Newind Press

Mangalore, Mar 29: A shortage of brides for Brahmin boys who continue to follow the traditional family occupation of priests has forced the community to approve ‘import’ of girls from other communities into their caste.

The decision was taken at a seminar of traditional scholars and purohitas from Kasargod, Dakshin Kanara, Udupi and North Kanara districts of Karnataka.

This is allowed by the Grhya Sutra, a 2000- year-old text-cum-reference book on tradition and practices, says G N Bhat, Director of Inter- Disciplinary Studies and Research in Sanskrit at Canara college.

Exactly 50 years ago, Brahmins in North Kanara district had imported girls from other communities in Kerala to tide over a similar shortage of brides. The current shortage is believed to be because girls — and their parents — now prefer boys in IT and BT.

The seminar on Maharshi Bodhayana’s contributions to Vedic culture also passed a resolution on the need to review rituals and havanas which have no relation to cause and effect of problems.

"With the younger generation developing a faith in dharmic rituals, Inter-Disciplinary Studies and Research in Sanskrit will take an initiative to review rituals and make them economical," says Bhat.

Without taking a confrontational path with the existing system, he hopes to begin with ‘orientation camps’ for the priestly class from the region on making homa-havans meaningful.

"Within two years we intend to organise a regional conference of religious math heads and get an official stamp of approval on the revised rituals," he says.