Sabrimala case has been going on for years. Priests of the temple shut it down to protest the court order. It is a long known fight between the authority of state and religion. The history of the temple can be used to justify the ban but too many fundamental rights are violated because of the ban for it be called Just. 

It is not something new for our culture to take away women’s basic rights in the name of faith. In fact, it’s something very common. For example, the Shah Bano case regarding the triple talaq row, and the years and years of systematic oppression faced by women for centuries because some ancient texts mentioned doing so.

Today, we have the Sabrimala case, where menstruating women are not allowed to enter the temple and pray, which is the part of the same culture that dehumanises women like it has been for centuries. To understand the culture around the temple in talks, let’s look at the history and myths.

Lord Ayyappa is believed to be the son of Lord Vishnu, in his Mohini Avatar, and Lord Shiva. Lord Ayyappa is a minor and a Naishtik Brahmachari (celibate). According to his worshippers, menstruating women are ‘impure’ and they will ‘corrupt’ the shrine and purity of their Lord. This is the main lore and the reason for the banning of women from the temple. The conflict arose when the state, the courts, decide to step into this matter in 1991.

It’s a common knowledge in a secular democracy that state and religion should be kept apart and one should not interfere in another’s decision makings. In 1991, a petition signed to Kerela High Court demanded to let women inside the temple. But this was rejected by the court as they did not see the issue as a violation of constitutional rights. Then in 2006, a PIL was filed with the Young Lawyers Association with the Supreme Court and the case only came to a conclusion only four months ago. 

Women not being allowed to enter the temple was violation several Fundamental Rights are given to us by the constitution. The courts saw that and decide that this temple will be dissolved and women will enter the temple. Many saw this issue parallel to the caste issue. The Dalits were not allowed to enter several temples because of the notion of impurity and pollution.

Now from a cultural perspective, one would argue that these rules and laws have been in practice for centuries and must not be changed but from a political and humanitarian point of view, these notion of purity and pollution are dehumanizing and oppressing. Article 17 of the constitution was against the idea of purity as it abolished untouchability. Political parties have taken their stances on the issue according to whatever their ideologies are but the stances of the Kerela Government have changed as the party in power have. 

The issue is stopping women from practising their rights. Even after four months of getting legal permission from the court, women have not been able to enter the temple and pray. They faced backlash for just wanting to worship their god. The temple was shut down by the people who opposed court orders. There have been stories about women colouring their hair to look like an old woman. So even after having the right to legally enter the temple, they cannot practice their right to pray.