The passing of a priest

A.S. Narayana Deekshitulu served as one of the chief priests of the Tirumala temple for 50 years

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned its unforgiving eyes on India. I am pained to see the death toll mounting in the country of my parents’ birth, and I eagerly watch for news that a rapid mass vaccination campaign may stem the outbreak in India as it has done in other countries. COVID-19 does not discriminate. The disease has touched lives at all levels of Indian society, including those responsible for the operation and maintenance of various religious institutions. The famed Tirumala temple is no exception. This week, COVID-19 claimed the life of an iconic figure in the temple’s history, A.S. Narayana Deekshitulu, who served as one of its chief priests for 50 years. From 2007 to 2013, I had the privilege of writing a book on the priest traditions of the Tirumala temple. I spent time with these priests, including Deekshitulu and his sons, whose family welcomed me as a visitor. The wonderful heritage of ancient temples in southern India extends beyond the magnificent structures, beautiful deities, and precious ornaments. It includes traditions, customs, and festivals — and it is the priests who perform the rituals and maintain the institutions and facilities that attract thousands of worshippers each year. This heritage is codified by a set of rulebooks, or Agamas, that date back thousands of years. In Tirumala, for example, the 5,000-year-old Vaikhanasa Agama includes strict rules on the hereditary succession of priests (called mirasidhars) and sets aside a share of daily temple offerings (prasadams) as income for the priests. Most important, perhaps, the historical traditions impose strict checks and balances between the priests, the temple’s secular administration, and an associated pontifical matham headed by the Pedda Jeeyangar (who also had COVID-19 in 2020, but recovered).