In Hinduism, women creating spaces for their own leadership

By DEEPTI HAJELA
Associated Press

In Hinduism, there aren’t a lot of women among pandits, the priests who perform Hindu religious rituals. But those who study the religion and its traditions say that women in Hinduism globally have and continue to take on leadership roles in other ways. They’re creating community and passing on knowledge. That can also include being religious scholars or being part of Hindu temple boards. And there are examples of women making inroads even when it comes to being pandits, with a growing number in India getting trained.