"Ready to wait" campaign ladies tell Supreme Court that Lord Ayyappa's right to privacy as 'eternal celibate' must be respected
Fascinating! "Women devotees, who ran “Ready to wait” campaign to support the restriction on entry of women in the age group of 10 to 50 years in Sabarimala Temple in Kerala, on Thursday told the Supreme Court that Lord Ayyappa’s right to privacy as an ‘eternal celibate’ must be respected." https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/lord-ayyappa-s-eternal-celibate-status-must-be-respected-women-devotees-tell-sc/627009.html
My late elder brother was a staunch Lord Ayyappa devotee who observed, many times, the stipulated penance during Sabiramala pilgrimage period, sometimes going to Sabiramala on pilgrimage during this period. He also took the lead in organizing Ayyappa congregational worship (puja) in the part of the town that he was living in.
So I am quite well exposed to Lord Ayyappa devotees and the associated traditions, even if I myself have never been to Sabarimala. Of course, I participated in some events of the Ayyappa worship (puja) that my brother took the lead in organizing.
I am quite sure many women Ayyappa devotees would agree with the sentiments expressed by the "Ready to wait" group of ladies. I fully support the "Ready to wait" group of ladies on this matter. Note that, as far as I know, there is no bar on ladies worshiping Lord Ayyappa in their homes.
The article states that the Indian Supreme Court had earlier observed that "the restriction on entry of women of menstruating age into Sabarimala Temple was due to patriarchy and most women were conditioned to obey it."
This was contested in the Supreme Court by a lawyer of the Nair Service Society stating, "Women in Kerala are socially advanced, owing to their education, and most of them are not opposed to the practices followed in Sabarimala…Hindus in Kerala followed matrilineal practices, and hence it was baseless to contend that they are subjugated. Therefore, the issue should not be approached through notions of patriarchy or misogyny".
Lord Ayyappa is viewed as the "eternal celibate" - "Naisthika Brahmachari". Celibacy is a vital aspect of penance associated with many Hindu religious traditions. BTW the penance the (male) Ayyappa devotees undergo when they wear the Lord Ayyappa/Sabarimala Mala (necklace) signifying that they are undergoing penance, includes celibacy.
Now some Hindu women may not be comfortable with such restrictions on entry of women of menstruating age to Sabarimala temple. Then they can choose to worship some other Hindu deity in temples where there are no such restrictions.
I think it is a well established Hindu belief that celibacy along with spiritual practices like Japa (chanting the Holy Name/Mantra) - Brahmacharya - gives some spiritual and mind-control power to the male. I also think there is some truth to it.
Therefore my considered view is that the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India should give due consideration to deeply held beliefs in this matter, before they arrive at any judgement.
[I thank tribuneindia.com and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above small extracts from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
My late elder brother was a staunch Lord Ayyappa devotee who observed, many times, the stipulated penance during Sabiramala pilgrimage period, sometimes going to Sabiramala on pilgrimage during this period. He also took the lead in organizing Ayyappa congregational worship (puja) in the part of the town that he was living in.
So I am quite well exposed to Lord Ayyappa devotees and the associated traditions, even if I myself have never been to Sabarimala. Of course, I participated in some events of the Ayyappa worship (puja) that my brother took the lead in organizing.
I am quite sure many women Ayyappa devotees would agree with the sentiments expressed by the "Ready to wait" group of ladies. I fully support the "Ready to wait" group of ladies on this matter. Note that, as far as I know, there is no bar on ladies worshiping Lord Ayyappa in their homes.
The article states that the Indian Supreme Court had earlier observed that "the restriction on entry of women of menstruating age into Sabarimala Temple was due to patriarchy and most women were conditioned to obey it."
This was contested in the Supreme Court by a lawyer of the Nair Service Society stating, "Women in Kerala are socially advanced, owing to their education, and most of them are not opposed to the practices followed in Sabarimala…Hindus in Kerala followed matrilineal practices, and hence it was baseless to contend that they are subjugated. Therefore, the issue should not be approached through notions of patriarchy or misogyny".
Lord Ayyappa is viewed as the "eternal celibate" - "Naisthika Brahmachari". Celibacy is a vital aspect of penance associated with many Hindu religious traditions. BTW the penance the (male) Ayyappa devotees undergo when they wear the Lord Ayyappa/Sabarimala Mala (necklace) signifying that they are undergoing penance, includes celibacy.
Now some Hindu women may not be comfortable with such restrictions on entry of women of menstruating age to Sabarimala temple. Then they can choose to worship some other Hindu deity in temples where there are no such restrictions.
I think it is a well established Hindu belief that celibacy along with spiritual practices like Japa (chanting the Holy Name/Mantra) - Brahmacharya - gives some spiritual and mind-control power to the male. I also think there is some truth to it.
Therefore my considered view is that the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India should give due consideration to deeply held beliefs in this matter, before they arrive at any judgement.
[I thank tribuneindia.com and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above small extracts from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
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