The famous Godess Meenakshi Amman temple here has got a non-Brahmin as 'archaka' (priest), twelve years after the Tamil Nadu government passed an order for appointment of people from any caste as priests.
The new priest, belonging to a backward caste, was among the 206 people who had undergone training conducted by the ancient temple administration, official sources said.
The state government had passed an order on May 23, 2006 allowing appointment as 'archaka' any Hindu possessing the requisite qualification and training in temples.
The G.O was challenged by an association of priests in the Supreme Court which had on December 16, 2015 upheld the order.
The Meenakshi Amman temple has appointed the priest with conditions which included that he could be suspended if he violated the 'Agama' rules, a manual for worship of the deity, rituals and construction of temples
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