Pradip Sarmokadam straddles two worlds. As director at alocal digital solutions firm he over sees waste management in some of Goa’slargest corporates. And then as purohit for the people of a small village inPernem he conducts religious ceremonies that mark some of the most importantdays in the Hindu calendar. Sadly for Pradip Sarmokadam, this duality will markthe rest of his life. Surviving on the earning of a purohit would beimpractical in this day and age.
Like him the majority of purohits, work in companies or havea business . According to Pradip, the number of full time purohits is on thedecline. The decline is aggravated by the dwindling number of boys opting forthe vocation. Being a purohit and having a side business holds more appeal. Inaddition there are other issues that blight this profession in the state.
Pradip further says, “The demand for purohits in villagesand small cities is low unlike in big cities like Mumbai and Pune which offerabundant work. The poor compensation paid to purohits in villages dissuadesyoungsters from training to become purohits. Even the wealthy, at times, offer a measly sum as dakshina. People tendto forget that the religious too have to survive and make ends meet. A generousremuneration might serve as impetus for these purohits to serve full-time.”However, Bhalchandra Joshi, a purohit from Bicholim, disagrees. He says,“Contrary to the situation few years back, people have now become pious andthey are giving a lot of importance to religious activities.” Manoj Bhandankar,a purohit from Ponda agrees. He adds, “With the growing population, the demandfor purohits has also increased.”
Although being a priest in charge of a temple and having afixed salary sounds lucrative, applying for a post of a priest in a temple isakin to applying for a job in the government. The salary that they draw rangesfrom around Rs. 2000 to 10,000 per month. This is exclusive of the fruits andcoconuts that they get as offerings, which also forms a part of their income.Pradip says, “Getting appointed in a temple gets more difficult because we havepurohits from Karnataka competing for the post.” Joshi adds, “Their ability tosurvive in adverse conditions has been making them a common sight in temples.”
It is also notable that girls from purohit families prefermarrying a man who is financially stable rather than a purohit. Pradip says, “Purohitswith a good academic record and flexibility of taking up an alternateprofession don’t have a problem in finding a bride. But others have to manageby either marrying girls hailing from poor families from the Konkan region ormarrying in their late 30s or 40s. Purohits can’t opt for inter-caste marriagesas people won’t prefer them for getting religious work done, thereby hamperingtheir business directly. Some have to stay bachelors throughout their life.”
