Jammu: Women lead Maha Aarti at historic Raghunath Temple

Jammu: A significant change has taken place in temple rituals that were traditionally restricted to men for centuries. For the first time, women have led the evening aarti at the historic Raghunath Temple in Jammu, creating history.

Dressed in saffron sarees and holding lamps in their hands, young women chanting devotional hymns and mantras marked the beginning of a new chapter inside the temple sanctum. These women, who are undergoing training to become priests, are breaking centuries-old barriers and establishing their place in the religious sphere.

Built in 1835, the historic Raghunath Temple has witnessed kings, wars and the prayers of millions of devotees. Today, however, it stands as a symbol of a major social transformation taking place with changing times.

A key figure behind this initiative is Kunwarani Ritu Singh, the granddaughter-in-law of Maharaja Hari Singh. She has played a leading role in encouraging society to accept women's participation in religious rituals and priestly duties.

“Our objective is not to sideline men. We want to convey the message that men and women are equal, just as the philosophy of Shiva and Shakti teaches,” Ritu Singh said.

“We perform Kanya Puja and worship goddesses. Then how can it be justified to keep women away from performing rituals?” she asked.

The initiative, launched a year ago, provides specialised training to women. At present, around 150 young women are undergoing training.

“We have received an overwhelmingly positive response from the public. The number is expected to grow further in the coming days,” Ritu Singh said.

The next phase of training will focus on conducting havans and chanting Vedic mantras. This will enable the women to serve as priests in various temples. She added that devotees have warmly welcomed this development.