Thiruvananthapuram: In order to facilitate the entry of women of all age groups to the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, the mandatory 41-day penance for visiting the holy shrine during the Mandala-Makaravilakku season, should be shortened to 14 days, according to an article published in the latest edition of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) mouthpiece ‘Kesari’.
While devotees belonging to different strata of society, cutting across barriers of religion or caste, get equal treatment in Sabarimala, restricting the entry of women in the 10-50 age group is unjustifiable, stated the article written by M. A. Krishnan, a senior RSS pracharak and founder of Balagokulam.
Through the write-up, the RSS appears to be trying to send out a strong message to the Devaswom Board and the thantris who have been strongly opposing the idea of permitting women of menstrual age to the holy shrine.
The argument of the RSS is that the entry of women of all age groups could be made possible by cutting down the number of the mandatory 41 days of purity observance to 14 days.
“The government or the political parties are not supposed to interfere in matters relating to faith. It is up to the Ayyappa devotees to take a decision on this issue. Men are allowed to visit Sabarimala whenever they want to, so it is not proper to prevent women from worshipping at the shrine. But like men, they also need to observe the mandatory fast (vratham). That’s why we are suggesting the temple authorities to reduce the existing 41-day fasting period to 14 days,” it said.
“Now, women excel in almost all fields on a par with men. So, it is illogical to bar them from having a glimpse of Lord Ayyappa,” the article further stated.
The call to lift restrictions on the entry of women in temples across the country, including Sabarimala, was first made by the RSS at the meeting of the Pratinidhi Sabha, its highest decision-making body, which was held in Rajasthan from March 11-13.
