– With AAP
Millions of women in India formed a 620km human wall this week to send a powerful message about gender equality.
Earlier this week, two women sparked protests across the country’s south when they entered Hindu temple in the state of Kerala, defying a centuries-old ban on women entering.
India’s Supreme Court in September ordered the lifting of the ban on women or girls of menstruating age – 10 to 50 years old – from entering the Sabarimala temple, which draws millions of worshippers a year.
But the temple refused to abide by the ruling and subsequent attempts by women to visit it had been blocked by thousands of devotees.
So it was a significant moment when the women, identified by police as Bindu Ammini, 42, and Kanaka Durga, 44, entered its walls.
However not everyone agreed with the progressive change and there were protests around the state this week, AAP reports.
In the face of such opposition, women decided to show their support for the two women and the ban’s lifting by standing side by side to form a gigantic, 620km long human chain.
The protest was organised by the state’s government and it’s been reported that at least three million and quite possibly five million women turned out.
Why were women banned in the first place?
Conservative Hindu groups say they believe women of menstruating age would defile the temple’s inner shrine.
News channels reported the chief priest briefly shut the temple for “purification” rituals after the women visited.
The two women, had tried to go in on December 24, and later approached police for help, an officer said.
“There was an elaborate arrangement for them to come just after the temple was opened early morning,” said the officer.
“The darkness gave them, and us, cover.”
Police were guarding the homes of the women after they left the temple and were prepared to let more women enter the temple, the officer said.
Top Comments
I’m half Indian and we’re not able to
Participate in any rituals when we have our period. I even had to take medication to skip my period so I wouldn’t have it on my wedding day, otherwise I was told the wedding ceremony couldn’t take place. It’s a stupid archaic rule.
Hi Ss (and Mamamia),
I’ve been going back and forth on the Sabarimala issue for months now and trying to understand the ins and outs of the issue. Unfortunately, this article is a little bit half-baked. Yes, there are definitely a portion of society that belives that menstruation is “impure” and that’s a pity. In fact, the reason that women were told not to enter places of worship during their period is because the female body has hormonal changes during that time that make it more vulnerable. Places of worship, prayers and rituals are - according to vedic scriptures - quite intense and it’s belived that the vibrations from these chants have certain effects on the vulnerable female body at this time and hence it was advised that women not participate. Over time, this has morphed into believing that menstruation is impure (pity!!). The Sabarimala temple and it’s prayers are said to have negative impacts to the uterus and it’s strength and that’s why women between 10-50, usually a female’s fertile age, have traditionally been kept away. Similarly, there are Devi temples around India that ban men for similar reasons. Whether people choose to believe this or not is another issue however, as far as I know this is the reason.
Hope this helps! :)
That’s... not really a better reason though. Might be a more accurate portrayal of the rules, but the women’s reason for protest is still equally valid.