To work in an American Hindu temple, you’ll need to have three to five years of experience as a purohita or assistant purohita. Temples in India or other Asian countries with a significant Hindu population may require less experience.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills, and knowledge of English and Indian languages (especially Sanskrit), are extremely important in this career. You should also be caring, compassionate, have wisdom and patience, and be a good listener because you will be asked to counsel congregants during challenging times in their lives (e.g., illness, deaths in the family, job loss, etc.). Many U.S.-based temples require priests to be proficient in basic business principles and the use of Microsoft Word and Excel. Other important traits include strong leadership, organizational, and time-management skills.
In addition to personal and professional skills, purohits must have deep knowledge and understanding of Hindu religious and classical texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, Vedas, Upanishads, Agama Shastras, Puranas, and the Ramayana.