Ayyappa, the eternal celibate god of the Hindus is ensconced in the dense hilly forest of Sabarimala, Kerala. Women of active menstrual cycles, between ten and fifty years of age are forbidden to enter the temple, by the orders of the Kerala High Court, giving weight to age-old traditions and respecting Hindu sentiments.
In 2006, six women, under the banner Indian Young Lawyers’ Association petitioned the Supreme Court that the order of the Kerala High Court is violative of gender parity enshrined in the constitution. In September 2018 the SC ruled that no women can be excluded to enter the temple and practice their religion of faith. The Supreme Court observed that the custom of barring women was in violation of Article 25 (Clause 1) and Rule 3(b) of Kerala Hindu Places of Worship.
Since then, there have been several attempts by various women activists to enter the temple, either overtly or covertly. This includes a few activists and non-Hindus as well, who merely challenged the patriarchy of the Hindu Namboodris and attempted entry into the temple, in vain. Yesterday, in the cover of darkness, and assisted by policemen in mufti, two women aged below fifty years managed to enter the sanctum sanctorum defying the traditions and religious protocol. The temple was closed, and a purification ritual was conducted by the priest after that.
Kerala, the most literate state where all religious sections live in amity is dangerously divided today, the offended Hindus claiming an onslaught on their religious traditions and a few women claiming the conquest of a male-preserved citadel. The atheist state government helped the two women and tried to prove they merely attempted to uphold the Supreme Court’s order, in the middle of a peak season where millions of devotees are trekking to the temple.
It was an act in deceit, I guess. Such parities in entries are prevalent across all faiths and in particular most mosques. Gender parity has to be respected and implemented not only with allowing unrestricted entry of women. How about men getting married and shifting to the girl’s residence for a change? How about fetching water on pitchers from wells, many kilometres away? How about taking charge of the kitchen and start cooking and caring for children, which a mother alone could do?
Surely, Ayyappa, the god must be having a hearty laugh. Much of the restrictions and protocols were thrust upon men by the wily priests, and Kerala is a state where women were once forbidden to cover their breasts and were levied a breast-tax, until someone cut her breasts and offered them, defying to pay the tax. The gruesome tax was withdrawn after that. Religion too could change, to the needs of the devotees, in a changing scenario, where same-sex marriages are no more uncommon, surrogacy is permitted.
The kind of god I believe is one, who can never get angry and is all absolving and blessing. All his devotees, irrespective of gender and age is his creation and should be able to visit, pray and seek his divine blessings.
Swamiye Saranam!
Sampath Kumar
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