Less than a month following a publicized incident in which a Dalit minister in Kerala recounted experiencing discrimination at a temple event, a recent job posting by the renowned Sree Krishna Temple in Guruvayur has sparked controversy due to its exclusionary language.
The Kerala Devaswom Recruitment Board (KDRB), the authorized body responsible for temple appointments in the state, has notably limited applications for the cook position at the Guruvayur Temple to Brahmin candidates only. Differently-abled individuals have been discouraged from applying. The timing of this notice is noteworthy, as it coincides with the widely reported incident involving Kerala’s Minister for the Welfare of Scheduled Castes & Tribes, K Radhakrishnan, who felt ostracized by Brahmin priests during a lamp-lighting ceremony at a temple in Kannur.
The notification, issued on October 11, specifies a salary range between Rs 23,000 and Rs 50,200, along with certain qualifications, including proficiency in reading and writing Malayalam, good physical fitness, and a minimum of three years of experience in the relevant field.
When questioned about the contentious notification, KDRB chairman KB Mohandas defended it, stating, “That is one of the qualifications prescribed under the special rules for appointment of permanent staff of Guruvayur Devaswom.”
This is not the first instance where the Guruvayur Temple has exclusively sought Brahmin candidates. A similar notification was released in January of the previous year, but the recruitment process was halted, citing Covid-19 as the reason, following the intervention of the minister.
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