Hindu clergy are divided into two major groups –
Priests & monastics (monks and nuns)
The Monastics – sanyāsis – have renounced the world as well as all ritual activities and should strictly speaking have nothing to do with rituals – other than those they perform for themselves. They are celibate and do not have anything to do with their families.
The priests are divided into two major groups:—
Temple priests (archakas) and domestic priests (purohits)
Domestic priests are again divided into two groups:-
Those who perform all the sacraments before death (pūrva-prayogis) and those who deal with all the death, cremation and obsequial and memorial rites (apara-prayogis).
In western countries there are only a few priests who conduct both types of ceremonies.
Hindu Clergy
- Temple Priests (archakas) – are supposed to only serve in the temple but often do side-jobs in their spare time. They have an obligation to marry and have families.
- Domestic Priests (purohits) – are those priests who come to one’s home to perform sacraments and rituals. They are not employed by all Hindus and some castes do not use their services at all. Domestic priests are usually married with families.
Functions
Since the Hindu tradition is highly decentralized, the occupation of the priest is not certified by any central authority. The religious practices and the capabilities required for the various roles of the priest are verified and affirmed in the context of the community where the priest traditionally receives training, engages in the occupation, and is recognized as competent based on the quality of his work.
Hindu Priests are actually ritual technicians. There are a vast number of rituals which are performed, among them 16 sacraments and hundreds of other rituals – there is a ritual for every imaginable occasion. Unlike Christian, Jewish and Islamic clergy — Hindu clergy do not deliver sermons. Some may give teachings or discourses on specific topics to select audiences but sermons and lectures are not part of their duties.
Hindu monks and nuns on the other hand do not engage in rituals but spend most of their time meditating and teaching.
Temple Priests (Archakas)
Hindu temples function differently to churches, synagogues and mosques.
The temple is literally the home of the deity. The deity is an image which is consecrated according to elaborate rites and ceremonies which take 3 to 10 days to accomplish. Once a temple is consecrated, there are a series of daily rituals which are to be performed from early morning till late at night. These rituals are performed independent of the presence of a ‘congregation’. Attendance at a temple is an individual affair and people come whenever they desire to make offerings to the deity. On festival days large numbers of people will attend the ceremonies.
