A silent revolution to empower women has taken place in and around Mohopada, a tiny village in Raigad district, barely 60km from Mumbai, thanks to the single-handed efforts of a retired teacher, 101-year-old Rameshwar Karve from Alibaug.
Over the past 18-odd years, more than 150 non-Brahmin, semi-literate women have got Sanskrit degrees to become trained and certified priestesses. The first puja each conducts is during Ganeshotsav in their respective homes.
After facing resistance and non-acceptance, the women have finally begun getting invitations to conduct pujas in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai to commemorate births, deaths and everything in between, including Ganeshotsav.