Priests & Perks
Yuba Nath Lamsal
IF the reports in some vernacular papers are, at all, true, a group of priests, recently, knocked the doors of administration and human rights groups seeking justice against exploitation. Their grudges were, in deed, genuine as they complained that priests were underpaid. According to reports, these religious performers, in one of the incident in the district, were paid only eleven rupees as “dakshina” at the end of seven-long days of religious performances (saptah), which, they say, is exploitation of their labour.
Had they worked in other sectors of the economy, they must have earned at least seven hundreds in a week. By any standard, the pay is, no doubt, a meager.
This is the age of democracy and human rights. The dignity of labour has been recognized and respected everywhere in the present day world. Due wages must be paid to the workers, if they are hired to do certain jobs.
Of course, the priests, too, have human rights. The mere eleven rupees for the work of seven days is meager and far less. If calculated on daily basis, their daily wages amount to less than two rupees, which, in dollar terms, is not even three cents.
Gone are the days when verses of Bhagbat Gita used to guide the priests. The religious performances are the services to the God and such works have no monetary values. Moreover, Hindu philosophy was guided by the notion—do your duty without expecting any rewards.
In the present capitalist world, work without pay is unimaginable. Thus, workers, of any sorts, must be paid on the basis of the nature of job and performances. Priests are no exception.
However, one thing remains unanswered what really their wages are. The government has fixed monthly salary for the civil servants, teachers, employees of corporations based on their post and positions. Similarly, labourers, too, have their fixed wages according to their categories like unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled workers. Should the priests, too, be categorized based on their qualifications and experiences and wages fixed accordingly? If done so, there would be unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled categories of priests. This arrangement would not only protect the priests from the exploitation and discrimination but also ease the problem of the clients. The possible row between the priests and the clients would come to an end permanently. Moreover, it would facilitate the people to seek the priests of suitable category as per the capacity of their purse and the type of religious function.
It is the season of protests in Nepal. Political parties, students and teachers have already taken to the streets with their own set of demands. Contractors refused to file tenders and petroleum sellers closed their pumps for a couple of days in a mark of protest. Whether their demands are justified or not, they have exercised the right to protest. These are self-centric days. Who cares the woes of the commoners? Not even the priests. Who knows one day priests would also refuse to work and come out to the streets for their demands of due wages. The idea is, of course, not bad. They, too, have the right to apply pressure tactics for the own interest.
IF the reports in some vernacular papers are, at all, true, a group of priests, recently, knocked the doors of administration and human rights groups seeking justice against exploitation. Their grudges were, in deed, genuine as they complained that priests were underpaid. According to reports, these religious performers, in one of the incident in the district, were paid only eleven rupees as “dakshina” at the end of seven-long days of religious performances (saptah), which, they say, is exploitation of their labour.
Had they worked in other sectors of the economy, they must have earned at least seven hundreds in a week. By any standard, the pay is, no doubt, a meager.
This is the age of democracy and human rights. The dignity of labour has been recognized and respected everywhere in the present day world. Due wages must be paid to the workers, if they are hired to do certain jobs.
Of course, the priests, too, have human rights. The mere eleven rupees for the work of seven days is meager and far less. If calculated on daily basis, their daily wages amount to less than two rupees, which, in dollar terms, is not even three cents.
Gone are the days when verses of Bhagbat Gita used to guide the priests. The religious performances are the services to the God and such works have no monetary values. Moreover, Hindu philosophy was guided by the notion—do your duty without expecting any rewards.
In the present capitalist world, work without pay is unimaginable. Thus, workers, of any sorts, must be paid on the basis of the nature of job and performances. Priests are no exception.
However, one thing remains unanswered what really their wages are. The government has fixed monthly salary for the civil servants, teachers, employees of corporations based on their post and positions. Similarly, labourers, too, have their fixed wages according to their categories like unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled workers. Should the priests, too, be categorized based on their qualifications and experiences and wages fixed accordingly? If done so, there would be unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled categories of priests. This arrangement would not only protect the priests from the exploitation and discrimination but also ease the problem of the clients. The possible row between the priests and the clients would come to an end permanently. Moreover, it would facilitate the people to seek the priests of suitable category as per the capacity of their purse and the type of religious function.
It is the season of protests in Nepal. Political parties, students and teachers have already taken to the streets with their own set of demands. Contractors refused to file tenders and petroleum sellers closed their pumps for a couple of days in a mark of protest. Whether their demands are justified or not, they have exercised the right to protest. These are self-centric days. Who cares the woes of the commoners? Not even the priests. Who knows one day priests would also refuse to work and come out to the streets for their demands of due wages. The idea is, of course, not bad. They, too, have the right to apply pressure tactics for the own interest.
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