Hindu Temple Religious Worker

Hindu Temple Religious Worker (non-pastoral role)- Saivaite Priest

Type of position

• Full-time
• 24 months fixed term

Shri Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple in Tividale is the culmination of deeply felt spiritual aspirations and one of the most remarkable achievements of the Hindu communities in the United Kingdom. The temple is set in an approximately 30 acres of land, with a number of different shrines and other facilities and it has grown over a 20-year period to become the largest Hindu temple of its kind in the UK and Europe.

Key Responsibilities & Duties

Role Objective:

• To contribute to organisation growth through the quality service to ensure the spiritual needs of the devotees.
• To guide and direct his assistants, if any, to ensure that all activities are carried out at the scheduled time and sanctified manner.

Responsibilities & Duties:

• To perform all Pooja (Prayers), Abishekam (bath to deities) and other ceremonies as per traditions of the Temple.None of the rituals, rites, poojas etc that are performed by you in our temple involves any preaching or leading a congregation with prayers etc.
• To ensure that the deities and the alter are clean and tidy at all times. This includes the polishing of the metal deities, disposal of all used flowers, arranging the deities’ clothing in the appropriate cupboards, washing of wet towels, etc immediately after the prayers, keeping tidy and arranging on a daily basis the cupboards used to store clothing, Pooja items, etc;
• To liaise with the office manager and / or chairman and / or other designated representative of the employer.
• Direct all requests by devotees for special Pooja (prayers), Abishekam and Hawan to the Temple office.
• To carry out such other reasonable religious duties as may be requested from time to time by office manager / chairman or other designated representative of the employer.
• Adhere to temple rules, processes, procedures and policies.

The Individual

• Applicant should have Brahmin lineage of priesthood.
• Siva Agama Ratanam, Sivagama Baskara Certificate, Veda Agama Certificate or equivalant certificate
• Recognised training, acceptable to the selection panel, in the Hindu Vedas and agamas to enable the carrying out of the priestly duties.
• Able to conduct Poojas in both the Saivaite and Vaishnavaite traditions.
• Be of exemplary character befitting the position of the Priest in a Hindu Temple and should be vegetarians, abstain from alcohol, tobacco.