LONDON — Britain’s 140 Hindu temples said they are having trouble recruiting pujaris — Indian priests trained in temple rituals — because of a national law that mandates clergy be able to speak English. In Birmingham, England, the Shri Venkateswara Balaji Temple, now nearing completion, said it needs eight pujaris but has only five. Since 2004, the British government has required foreign-born ministers of religion to have at least a basic grasp of English and if they are to stay for more than two years, to be fluent in the language. That often creates problems for pujaris in obtaining visas, since many cannot speak English. Pujaris are trained from an early age, often from 8 years old, in the intricate rituals of Hindu temple worship and memorizing the chants, mantras and prayers needed. That leaves little time for learning a foreign language, even one widely used in India.
Britain’s Hindu community, however, argues that pujaris are not preachers and so should not be subject to the same requirements as ministers of other faiths for whom preaching is a key part of their ministry. Government officials say they have been looking at the problem in consultation with faith communities but have not reached any conclusions.
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