Kantararu Mohanaru, the controversial “junior” tantri (traditional chief priest) of the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala—a man who has been linked to the Kannada actress Jayamala and who was barred from discharging his duties after being caught with a woman in a flat—has been appearing before a three-member inquiry commission inquiring into the irregularities in the Devaswom Board.
Today’s Deccan Herald has a captivating transcript of the proceedings:
Commission: Do you know Sanskrit?
Mohanaru: No.
Commission: Then how come you were an expert member in the board which interviewed priests?
Mohanaru: I gave marks only for the pujas.
Commission: Have you studied tantras and mantras?
Mohanaru: We have traditionally been…
Commission: Tradition and all are fine. Just because the father is king the son need not become king. Do you know the vedas?
Mohanaru: No.
Commission: Do you know the Veda mantras?
Mohanaru: No.
Commission: Do you know Bhagyasooktham?
Mohanaru: No.
Commission: Then how do you do pujas in Sabarimala?
Mohanaru: There, we don’t conduct pujas using these mantras.
Commission: Don’t you conduct Ganapathy Homam and other pujas there?
Mohanaru: I do it myself with some other mantras.
Commission: But isn’t Bhagyasooktham an essential element of Ganapathy Homam. OK, let it go. Do you know the star in which Ganapathy was born?
Mohanaru: No.
Also read: Should Yesudas be let into Guruvayur Temple?
27 June 2007 at 12:33 pm
Oops!!
YOu will get the same answer from 70% of tantris elsewhere in India too. Just learning by rote the sukthams is of no use. Its like a parrot reciting the verses. One has to understand the meaning and actually start using those verses in real life – only then he/she is a true tantri.
The latest method is to get a certificate in Aagama shastras and become tantris…. it requires deeper understanding.
No wonder, there is a saying in kannada …. devuru kottru pujari kodallila…
27 June 2007 at 12:54 pm
The ‘F’ word – Fantastic, Fantastic
27 June 2007 at 5:57 pm
You will get the same answer from 70% of Hindus. How many of us know Sanskrit or the meaning of those ‘shlokas’ that we recite?
27 June 2007 at 6:12 pm
THE reason I detested going to temples since I was in 6th grade. Stopped actually going since my 12th grade.
Incompetence at the temples should not be a surprise & generate ‘awe’ – Remember we have Mayawati, Govinda, Laloo as our care takers in this WORLD….why should it be any different at the gates of OTHER WORLD. :)
27 June 2007 at 9:26 pm
Ivanu Tanthri alla Kanthri … Shloka heLovardhella Idhe haNebaraha.
28 June 2007 at 6:27 am
For a change can we leave out Hindu’s and their temples and discuss about Churches and Mosque (dare!).
30 June 2007 at 8:44 am
How about replacing these poojaris/tantri/kutantris by CD players? The tantri can then just be trained to switch CDs as per the occasion.
10 August 2012 at 11:55 pm
This questionaaire need not have been published – how many of the Drivers can recollect all the traffic signs extempore, but do not commit accidents. How many Doctors can do their daily work without referring to books. The person who conducted interview/ examination, whether he remembers everything in the Rule book.
His right to ask these questions is not denied, but without complete file before the General Public, only publishing certain question and answers is not good.
12 December 2012 at 11:23 pm
Sir,
It is marvelous that, it is our second meeting in the internet. I could not imagine that, one Doctor, who had good knowledge about Veda had written this about Kantaru Mohanaru.
Meanwhile, the Courts had relied upon the complaint by the accused and lady, that they were forcefully stripped and taken photo, the persons who took photo had been convicted, according to news report in Malayalam paper.
Ramanathan.G
11.20 pm of 12-12-12