Professions

Who does what

What is taught The library Pathways Professions

"Pandit" is a courtesy title covering a dozen different occupations. A family needing a purohit for a wedding is not looking for the same person as a temple's archaka, and neither carves the vimana.

26professions

13the board can certify

13listed and verified

Ritual and worship

Archaka / Pujari Performs the daily worship in a temple — abhishekam, alankara, the aartis. Certified by the board

Purohit The family priest. Weddings, samskaras, griha pravesh, shraddha in the home. Certified by the board

Acharya Senior priest and teacher; heads ritual and instructs others in a tradition. Certified by the board

Vaidika Specialist in Vedic yajna and homa, working from the shrauta tradition. Certified by the board

Karmakandi Ritual specialist for prescribed rites, doshas, and prayaschitta. Certified by the board

Tantri / Agama specialist Authority on a temple's agama — consecration, and the rules of its worship. Certified by the board

Jyotishi Casts and reads charts, fixes muhurta, advises on panchang. Certified by the board

Vastu consultant Advises on the placement and orientation of buildings and shrines. Listed and verified

Learning and teaching

Veda pathak Recites and teaches a Veda in its shakha, with correct svara. Certified by the board

Shastri Scholar of the shastras — able to teach and to settle questions of text. Certified by the board

Sanskrit teacher Teaches the language: script, grammar, and reading the texts. Certified by the board

Kathavachak / Pravachak Gives discourse — Bhagavat katha, Ramkatha, and expounding on texts. Certified by the board

Gurukul acharya Runs a gurukul; teaches students in residence over years. Certified by the board

Music, arts and craft

Bhajan / kirtan singer Leads devotional singing in temple and at gatherings. Listed and verified

Temple musician Plays for worship and processions — nadaswaram, dhol, ghanta, and more. Listed and verified

Sthapati / Shilpi Temple architect and sculptor, working in the shilpa shastra tradition. Listed and verified

Temple artist Painting, mural and decorative work in and around the temple. Listed and verified

Alankara / decorator Dresses and adorns the deity; garlands, cloth and festival decoration. Listed and verified

Temple operations

Temple manager Runs the temple day to day — staff, visitors, records, compliance. Certified by the board

Trustee Serves on the temple's trust and is answerable for it. Listed and verified

Temple accountant Keeps the books, the receipts and the returns. Listed and verified

Prasadam cook Prepares prasadam and annadan to the standards the temple keeps. Listed and verified

Sevak Serves the temple — cleaning, queue, crowd and daily help. Listed and verified

Supply and support

Puja samagri supplier Supplies the materials worship needs, to the right specification. Listed and verified

Murtikar Makes the murti, in the proportions the shastra prescribes. Listed and verified

Temple florist Grows and supplies flowers and garlands for daily worship. Listed and verified

The board examines what it is competent to examine. We are not qualified to assess a sthapati's stonework or a musician's playing, so those are listed and verified rather than certified — saying so is better than issuing a certificate we cannot stand behind.