On Sabarimala

The story is still unfolding, after the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of allowing women from the age of 10 to 50 into the temple. As is the case with anything in social media, it’s hotly contested whether the judgement is right or wrong. Various conspiracy theories are put forth about who is behind all this, and is responsible for this judgement (the usual suspects — the Church, the Communists).

What the social media, and the mainstream media to some extent hasn’t done is to read through the judgement, see what it says and then argue their case further, based on what’s said.

Some excerpts from the judgement below.

Social media citizens did deep research and found the names of two of the women who tried to enter Sabarimala — Fathima Rehana and Mary Sweey. So, the Respondents, here the Devaswom board, have clearly put their stand.

Women from age 10 to 50 have entered the temple before. Just that they aren’t allowed during Man Salam, Makaeavilakku and Vishnu days.

Banning women from age 10 to 50 isn’t a religious custom or essential religious practice.

Forcing a woman to reveal whether she’s having her periods or not, is a violation of privacy.

Not touching a woman having her periods is the same as not touching oppressed class people, and comes under the untouchability act.

In ‘olden days’ there was no such prohibition. The 10–50 prohibiiton seems to have come into effect in 1969. Another part of the judgement quotes a circular issued by the Devaswom Board in 1956 to this effect.

From Dr Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud’s judgement

This judgement also opens the Pandora’s Box, so to say — whether to allow menstruating women into a Hindu temple.

There is a stigma associated with menstruation in India. Till a couple of decades back, it was customary to see women of caste Hindus not being allowed to cook, not being allowed inside the house, not to touch and be touched by others, when they had their periods. This has changed a lot, as city life in apartments, nuclear families, and educated and working women meant abandoning of such practices. Entering temples is still frowned upon, and most mothers teach their daughters to not go to temple during periods. This CNN piece deals with the issue nicely — https://edition.cnn.com/2015/02/06/living/india-menstruation-irpt/index.html

A case was filed in 2016 in Tamil Nadu about this. Not sure whether a judgement has been given — https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Why-menstruating-women-are-not-permitted-to-enter-temples-in-TN-asks-PIL-in-Madras-HC/articleshow/50671036.cms

‘Women at such times’!

The full judgement can be found here — https://www.scribd.com/document/389669250/Full-text-Supreme-Court-Sabarimala-temple-verdict#fullscreen&from_embed