Women's Entry to Sabarimala temple in the context of Kerala
It is ironic that temples in the princely State of Travancore of Kerala were thrown open to Dalits in 1936 by the proclamation issued in that year by the Queen that State, whereas the Sabirmala temple in the same State is yet be thrown open to women in spite of the Supreme Court judgement to do so in the twenty first century India. The proclamation of a princely ruler in the twentieth century British India could be accepted by people of all castes and it could be implemented effectively and the Republic of India in twenty first century is struggling to implement the Supreme Court order to allow women to a temple in Kerala.
In fact the issue of women's entry to Sabarima temple based on Supreme Court judgement of 2018 can be best understood by locating it in the context of three hundred year long women's struggle in Kerala to cover the upper portion of the body and their breasts and the 1936 proclamation of the Queen of Travancore allowing all Hindus including the Dalits to enter temples in that princely State.
Struggle of women in Kerala to cover their breasts
It was in southern Kerala an obnoxious custom prevailed spanning three centuries whereby women kept the upper portions of their body uncovered even in presence of men. It continued to prevail in some period of early twentieth century. When many women protested against the indignity and indecency heaped on them a strange order was issued by the princely rulers allowing upper caste women or Savarna women to cover their breasts. When lower caste women demanded that they should be allowed to cover their upper bodies they were asked to pay breast tax to use a blouse. Eventually the obnoxious practice was stopped and women were liberated from such horrible tradition. The detailed account of the breast tax imposed on women of Kerala can be accessed in the following article the link of which is given below.
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/dress-code-repression-keralas-history-breast-tax-avarna-women-48982
The point is that women in Kerala have struggled to defend their dignity and esteem and it is strange that the entry of women to temple in Sabaramila is now foiled by invoking tradition, custom and ritual even as the Supreme Court has passed a judgement in favour women's entry to that temple.
Temple Entry for dalits in 1936
The Supreme Court mandated entry of women to Sabarimala temple should also be seen in the context of the proclamation of the Queen of Travancore in 1936 allowing Dalits to enter temples in that princely State. The issuance of such proclamation was a result of many factors one of which was the persistent efforts of social reformers like Narayana Guru to put an end to caste system in Kerala and accord equal rights to all irrespective of their caste status. The proclamation also owed its origin to the modest effort of the Harijan Sevak Sangh of Mahatma Gandhi set up in Kerala. It submitted numerous petitions to the Queen to throw open the temples to Harijans and sensitized the caste Hindus to allow the temples to be accessed by all Hindus.
The proclamation of the Queen allowing Dalits is worth studying. It said that they should be allowed to enter temples because of "the the truth and validity of Hindu religion", its " Divine guidance and on all-comprehending toleration" and above all because of the "need of the changing times." It is interesting to note that temple entry for all Hindus was ensured by the Queen because of, among other things, "need of the changing times." And based on that proclamation temples were thrown open and there was hardly any resistance to the entry of Dalits.
Mahatma Gandhi and Entry for Dalits to Temples in Travancore
Mahatma Gandhi welcomed the proclamation and wrote an article in the Harijan "AN EXAMPLE FOR HINDU PRINCES AND THEIR ADVISERS” and described it as a "deliberate act of piety and justice". A cursory look the writings of Mahatma Gandhi on the temple entry of Dalits to temples in Travancore based on that proclamation reveals his insights which are of contemporary significance. He described that proclamation as "a charter of freedom" for Dalits, "a revolutionary document" and "a miracle of modern times." He also hoped that by following that proclamation the British India would legislate to throw open temples to all Hindus.
Mahatma Gandhi's Address to Women in Kotayam in 1937
It is illuminating to note that Mahatma Gandhi visited Travancore after the proclamation was issued for temple entry and addressed a meeting of women in Kotayam on 19th January 1937. What he said on that occasion assumes significance in the context of the Supreme Court judgement for entry of women to Sabarimala temple. He said "... women alone who can be protectors of religion in as much as they are the custodians of the purity of the people. It is particularly women’s work because the purification of religion is ultimately a matter of the purification of one’s heart. And if the women have realized the true spirit of the Proclamation, they can give better effect to it than men. "
In fact the proclamation of the Queen was indeed implemented in letter and spirit. However, 82 years later another temple entry issue based on Supreme Court judgement permitting women to enter Sabarimala temple is facing severe resistance for its implementation and a so called Royal family controlling Sabarimala temple is issuing instructions to the priests of that temple to close it in the event of women coming forward to enter the shrine. With anguish one notes that while the proclamation of the Queen in 1936 was implemented in letter and spirit in a princely State, the Supreme Court judgement in Republic of India is yet to be implemented.
Towards a conclusion
The arduous struggle of women to cover the upper part of their bodies, the temple entry proclamation of 1936 and Supreme Court judgement of 2018 for temple entry of women provide contrasting narratives and pictures. In the majority judgement of on Sabarimala issue the Supreme Court observed that religion is a way of life for people. Adding further it observed, "Any relationship with the Creator is a transcendental one crossing all socially created artificial barriers and not a negotiated relationship bound by terms and conditions. Such a relationship and expression of devotion cannot be circumscribed by dogmatic notions of biological or physiological factors arising out of rigid socio-cultural attitudes which do not meet the constitutionally prescribed tests. Patriarchy in religion cannot be permitted to trump over the element of pure devotion borne out of faith and the freedom to practise and profess one?s religion. The subversion and repression of women under the garb of biological or physiological factors cannot be given the seal of legitimacy. Any rule based on discrimination or segregation of women pertaining to biological characteristics is not only unfounded, indefensible and implausible but can also never pass the muster of constitutionality".
The dissenting judgement of Justice Indu Malhotra in Supreme Court's judgement concerning women's entry to that temple is worth noting. She observed that " Constitutional Morality in a secular polity would imply the harmonisation of the Fundamental Rights, which include the right of every individual, religious denomination, or sect, to practise their faith and belief in accordance with the tenets of their religion, irrespective of whether the practise is rational or logical."
Women's entry to Sabarimala temple is an ideal worth pursuing and achieving. It is in tune with the enlightened ideals of spirituality and law and jurisprudence which celebrate acceptance and embrace the other. It puts an end to exclusion on any ground. When Dalits were permitted to enter temples in Travancore through the proclamation of its Queen in 1936 it was done so as per the need of the changing times. In fact twenty first century India represents the need of the changing times marked by emphasis on the ideals of inclusion in every spheres of collective life. Access of women to Sabarimala temple is necessitated by the ideals of inclusion. It cannot be negated on the ground that deity in the Sabarimala temple is an eternal celebate, Naisthik Brahmachari, and entry of women to that temple would be in violation of the exalted and unique nature of the God. Does it mean that the idea of celebate is against women or against gender equality? The enlightened interpretation of celebate must not be based on exclusion of women. Such liberal interpretation would mean permitting women to the shrine of an eternal celebate- the Sabarimala temple.
It cannot be done by instrumentality of law alone. It is important to educate public opinion, mobilise people and persuade them to accept the idea that no publicly funded shrine can remain exclusive by denying entry of women. In the absence of such cultivated public opinion law cannot be implemented in letter and spirit. It is hoped that in a progressive State like Kerala marked by women's impressive progress in many fronts their entry to Sabarimala temple would be a reality soon.
Shri Sahu served as Officer on Special Duty and Press Secretary to President of India late Shri K.R.Narayana and served as Director in Prime Minister’s Office and Joint Secretary in Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
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