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I am belong to NAMBOODIRI caste, a high division of Brahmin in Hindu religion. We are called as THANTRI NAMBOODIRIES(spiritual administrator of temples). Every temple has its own chief of priests. They are called as THANTRI.
Thantries have a large extended family of priests to take care of the many shrines and elaborate festivals. Most are well trained from early childhood in the intricate liturgy. All temple pujarīs are usually brahmins from the saints lineage, though in certain temples they are not. These men of God have their own individuality and must be fully knowledgeable of the metaphysical and ontological tenets of the religion and learn hundreds of mantras and chants required in the ritual worship. When fully trained, they are duly ordained as Acharyas to perform parartha puja(offering to God for others) in a consecrated temple. Generally, pujarīs do not attend to the personal problems of devotees. They are God's servants, tending His temple home and its related duties, never standing between the devotee and God. Officiating priests are almost always married men. The agamas explain, "Only a well-qualified priest may perform both atmartha puja, worship for one's self, and parartha puja, worship for others.
Thantri has the right to erect and consecrate idols in a temple, supervise the day to day offerings(Poojas) and total spiritual administration. When a temple incarnated by a particular Thantri, head priest, he will enjoy the highest position in that particular temple. This is a hereditary work. From the age of 7 we start to learn the principles and theories for our hereditary profession. To obtain the power(Sidhi) for this profession, we taught chanting the hymns repetedly a certain times as per the concise work of temple ceremonies mentioned in vedic laws. We follow the books such as Thantrasamuccaya, Saradatilakam, Prapanchasaram, Kalasachandrika, Sarva Deva Prathishta Vidhi, Isana gurudeva padhathi, Kriyasaram etc.. Above all every Thantri family has also got their own way of poojas(offerings), which differ from all others too. After studies over, we start to go with elders for this profession and this training period will long for years. Then only we are allowed to do our profession freely.
Yogic mysteries from the most ancient of times have not only survived, but evolved into a form readily accessible to the complex needs of the human psyche in the modern era. The ancients discovered certain therapies that address fundamental psycho-spiritual needs. These therapeutic sciences are a part of an unbroken tradition preserved through Hindu temple worship that survives into this modern era.
Our family is a big one. But only 4 members are doing this profession. My father, Narayanan Namboodiri (84) is an exponent and scholar in thantric cult in Kerala. My mother, Parvathy (74), supports father and us.
My beloved wife, Sreedevi (MA in Sanskrit) died on 29th August, 1999 due to heart attack. She was a teacher in Sanskrit. I have two male children. The elder one, Narayanan 22, works with government and support me when I am in need and the other one, Mahesan 15, is in his 11th standard in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Palakkad, Kerala, India which is a boarding School
We live in a small house with a courtyard and little compound making this a heaven.
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