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http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/leicester/hi/people_and_places/religion_and_ethics/newsid_8544000/8544260.stm

LEICESTER, UNITED KINGDOM, August 2010: Women are becoming more and more prominent as worship leaders in all faiths in England. And now a woman from Leicester is taking on the largely male strong hold of Hindu priesthood. In her fifties Chanda Vyas achieved her childhood dream, when she became the first female Hindu priest to conduct weddings in the UK.

Although Chanda comes from a Bbrahmin family, where traditionally priesthood is practiced, but as a daughter no one expected her to learn the sacred mantras and texts. As a child she grew up with her male role-models all practicing priesthood but was told it was culturally unacceptable for a female to practice. Chanda eventually put her childhood dream behind her, settled down, brought up her three daughters and pursued her career as a social worker.

Unable to forget her long standing ambition, Chanda approached her father, who she describes as her guru, for his blessing to carry out her dream. With his agreement she was finally able to start conducting Asian wedding ceremonies in both English and Gujarati.

Although Chanda conducts other Hindu ceremonies her main focus is on the wedding ceremony as she is able to interpret the scriptures in a way the younger generation are able to understand. Chanda might have expected some male priests to have been unhappy with her conducting religious ceremonies, but so far she said she has been accepted by the communities and feels she has their support.