Author: Imtiaz Jaleel

Source: NDTV

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080077880&ch=12/27/2008%209:51:00%20AM

Women priests in Hinduism are not new. But for the first time, an institute in Pune is offering women a one-year course which will train them to become 'purohitas' or female priests. And the response so far has been quite encouraging, with many families specifically asking for 'purohitas'.

"Seventy per cent of our batch comprises women, most of them housewives, who are doing this course to do a job of a purohita," said Arya Joshi, Senior Instructor, Jnana Prabodhini, Pune.