(Untitled)

[varshax]

And so the temple cleansing begins ........ Its interesting outrageous how a place that prides itself as "open to all irrespective of caste, creed or religion", discriminates based on gender and thats ok. I wonder how we would react if in the 21st century, a well respected temple undertook a huge operation to cleanse itself of the effects of

Comments

[harish]

It is a shame, such a divisive belief has become as popular as it has. This from the land preaching वासुदेव कुटुंबकम्. I don't know why no one has taken them to court so far.....

On a related note, did you know that Tamil nadu has opened priesthood of temples to all people who can learn ? It is no longer only for born-as-bramhin folks...

[varshax]

Yes it is a shame .... surely we can do better. I dont know if India has the "7 protected classes" funda .... I wonder about the legal angle too.

Tamil Nadu pushing another social reform ... for all the wierd politics in that state, they do seem to manage to make some great changes. I must look this up .... thanks for the pointer!

[oldhen]

I must look this up

This has been a long-standing progressive policy of Karunanidhi, think he tried to implement some such law in the '70s, but the courts intervened. There's more from the Beeb..

Lets talk more

[mmk]

There's much we need to talk about this - but I do know where you are coming from. I'm not sure that in the age of modern antibiotics and other elements, any of this makes so much sense anymore.

I so wish we could meet and talk - this is a nice segway from the discussions at St Louis....

Re: Lets talk more

[varshax]

Yes .... we must talk about this IRL. I would go one step further and say I am sure none of this makes sense in todays world. Looking forward to hearing your take on the issue.
Minky said we could all call Sanka tomorrow night ..... hope to catch you then.

[deponti]

and I wish, when you meet to talk, I could be there, too...can we try for a New year meet (or around that time)at St L? I will be there then....

Varshax...I ONEHUNDREDPERCENT agree with you. Love from a fellow-disease....

[varshax]

I am all for the new year meet !! I was totally disappointed that I was not able to make it to St Louis in July :( Such is the life ....

[latelyontime]

Indeed...I have fought against it in my own house for so long. I have a Biatch of a grandmother who refuses to let my mum enter the temple or the kitche during those times of the month and so on. Even on normal days, the cleansing rituals follow. It took my parents ten years to fight her out of it and that was just one individual. Imagine how long and how much effort it would take to change a whole bloody (being the operative word) section of dogmatic conniving priests!

[varshax]

Very difficult indeed. Especially with family .... older relatives whom one doesnt want to offend but one cannot agree with. Very very complicated ! But it is possible and there are mini revolutions being carried out everywhere. There is hope in that fact.

[latelyontime]

Hmmm and that's what post modern identity politics is all about, innit? start at home, take one thing at a time. baby steps. :)

[murthys_r_us]

Here's an interesting point of view that I agree with

[varshax]

Respectfully, I will agree to disagree with you.

The lady in the middle of the furore - I dont think much of her either. But for completely different reasons. I am not sure why she did it in the first place if she is now going to apologise for her "sin".

Here is a line I have read again and again and have no clue as to what is being alluded to .... I was going to ask Mads, but now you may I may as well ask you :
They take 41 days of rigorous vratham or vow during which period they abstain from sex, smoking, liquor and many other such things. Everyone knows that a female who has attained puberty cannot take 41 days of vratham

To me, it is not very different from a non-believer telling a devout Hindu that it makes no sense to go to a temple where an idol is worshipped.

To me it is very different. This is more like somebody telling the non-believer in question that his intolerence is not tolerated.

It would be interesting to find out how many of the people who don't like the tradition in question are actually interested in

[murthys_r_us]

Here is a line I have read again and again and have no clue as to what is being alluded to ....
I think we should talk about this, but I will write up a brief description. A lot of what constitutes a visit to the shrine does not seem to be described anywhere. It is not a matter of casually walking up to the doors - it is located atop a hill and Mads can describe how it is now (he visited more recently) but when I went, it required a rigorous climb up, bare-footed, carrying a heavy irumudi (which is supposed to contain offerings to the Lord and all the supplies one would need on such a journey). But before one gets there one takes a vow to abstain from anything Lord Ayyappa himself wouldn't indulge in. One who has taken the vow wears a special garland of beads (the mAla), wears black prominently (so folks around you know you have taken the vow) and visits the temple every day. I don't know how it is in your family, but most women in Kerala don't visit the temple during that time of the month - I think that is what the author is

[varshax]

I have spoken to Mads about what a visit to the temple involves. I still do not see why a woman in demmed incapable of any of it. There will be women who cannot take on the physical challenge .... just as there are men who cannot do it. Unfortunately many of the elders in my family want to follow the tradition of women not being welcome in temples (or the kitchen) during their period .... I see this as a arcane tradition that has no relevance today and is highly discriminatory. The white supremecists, the people against giving women the right to vote .... they too wanted to keep a tradition going.

I believe the practice was put in place to spare women the hardship of the journey and the climb during that time.I am not attacking the original reasons for any of our traditions. Even the caste system has some very logical beginnings. In anycase no one really can know *why*. In the world that I do know, women do not need to be treated like they are "weaker". If a woman wants to train her body for the vigorous climb and related physical