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Should they ?
There is a male celibate God , Lord Ayappa , into whose main temple women between the ages of 10 and 50 ( basically , fertile women ) are not allowed . The reason the temple authorities give for not allowing women is that they would be totally inappropriate inside a temple to male celibacy , where men who have undertaken an arduous 41-day pilgrimage and a vov of celibacy for that duration are supposed to visit . They claim that it would be as inappropriate as allowing women into a celibates' monastery , or men into a nunnery .
Now there is a ruckus in so-called "intellectual circles" in India ( mostly blind imitators of the West , mostly relating to issues about political correctness ) about an actress who managed to sneak into the temple fifteen years ago and touched the idol . Fifteen years after the incident ( that is , a few days ago ) , the temple authorities received a sign from their lord ( by means of the periodic ritual that they conduct , the same ritual which told them that women should not be allowed ( in 1985 ) ) that he was unhappy . The actress , most probably seeking publicity , declared that she had managed to sneak into the temple and to touch the idol .
Now the fallout from this is that the priests are preparing a purification ritual so that whatever defilement may have occurred is cleansed , and that all the major media personalities have thrown their weight against the temple , saying that even it totally violates the core principles of the temple , women should be allowed in . The High Court had ruled that it was permissible for the temple to deny women entry , as celibacy and the periodic ritual to divine the Lord's wishes was a core belief of the Ayappa cult , which could not be compromised .
My own stance on this is that it if I want to build a temple which is accessible to only men , or only women , then that is my choice , and that the government had no right to interfere . If , however , I take money from the government , I must allow all Hindus entry , unless the money is taken from the government after they have been informed of the policies of the temple and after the government has acquiesced to allow the temple to abide by those policies ( as happened in this case ) .
There is a male celibate God , Lord Ayappa , into whose main temple women between the ages of 10 and 50 ( basically , fertile women ) are not allowed . The reason the temple authorities give for not allowing women is that they would be totally inappropriate inside a temple to male celibacy , where men who have undertaken an arduous 41-day pilgrimage and a vov of celibacy for that duration are supposed to visit . They claim that it would be as inappropriate as allowing women into a celibates' monastery , or men into a nunnery .
Now there is a ruckus in so-called "intellectual circles" in India ( mostly blind imitators of the West , mostly relating to issues about political correctness ) about an actress who managed to sneak into the temple fifteen years ago and touched the idol . Fifteen years after the incident ( that is , a few days ago ) , the temple authorities received a sign from their lord ( by means of the periodic ritual that they conduct , the same ritual which told them that women should not be allowed ( in 1985 ) ) that he was unhappy . The actress , most probably seeking publicity , declared that she had managed to sneak into the temple and to touch the idol .
Now the fallout from this is that the priests are preparing a purification ritual so that whatever defilement may have occurred is cleansed , and that all the major media personalities have thrown their weight against the temple , saying that even it totally violates the core principles of the temple , women should be allowed in . The High Court had ruled that it was permissible for the temple to deny women entry , as celibacy and the periodic ritual to divine the Lord's wishes was a core belief of the Ayappa cult , which could not be compromised .
My own stance on this is that it if I want to build a temple which is accessible to only men , or only women , then that is my choice , and that the government had no right to interfere . If , however , I take money from the government , I must allow all Hindus entry , unless the money is taken from the government after they have been informed of the policies of the temple and after the government has acquiesced to allow the temple to abide by those policies ( as happened in this case ) .
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