Untouchability among priests: Caste still counts in Ayodhya

They are not treated on par with priests of other 8500-temples in Ayodhya. “We were not allowed to enter the temples for a long time” Diwakar says. Others admit that the upper caste priests still do not attend the Bhandara (feast) hosted by these temples unless the cook and waiters too belong to upper castes.

There are eight Nishad temples, two Krumi and two Yadav temples besides one temple each of Khatik, Rajak (dhobi), Teli, Pasi, Lodhi and Nai castes.Diwakar is fourth priest of the Ravi Das temple which was constructed by Swami Jokhan Das in 1918, despite strong protests by upper caste sadhus of Ayodhya. Besides the usual idols of Ram and Sita, the temple has also been adorned with a portrait of Dr B R Ambedkar. “After all, he is the pride of our caste” Diwakar claims.

All eight Nishad temples have the legendary kewat, the boat Ram, Sita and Laxman used to cross the Saryu river on their way to the 14-year exile, as the presiding deity besides the usual Ram and Sita idols.

Similarly, instead of Ram and Sita idols, the Panchayati Yadav temple at Terhi Bazar constructed in 1936, has idols of Radha and Krishna. “This is the only temple in Ayodhya which does not have a Ram-Sita idol” claims the head priest, Munishwar Das Shastri, himself Yadav by caste.

The temples are run by the fund collected by their own caste-members and both priest and the manager belong to their own caste. Ram Ashray Yadav is the manager of Yadav temple and Chhote Lal Nishad, an influential transporter, the manager of the Panchayati Nishad temple. Similarly, another influential Kurmi leader, Har Govind Varma runs the show at Akhil Bhartiya Panchayati Kurmi Mandir at Raiganj in Ayodhya.