyulu, a priest at Venkateswara Temple in Chikkadpally says no one is ready to get married into their family. "That is because we get very less salary. We get around Rs 3000 to 4000. It is very difficult to make our living. Especially in a city like Hyderabad, to survive one needs at least Rs 10,000 - 15,000.''
Since Thursday, 2000 relatively big temples and 10,000 smaller ones have been closed for most part of the day. The sanctum sanctorum is being kept open for a minimum time only.
"We are doing morning pooja and have done away with archana seva, aarthi puja. All that is closed. In the morning when we open the temple, we are taking care of devotees,'' one priest said.
Bhanumurthy, president of the joint action committee of Telangana archakas and endowment employees says they had hoped with the birth of Telangana, their prayers would be answered. "We have been asking for this for the last 15-20 years. Even after Telangana, our salary has not increased. We feel if we reach the chief minister's ears, our issue will be resolved.''
"No one will want to work as archaka. Then how will temples survive?'' asks Ranga Reddy, president of Telangana Archakas Association
Time waits for no man they say, but God perhaps will have to be patient to get full-fledged services restarted till the prayers of the priests are heard by powers on this earth.