Sabarimala: The Indian god who bars women from his temple.

Pedro_P

▼ The Sabarimala temple in the south Indian state of Kerala this week opened its doors to women of all ages for the first time after a historic Supreme Court ruling. However no women devotees have yet entered as violent protesters have blocked their way.
Two women - journalist Kavitha Jagdal and social activist Rehana Fathima - managed to reach the main temple premises on Thursday. More than 100 policemen protected them from stone-throwing protesters as they walked the last 5km (3-mile) stretch to the temple.
But they had to return after a stand-off with devotees metres from Sabarimala's sanctum.
The protesters have also included many  women- they have participated in rallies, blocked roads and checked vehicles heading towards the temple to see if any women of a "menstruating age" - deemed to be those aged between 10 and 50 years - were trying to enter.
The temple attracts millions of devotees from across the country every year.
Why are protesters so angry?
Part of the violent opposition to the Supreme Court order to reverse the temple's historical ban on women is because protesters feel the ruling goes against the wishes of the deity, Lord Ayappa, himself.
Hinduism regards menstruating women as unclean and bars them from participating in religious rituals.
But while most Hindu temples allow women to enter as long as they are not menstruating, the Sabarimala temple is unusual in that it was one of the few that did not allow women in a broad age group to enter at all.
Hindu devotees say that the ban on women entering Sabarimala is not about menstruation alone - it is also in keeping with the wish of the deity who is believed to have laid down clear rules about the pilgrimage to seek his blessings.
Every year, millions of male devotees trek up a steep hill, often barefoot, to visit the shrine. They also undertake a rigorous 41-day fast, abstaining from smoking, alcohol, meat, sex and contact with menstruating women before they begin the journey.
What is the legend of Lord Ayappa? (▪ ▪ ▪)

► Please, read the full note here: Source

PK47

Saying that women cannot enter Sabarimala due to the stigma attached to mensuration is totally wrong. There is even a temple which celebrates mensuration.
Kamakhya Temple.

The main thing everyone should know about Lord Ayappa is that he has different forms.
In Achankovil Sree Dharmasastha Temple Lord Ayappa is a married man where as in Kulathupuzha Sastha Temple he is in the form of a child.
In Sabarimala Lord Ayappa is in the form of a Brahmachari (celibate). A Brahmachari is a male and Brahmacharini is a female.
To to put it simply if you are a Brahmachari/Brahmacharini you have to maintain a certain distance from the opposite gender especially from those who have reached their puberty to their old age (For women it's till the end of their reproductive cycle and for men it's till their death). Even if you ask someone from India who is not much familiar with the concept of Brahmachari/Brahmacharini they will tell you the same thing. This is the main reason why the women are not allowed.
It's like you and me (since we are males) not being in the same room as that of a Brahmacharini.

There are also temples in India where men are not allowed.
Bhagati Maa temple in Kanya Kumari, Tamil Nadu - Married men cannot enter this temple.

I am not comparing, it's just that most people think restrictions are only on women when it comes to Hindu religious practices.

You can't say you have faith on the deity of Sabarimala when you can't even respect his celibacy.

Pedro_P

Almost all religions are to a greater or lesser extent misogynist and limiting freedom... On the other hand, from the moment in which a belief divides the human, believers and non-believers (sinners, heretics, pagans, infidels, etc.), and bases in this criterion a supposed salvation or condemnation of the people, then definitely that religious criterion is discriminatory and vexatious of the human condition of being free by nature.
Religions in general feed fears, prejudices and intolerances and limit the freedom of human beings.
As Seneca said: «Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful»

PK47

Pedro_P 20-10-2018 04:15 PM
Almost all religions are to a greater or lesser extent misogynist and limiting freedom... On the oth ...

Yeah you might be right. People are always looking to exploit something one way or the other. It all depends on if you follow something blindly or follow something reasonable may it be a religious practice, a religion or a movement.
For us being a non-believer is just another way of life. No one hates them or something, they can question, suggest and debate on other persons religious practices but cannot implement them. Implementation is up to those who believe in it. Hell Breaks loose when they try to implement or force something in the belief system which the believers don't agree to and then insults or even things will be thrown at eachother from the both sides.

asankhla

Bachelor GOD?
GOD?
A GOD who cannot control himself is no god!
Bloody hell...

Srinivas1939

Social cohesion and harmony owe a great deal to tradition and adherence to time honoured practices.Viewing issues of deep faith  through the prism of constitutionality and legal rights
will have destabilising consequences for society in the long run.

parivijesh100

It is matter of faith. Even in Indian house, ladies do not perform Pooja or enter even their home temple during special days every month. No body vars them but they fo it them self.  So in the name of women empowerment, Sabrimala entrance rule is based on this faith & crowd control.  

mattersofindia

As parivijesh100 said, its a matter of faith. Majority of the hindu women understand this and do not try to go to the temple. Its a few of them who want to be in the limelight and are trying to do this. If you are a true devotee, you wouldn't hurt the religious sentiments.