(can also be assessed at the Akhila Bharata Ayappan Seva Sangham,Kerala -http://www.saranamayyappa.com/ .This article is published therein)
By
Madawan A Nair
BEcons(Hons)Mal,LLB(Hons)Lond,LLM(UKM),CLP
Advocate & Solicitor
HIGH COURT OF MALAYA
"Only girls below the age of 10 and ladies above the age of 50 are permitted to climb up the hills to Sabarimala" is the practice that has been followed, in respect of Sabarimala pilgrimage, since time immemorial. But this embargo has given rise to many questions. The answers given so far have not satisfied those who have raised these queries. Otherwise why must the question be raised over and over again? The main reason for this seems to be that the answers provided in response to this query, are unreasoned and abrupt. Most of these answers have been provided by individuals who have not had sufficient curiosity to explore the relevant aspects deeper. Seek, understand and explain the little that you know for the benefit of others - that sounds spiritual enough doesn't it? The explanations or the rationale I am trying to provide are based on deep introspection, wide reading and research which I had embarked upon. The answer (or answers) to this question harps on a mix of cultural, historical, biological and spiritual reasonings.
Unlike the modern liberated women, the Indian women of the past have accepted such embargoes without many questions or indignation It was because they lived in a cultural set-up which straightaway ostracized and reprimanded any female who raised such questions. In fact, they risked being labeled as foolish and their families frowned upon for bringing up the females in an improper manner. This being the case, they remained comfortable with that mindset and contented with whatever the men folk decreed or ordained. Poor women, but great mothers without whom we wouldn't be here. Ammei Devi Namosthuthe! Without the existence of the female species who would have propagated the human race?
Satyavati, . who was a fisherwoman from a low caste,had a brief encounter with Parasara (the grandson of Brahmarishi Vasista ) and produced the great sage Veda Vyasa (or Krishna Dvaipayana as he was also known) without whom the Vedas would not have been in our midst! ........ Sages and Saints of India, Dr Manu Bhagat, pp 26
Anyway let us ponder upon the cultural base upon which this embargo is based in Kerala, where Sabarimala Sannidhanam is located, as well as elsewhere. In most of these places it had been an age old custom and practice that only men are permitted to conduct pooja and other rituals in temples. This accounts for the reason why we see only tantris and nambudiris conducting poojas in temples! The ladies especially the ones having attained puberty, are prohibited from conducting the pooja rituals for a number of reasons. This fact is ingrained in them from their childhood by the family elders. Based purely on reflection and intellectual ponderings. the foremost plausible reason, is the likelihood of the female suddenly becoming `unclean' during the course of the prayers and ceremonies by the onset of menstruation. The regular menstrual cycle in most healthy women is once every 28 days or so. It is common clinical knowledge that menstrual cycle of women can deviate from its usual 28 day periodicity. It may begin earlier or later due to various factors like poor health, hormonal imbalance, anxiety, over exercise, emotional state etc. This means that there are chances of menstruation occurring during pooja rituals. This is especially so during the mandala vrutham which extends to a duration longer than 28 days. Hence, it is not possible for women to remain `clean' during the whole period of fast, prayers or ceremonies.
The Hebrew language has a word niddah for menstruating woman, and because the ancient rabbis thought her unclean, her activities were strictly regulated by Jewish law. When her period was over, she had to wait seven days and then clean herself in a mikvah, or ritual bath. Some orthodox Jewish women still observe this rule. ...The ABCs of Human Body, pp 275
One must also keep in mind that the holy atmosphere prevailing at Sannidhanam gives rise to suddenly fluctuating emotional levels of ecstasy induced by intense devotion to and the proximity of Lord Ayyappa. The floodgates of emotions are sprung open in HIS vicinity. If this is so with most men, even those of more stoic and hardy nature, imagine the state of a lady in the threshold of getting her periods (or who has artificially prolonged the onset of the menstruation cycle through medication). Another factor is the trek up the hill to Sannidhanam. The present trekking path to Sannidhanam is relatively more comfortable than the one that existed in the days gone by. Nevertheless the climb up the hill is demanding. Thus the rapidly waxing and vaning emotional and physical syndromes could trigger the onset of an untimely menstruation. Applying these reasons, it is biologically difficult for ladies to remain 'clean' through the long period of vrutham (austerities) required before undertaking Sabarimala pilgrimage.
What is so `unclean' about menstruation? After all isn't it a biological process decreed by God himself, one may ask? The presence of blood in any prayer ritual is a definite `No'. Animal worship and blood sacrifices as seen in some temples are certainly against established norms of worship. The mere presence of blood desecrates the place of worship and invites the evil force, hovering in nether worlds beyond our perception and senses. The menstrual blood is not just blood itself but blood combined with a dead egg. This egg, in it's fertile state had contained intrinsic life-force or sakthi of being able to create another `being' under opportune conditions? Unfertilised and ejected during the menstruation process, the egg is dead. Devoid of its potency, it becomes another dead being or Pretham. It is thus, tantamount , at least figuratively speaking, to bringing a miniaturised graveyard to the venue of the ceremony. That is why young ladies are forbidden from visiting temples during such periods. Besides, in many communities, during their `unclean' times they are also forbidden from venturing out at odd hours like at noon and dusk, and to places like the graveyard.
Bearing in mind the philosophy of the 18 steps, emotional states like Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Madha, Maltsarya, Asooya and Dhumb should be restrained or totally shed. For some ladies, the pre and post menstrual syndromes (PMS) and the accompanying pain that they undergo during such times, throw them off balance both emotionally and physically. The agony is such that they have to often take recourse to medical treatment to alleviate the pain. Such being the case, can they properly follow the rituals prescribed during the period of vrutham ? Not only that, during such turbulent period of agony, they are caught in a disturbed state of mind like anger and pain which could divert their attention from the sole aim of devotion to God.
In this so called PMS there may be inexplicable and uncontrolled bouts of anger and crying due to the chemical changes in womens' bodies. ...The ABC's of the Human Body, pp 275
Frankly, can a lady helplessly struggling with her hot flushes and abdominal pains effectively put her mind to prayers? Can she cope up with the crowds at Sannidhanam who are constantly jostling, shoving, pushing and pulling while waiting in queue for a darshan or while ascending the holy 18 Steps? These are practical aspects worth considering and reflecting upon. Don't just point your fingers at the `Embargo' and smile sheepishly.
Being steadfast in brahmacharyam and `fasting', the eventual period of getting darshan is a poignant point to remember. The mind has to be devoid of any form of worry, attachment or mental unease. It has to be wide open to realise the oneness of the personal and impersonal Brahmans. The male devotees ascending the hills, at least most of them, do so after observed a lengthy period of fasting - including celibacy. Observing celibacy during the fasting period is not as easy an effort as one might think. The minds of married men, attuned to conjugal affairs, have to be restrained. Even the occasional mental flights of fantasy have to be nipped in the bud. In short, controlling the basal instincts of procreation is paramount though extremely difficult. It is a practice one has to adhere to. This self denial is a prime requisite to get anywhere near to the shadow of the Paramatma Himself. Great sages like Viswamitra and Ravana have fallen to this overpowering allurement of sexual attraction. What of mere mortals like us? Even Brahma, it is said, nearly faltered.
On creating Vani, he (Brahma) was himself overcome by a lustful sentiment towards her, whereupon he was rescued from this dark passion by his own offspring like Sanaka, Daksha and others. .... Narayaneeyam: Canto 10 V.8
Instances of temptation can occur on many occasions. Most of the devotees have a bath in Pampa. On the banks of Pampa, no covered facilities exist to even change clothes and the pilgrims are forced to change clothes in the open. Similarly, the trek during pilgrimage is strenuous and sweaty. Garments that one wears gets soaked in sweat and tend to vividly cling to the body in often sexually provocative and embarrassing fashion. Therefore, despite whatever one may vehemently say, the possibility of the male devotees falling prey to this emotional lure is there, should young ladies in their prime and desirable ages, go up the hills alongside them. One may say that this should not be case and that one should have self-control even when confronted by temptations. If that self control is there, why are there growing reports of sexual crimes splattered all over the newspapers? "The mind is the source of both bondage and liberation" said the great Mahatma. Each yatra is a practice to control that mind and attain liberation. It takes several yatras, several doses of enlightenment and absolute surrender to attain that level of self restraint. With all this in view , it may even be worthwhile pondering over the `below the age of 10' clause, because empirically we notice young girls below ten attaining puberty these days.
Sabarimala yatra is unique from a mere visit to a temple in the neighbourhood. A visit to the neighbouring temple is to focus on the presiding deity installed there and contemplate on the deity's presence everywhere and in everything - at least that is what we ought to do. But with the din and calamity in the temple ground, the possibility of our bumping into our close friends, the glittering gold bracelets, elaborately dressed women exuding heady perfumes often tend to divert our attention from our primary aim of worship. Our minds during such brief visits are often not focused enough towards contemplation, introspection and prayer.
To meet the King you ought to be decenty attired, for a wedding reception you adorn the requisite clothes and to visit the temple you ought to be appropriately dressed both literally and figuratively. To see Swamy Ayyappa, sitting atop Sabarimala in the yogic state, bathing in the Satvic ocean and exuding such aura, with His eyes closed in ` tapas' and absolutely detached from everything , it is necessary for his devotees to be in consonance i.e remain detached - physically and mentally from the earthly world with its attendant temptations. Sabrimala Sri Ayyappa is the Kali-yuga varadan (saviour) and the only way to realise Him is through absolute detachment from earthly distractions. All the Hindu scriptures talk of the necessity for this sort of detachment. From his birth man labours make under the `eight bondages' of hatred, fear, shame, aversion, egoism, vanity, pride of noble birth and obsession with the formalities of good conduct. When one calls on the Mother, one should discard these `bondages' and call on Her with a concentrated mind......The Great Sage of Hinduism - Sri Ramakrishna
To really attain detachment and allow the satvic qualities to rise to the surface needs a lot of determination and dedication. The fast, celibacy, the bhajans, the satsangs, the mala with the mudra, the irumudi coconut, the black/blue attire, the rough path, the towering hills, the mantras are all aimed at arousing the Satvic qualities in us by killing the yearnings of the mind that has been so habituated from birth by the social environment of the day. The key word here is the `mind'. That is the single most entity to be harnessed. Should ladies in the embargoed group be present there, is it not bound to become a source of distraction?
You see, it is the nature of the water to flow downwards, but the sun's rays lift it up towards the sky; likewise it is the very nature of the mind to go to lower things, to objects of enjoyment, but the grace of God can make the mind go towards higher objects. ......Mother Sarada Devi - The Gospel of the Holy Mother, pp175
On the part of the men, It is the lack of commitment and unrestrained surrender to the dictates of the mind that have brought an array of social evils like wife beating, divorces, adultery, drunken husbands, sexual delinquency etc. The very man, for whom a lady yearns and pines for before marriage becomes awry and distasteful after matrimony in spite of her utter devotion to him. While women look for romanticism, motherhood and security in marriage, men look at women as objects through whom they can fulfill their baser instincts. In contemporary times physical, mental and sexual aberrations are openly portrayed through print and visual media. Often this portrayal falsely denotes these perversions as signs of success in life and a trademark of the `In' crowd. If you are not `In' then you are the left `Out' as the less successful of society. Men must become more balanced, equipoised, committed to their lives and to those around them. Sabarimala `vrutham' is one such attempt by men to attain essential moral qualities towards better conduct. Therefore, will it not be unfair for the ladies to disturb the noble path the men folk are taking to cleanse their minds .
It is the ultimate aim of any religious occasion or religious teacher to endeavour to teach that the identification of the self with the body must go.
The body is nothing but three pounds of ashes when it is cremated.....Mother Sarada Devi - Gospel of the Holy Mother pp 49
Mother Sarada Devi said that tThis take time , effort, sacrifices, a conducive environment and the co-operation of the female of the species! Even then it is difficult to fully realise this truth. According to my guru Swamiji Krishnan Sreedharan, it takes a lot of vairagya (commitment) . But isn't an iota of realisation better than none at all? He adds that everything needs a beginning, no matter what falterings, fits and starts there are.
Thus, the Sabarimala yatra and the antecedent fasting regime provide just that (the beginning) - not the golf courses or holiday resorts for there too you shall only find factors awaiting to aggravate what you wish to free yourselves from - the sense-objects and their enjoyments.
When the mind becomes Nirvishaya - free from thinking of sense-objects and their enjoyments , it is meditation, God has hidden Himself in this world and is seated in the cavity of the lotus near your heart. He is the absentee landlord......Swami Sivananda - Concentration and Meditation, pp118
Another reason for the embargo is that it often told that Swami Ayyappan Himself requested this of his earthly guardian, the King of Pandalam. We cannot easily dismiss this as a figment of imagination. As per my learned GuruSwamiji Krishnan Sreedharan, Lord Ayyappan or Manikantan's (as he is called ) existence can be traced to about 700 to 800 years back. In fact the Pandalam castle is still in existence in a dilapidated state and the decendents of the Pandalam lineage are still living. They are honoured by Ayyappa devotess and still hold a wand of influence over the runnning of the Sabarimala Sannidhanam. Currently there is a tussle over who should have wider span of power, the Pandalam family or the Travancore Devasom Board? That the thiruvabharanam, made by the erstwhile Pandalam maharajah, is adorned on the deity on Makaravilakku day is another proof of the bond between Lord Ayyappa and the Pandalam family. In Puthenveedu , Manikantan's sword and several belongings are still preserved and worshipped. Hence, it is highly possible that the request would have been made by Him. As to why, that is left to speculation and logical deduction, but looking at the yogic posture of His vigraham (idol) it is evident that the deity is in a special posture of tapas and meditation. Here, in Sabrimala one of HIS silent messages is to be free from the grips of Moha and it could have been His intention that He himself does not become a perpetrator of the same - hence the embargo. He wanted to be undisturbed in His yogic bhava or mood. According to the legends He turned down the proposal of marriage from Malikapuram herself. Like any other sage in a similar endeavour, he may not have wanted the presence of young ladies there. Not that he will succumb to their charms but the other way around i.e so that the young ladies do not get attached to Him emotionally (just like the Gopis of Vrindavan to Krishna) and thus forget their earthly obligations and duties to their own families. Remember how the gopis, with the least thought of their own husbands and children, were enraptured end trapped in the beauty of the young Krishna!
Thus, HIS request has to be rightly honoured by young ladies. Not with any defiance or recalcitrance but with their ever-present gift of love and understanding. Our present day minds are too sullied by the hustle and bustle of contemporary material world that we refuse to ponder deeply on various age old practices but summarily rush to our own ill founded conclusions. We must learn to respect age old traditions and embargoes of the past. They are there for the reasons usually untold , but certainly based on sound reasoning.
Comments are welcome Disclaimer::- The views expressed in this article are the view points of the author and his fellow researchers. It does not purport to represent the view point of ABASS or the web editor. No part of the article is intended to be disparaging to either of the sexes, persons, faiths or cults.
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