'Entry to Sabarimala should be women's choice'

“If the entry of women to Sabarimala Temple is hurting the sentiments of “vrathadhari” male devotees, then there is a need to look into the possibility of opening the doors of the temple exclusively for women on some other days,” writer Preethi Nagaraj said.

She was delivering a talk at a session on ‘Women and religion—From triple talaq to Sabarimala,’ on the second day of Mangaluru Lit Fest, organised by Mangaluru Literary Foundation here, on Sunday.

“I oppose the demand on the entry of women to Sabarimala for the sake of activism. However, it is not right to say temple door is not open to a devotee who has come to seek the darshan of the presiding God.”

Elaborating, she said: “I want to see God who had created me. I am God’s child. I am very small in the eyes of God and thus can never disturb his focus. When one says majoritarian and minority views, then there is a provision to fix that was not fair in the history whether it is through the law or through the constitution or a well-fought debate. I don’t think anybody should come between me and my god in this sense.”

Dr Padmarani from Manipal School of Communication (MCS) said, “As the society progresses, the traditions also change. Entry to Sabarimala should be a personal choice of women.”

Yogini Shambavi Chopra said nowhere Hindu dharma had described women as impure.

The God Ayyappa should be revered by respecting the traditions. There is a need to respect the tradition of the religion.

Though the topic ranged from triple talaq to Sabarimala, not much discussions were held on triple talaq.

In a session on ‘Engineered violence in Kerala and Kashmir,’ Pragya Pravah All India convener Nanda Kumar said, “Kerala government followed anti-Hindutva policy in connection with entry of women to Sabarimala temple.

Communists can never be Hindus. Their work is to facilitate Jihadis and missionaries. They need only money from Hindu Gods,” he said.

“Every Hindu shrine is this country is vulnerable now,” he felt.

The only reason Pakistan wants Kashmir is because the majority of the population is Muslims, said Major Gaurav Arya.

In a session on ‘India in cinema—representation and narrative,’ Rohith Padaki said, “If a cine star uses lethal weapons, then his fans too will follow the same.’

Rishab Shetty said cinema should reach the mass. “A movie which is watched by four members of the jury is not a cinema in real sense,” Shetty said.

In a session on “Overreaching regulations and relentless faith,” Sandeep Shastri said courts must stay out of all religions as long as they don’t violate the Constitution.

While Chaitra Mathigatta said “We Hindus are not orthodoxy, we are orthopraxy,” Lakshmi Iyengar said “Hinduism is ever evolving. We have not stuck to primitive thoughts.”