Sabarimala Temple case: Supreme Court dictates uniform access of temple for both males and females

Sabarimala Temple case: Supreme Court dictates uniform access of temple for both males and females Follow @merinews

22 July, 2018

It is said that Sanatan Dharma is as old as human civilization. In today's world Sanatan Dharma is known as Hinduism. Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism are very much recognized with their respective temples. In India, temples are associated with thousands of years old culture. And every ancient scripture of India tells the story of temples and worship of Gods. This old practice has its own stories, legends and traditions.

All ancient temples like shakti peeths, jyotirlingas and teerth dhaams have their own significance, customs and traditions which almost every Hindu follows.

Few temples in particular have their own tradition of disallowing female devotees from 10 years to 50 years of age from entering and worshiping inside the temple because of biological difference on account of menstruation. There is no record or information available at present as to why women in general were disallowed from entering the temples. And when such tradition started or adopted in the society.

If we observe the two main epic sagas of Hinduism, the holy Ramayana and Mahabharata, we find mention of such practices. Few historians have their opinion that such practices although customary or traditional might have started 500-600 years ago.

One such temple in question is Sabarimala Temple located in Kerala where women between the age group of 10 to 50 years are not allowed to enter and perform puja inside the temple. Various cases against this practice have been filed with courts.

On Tuesday the Hon'ble Supreme Court's constitution bench observed that banning of women on account of impure (menstruation) amounts to the practice of untouchability, a social injustice as per law. The apex court further observed that there is no concept of private temples and once a temple is opened everybody can go and offer puja and nobody is excluded. The CJI further added that since Sabarimala Temple depended on consolidated funds which people coming from all over the world contribute to, qualifies as a public place of worship.

In the landmark observation, CJI Dipak Misra said that what applies to man, applies to woman, so women can enter where men can go. Justice Nariman was of that view that prohibition of women (10 years to 50 years of age) is arbitrary and menstruation can also happen as early as nine and extends to the late fifties.

There were some compulsions during that time when entry of women was prohibited inside temples in Kerala. However, in modern times when human society has made so many advances in almost all spheres of life, there is no room for such practices. This observation of the Supreme Court at this time is a welcome move.

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