“It would be unfair to claim that what is practised in Sabarimala is misogynistic. The practice that exists in Sabarimala is not a practice that is followed by all temples. Neither is it a practice to be followed by women of all ages. The practices that exist are age-old. There is a certain continuity in these practices which should be respected, even if you don’t believe them. This continuity is acknowledged by all historians who discuss Indian history and is the cornerstone of Indian culture.” – Parappanangadi Unnikrishna Panicker
Is the demand for women’s entry into Sabarimala Temple motivated by bhakti? Or is it motivated by the political beliefs of a few? Those who demand entry do so because they think that denying women entry is unfair and discriminatory. A majority of women Ayyappa devotees would accept the rituals and traditions of the temple as they are and thus, would not want to visit the temple. Thus, those women who seek entry do not need it, and the majority of those for whom it is sought do not want it. Besides, it is patronising to suggest how someone should practise their belief, which traditions one should follow and which temple to enter.
The beliefs and practices of Hindu religion are polylithic in nature. On the one side, menstruating women are banned from entering a temple like Sabarimala. On the other side, there are temples like Chengannur Mahadeva Temple where Goddess Parvathy’s menstruation is revered and worshipped. Menstruation is mentioned with reverence in Adi Sankaracharya’s Tripura Sundari Stotram:
Smaretpratamapushpineerudhirabinduneelaambaraam!,
says the sage. Similar passages can be seen in Soundarya Lahari too.
Temples in Kerala follow the practice called Tantra when it comes to rituals. Kerala has produced the most ancient works in Tantra like Prayogamañjari and Kriyaasaaramthat prescribe the ritualistic practices to be followed in a temple. Tantra Samuchayam, one of the most authoritative scriptures among these, says:
Kshetremritirjjananamankanamandapaadou,
mootraasrugaadipathanampathithaadivesha […]
Ethaanitantrakathithaaninimithakaani,
Jneyaani guru laghavabhedavanthi.
Death or birth (of humans or animals), faeces, entry of animals and entry of someone who is unclean are some of the occasions that would make a temple impure. Each temple has its own set of rules and rituals.
Some of them control entry, some of them open up entry. For example, at daytime, women cannot enter the Rajarajeswara Temple of Taliparamba, one of the ancient temples in North Kerala. Similarly, once in a year, the Kodungallur Bhagavathy Temple opens up for everyone and the Goddess is believed to appear as a commoner in a ritual called Kaavutheendal.
It would be unfair to claim that what is practised in Sabarimala is misogynistic. The practice that exists in Sabarimala is not a practice that is followed by all temples. Neither is it a practice to be followed by women of all ages. The practices that exist are age-old. There is a certain continuity in these practices
which should be respected, even if you don’t believe them. This continuity is acknowledged by all historians who discuss Indian history and is the cornerstone of Indian culture.
The temple authorities in Kerala have historically been progressive and reformists in their approach. The revolutionary temple entry proclamation was announced by the King of Travancore 90 years ago, at a time when caste system was thought to be deep-rooted and unalterable.
However, this stand cannot be taken in all rituals and practices. There are also rituals and traditions where the continuity cannot be broken. That might seem illogical to some. But religion and spirituality are sometimes above logic and ordinary human understanding. – The New Indian Express, 22 January 2016
» Unnikrishna Panicker of Parappanangadi in Kerala is Jayalalithaa’s most trusted astrologer.
