ITAHARI, Nov 1: Gone are the days when dalits were not allowed to enter into temples. It´s true at least for a temple in Itahari. People in Itahari have accepted a dalit as the priest of the Dakshinkali temple for around 15 years in a defining sign of the changing times.
Prem BK (Gajmer) has been working as the priest of the temple in Itahari-8 since its inauguration 15 years ago. People of Sunsari and neighboring Jhapa and Morang districts now know the former transportation worker as Auliya Baba.
He doesn´t know Sanskrit and is not a learned man either but he is performing the religious chores at the temple perfectly. "The duty came to me when they searched for a priest after construction of the temple completed," BK, who spends four hours in religious chores every day, reminisces.
He puts tika on devotees, gives blessings and even performs marital rites. He is particularly busy on Saturdays when working people and students of all castes come to the temple for worship and seek his blessings. "Though I am a dalit by birth, I have not felt myself a dalit after becoming a priest," he shares.
"I do not feel satisfied without receiving blessings from him on holidays as his blessings bear fruits," says 13-year-old Avon Khadka, a student at the Godavari Vidya Mandir, Itahari.
Robin Gautam, a local, feels the appointment of a dalit as the priest of the temple has provided a positive impetus in ending the caste system, which is yet to be abolished practically from the society despite legal end to caste system.
PLEASE DESIST FROM ATTACKING THE WRITER PERSONALLY AND BE RESPECTFUL TO OTHER READERS.
Please give your full name while posting your comments. This is not to stifle the free flow of comments but your full name will enable us to print the comments in our newspaper.
![[del.icio.us]](http://images.del.icio.us/static/img/delicious.small.gif){kind=small}
