Sabarimala and Women

Kerala coast: A photo from the year 1900

A century and a quarter ago, Swami Vivekananda called Kerala “a lunatic asylum.”  The prevalent caste system demeaned all but the Brahmins and their associates. The Namboothiri men could have sex with the Nair women of their choice by an arrangement called Sambandam [morganatic marriage]. The upper caste men brazenly exploited the women of the lower castes. Women of the lower castes were forbidden from covering their breasts. Women were treated on the whole as nothing better than goods and chattels.

According to a legend, Kerala was created by Parasuram, an incarnation of God Vishnu. This divine avatar did not hesitate to kill his own mother and brothers just to please the ego of his father. The father’s ego was hurt merely because his wife admired a prince who was bathing in the river along with his women. Marital fidelity is an Indian wife’s bounden duty. No other man should enter even her thoughts though the man could enter any woman’s petticoat.

In most parts of India women were nothing more than possessions of men. Kerala had its own unique ways of commodifying the women.

The Sabarimala Temple forbids the entry of women between the ages of 10 and 50. The presiding deity of the temple, Ayappan, is a perpetual celibate who does not wish to be tempted by women. Did the god make the rule, however?

Who made all the rules for women? For example, who made the rule of Sati? Of purdah? Of restrictions placed on widows? Of temple entry or non-entry?

The world has gone far ahead of regressive regulations and traditions. Why does India bury itself deeper and deeper into obscurantist thinking and practices? Genuine spirituality should liberate people from the darkness of all evils. The current wave of spirituality that is sweeping the country is doing just the opposite: it is enslaving people.

The country stands in great need of another Vivekananda.