Mangalore : Senior Congress leader and Former Union Minister B Janardhana Poojary said in order to treat women as equal to men; Kudroli Gokarnatheshwara Temple has taken an initiative to appoint two widows as the temple priest.

Addressing the press meet held at Press Club on Oct 3, Thursday he said that on these two women priests, have been given the training from the priests from past four months and they will perform the puja at Shiva and Annapoorneshwari sanctum sanctorum in the temple on Oct 6.

Poojary also said that these also install and inaugurate idol of Lord Dattatreya place below the Peepal tree. Maha Annasantharpana to the devotees will be followed by the puja.

None of the scholars have mentioned that women should not perform religious rituals and temple has taken the decision to give equal rights to the women, he said.

City entrepreneur Ramesh Kumar and Urmila Ramesh Kumar of Janata and Deepa Comforts group will inaugurate the installation of the goddess Sharada, Navadurgas and Lord Ganesha by lighting the lamp on October 5, Saturday at 11 am.

The book Mansiddhare Marga’ authored by B Devdas Contractor will be released at Santhoshi Kalamantapa Auditorium on October 12.

H S Sairam, Harikrishna Bantwal, Raghavendra Kulor and Padmaraj R were present.