Being a Hindu Temple assistant in the U.S.?

[Mr_Galaxy]

If someone decides to be trained and help a Hindu priest with things like rites, pujas, aarti, etc.; how much are they expected to actually live like a priest, even though they technically aren't?

1.) Is one expected to adhere to vegetarianism?

2.) Would one have to be celibate (if the priests particular school calls for celibacy)?

3.) Or are they just lay-people who happen to assist the priest with rituals and maintaining the temple?

[Believer]

Namaste,

1.) Is one expected to adhere to vegetarianism? Of course.
2.) Would one have to be celibate (if the priests particular school calls for celibacy)? I would think so, but there may be be exceptions for a helper.
3.) Or are they just lay-people who happen to assist the priest with rituals and maintaining the temple? There is a contradiction here. Performing tasks at the alter (puja, aarti etc.) are different from maintaining the temple. The lay people may do the clean up and gardening etc. (maintenance) around the temple, but might be excluded from the alter duties.

But, if I were an agnostic, I would excuse myself from everything, save maintaining the temple, until I did accept the existence of God and started developing some love/devotion/bhakti towards Him in His deity form. Performing rituals mechanically with an agnostic mindset is cheating oneself and a complete waste of time.

Pranam.

[Eastern Mind]

If someone decides to be trained and help a Hindu priest with things like rites, pujas, aarti, etc.; how much are they expected to actually live like a priest, even though they technically aren't?

1.) Is one expected to adhere to vegetarianism?

2.) Would one have to be celibate (if the priests particular school calls for celibacy)?

3.) Or are they just lay-people who happen to assist the priest with rituals and maintaining the temple?

Vannakkam: The first thing you would have to do is talk to the board of trustees or management of the temple. Priests are hired by them. Each individual temple is different, and there would be differing answers from every temple, so we can only guess here about the nature of any specific temple. Also, because each temple is autonomous, you wouldn't have much in the way of transferable skills.

Temples that I know of are always in the need for volunteers, and much of what you describe is done by volunteers. Generally the priests are paid, but in smaller temples, the priest(s) also are volunteers.

1) Definitely
2) As Believer said, depends on the school, but generally not.
3) Yes, generally they are 'lay' people. Some temples (the bigger ones) do employ managers, custodians, etc. often in a part time role.

Aum Namasivaya