|
 Sabarimala and women's
rights
The recent furore over a
young woman visiting Sabarimala rekindled my memory of an incident
that took place over 20 years ago. It was late in the evening and I
was watching TV with my son Vivek, who was 11 years at the time. My
seven-year-old daughter, Vidhya, was sitting in another room and
doing her homework.
My wife, who was busy
washing dishes in the kitchen, called out to my daughter, “Vidhya,
come here and help me in the kitchen.” Vidhya replies, “Amma, I’m
doing homework; ask Vivek or Appa to help.” My wife responds, “No,
you come here; learn to grow up as a responsible woman and help me
in the kitchen; your Appa and Vivek are men; they aren’t going to
wash dishes.” Vidhya retorts immediately, “What do you mean they are
men! They eat in this house; they can help in the kitchen? I’m doing
homework and they’re watching TV. This isn’t fair.” I was both
amused and shocked by my daughter’s defiance. Even at the tender age
of seven, she was unwilling to meekly accept what her mother took as
fact – that there are clear definitions of what men and women
can and cannot do.
The controversy over young women
worshipping at Sabarimala is about defiance in the face of
institutionalised rules. Allowing younger women to worship at the
temple is not going to level disparities between the sexes. But
religious freedom is perhaps the only right that should be
universally guaranteed. It is especially difficult to imagine that a
religion as rich in feminine imagery as Hinduism would impose
restrictions on a woman’s right to worship.
| Sabarimala incident |
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|
Do you think actress
Jayamala should be punished for touching the Ayyappan idol at
Sabarimala?
Yes, she should be
punished -
46.7%(163)
No, it was an
accident -
38.68%(135)
It is difficult to
say -
14.61%(51) |
Our mythological stories
abound with powerful female goddesses from Parasakthi and Kali to Mahishasura
Mardhani. Gods are depicted as both male and female and
sometimes as a combination of the two (Ardhanareeswara) to signify
the dual qualities in each of us. Ayyappa himself was born out of
the union of Shiva and Mohini, the female form of Vishnu. We worship
femininity in the form of rivers (Ganga), land (Bhooma Devi), and
power (Shakti) and the female aspect of creation (Prakriti). A wife
is called a Saha Dharmini, a person who shares equally in following
and preserving dharma.
We should also consider
the wisdom of our sages, who depicted God in the images of men and
women. This was not to give the Supreme Being the same biases and
prejudice as mortals, but more to encourage the ordinary mortal to
be a reflection of the Divine. Using our religion to create unequal
rights, therefore, not only undermines its inherent messages, but
also the religion itself.
It is worthwhile to
understand where - if not in the scriptures - these long-standing
traditions of differentiating woman from man emerged. To a certain
extent, all religions have been molded and interpreted by the
powerful – be it kings, politicians, or high priests. This was a
mechanism to excise something as powerful as religious thought from
working against those in power. Insomuch as religion is interpreted
by those in power, our religious experiences are moulded by their
views.
To paraphrase Dr Vasudha
Narayanan, Professor of Religion at the University of Florida and
past president of the American Academy of Religion, the
interpretations offered by men exclude the experiences of women and
the millions whose knowledge of religious phenomena has not come
through the Sanskrit language or through the perceptions of a few
high priests.
She explains that because
of the complexity of dharma texts, the dharma texts have always been
“conveniently” interpreted and the interpretations themselves have
been influenced by local customs. Dr Narayanan says that Hindu
traditions are not written in stone but are rather mechanisms that
permit dynamic reinterpretation. In other words, like my defiant
seven-year-old daughter, women are not obligated to accept
conventions that seem outdated. If women are marginalised, they can
and should “appropriately redefine rules”.
The issue of sexual
equality, not only in religious practice but in every aspect of our
society, is especially important in the current world. The explosive
economic growth that India has experienced for the last decade has
ushered in drastic changes in our social interactions. Women in
India are more educated and independent than at any time in the
past. They are also more secure economically and have the freedom to
define their own futures. And as our social fabric is reconstructed,
our notions of gender equality should also evolve. Applying the same
old anachronistic rules will render our religion and traditions
meaningless and irrelevant. If our culture is to be germane, the
practices must change with the times.
| Temple Priests |
View Comments |
| Should people of all castes be allowed to become
priests?
Yes, if they have the
right training - 50%(1)
No, not even if they
are trained - 0%(0)
There should be a
separate priestly class -
50%(1) |
Since I myself have made
the pilgrimage to Sabarimala several times, I feel the need to
examine the symbolism behind the 18 steps that devotees climb at
Sabarimala. These 18 steps signify great truths. As we climb each
step, we expunge ourselves of qualities such as greed, jealousy,
pride, and prejudice. Every step takes us to greater mental and
spiritual emancipation. Reaching the 18th step symbolises the act of
self-realisation. But, most of us seem to be standing far away from
the very first step, stuck in the quagmire of confusing and
conflicting values, beliefs and interpretations. And, the Almighty
seems to be looking down on us from atop the 18th step, amused by
our seeming inability to evolve.
Dr. Ram S.
Sriram (Atlanta)
sriramgsu@gmail.com
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