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Sabarimala - Page 2

© Harsh Nevatia

An age-old discipline that is still followed at Sabarimala is the ban on the entry of women aged between 10 and 50 to the hill shrine, making Sabarimala the only temple in India where this practice is followed. One of the main reasons cited to justify this traditional stand is the duration of period of penance. Tradition insists on 41-day severe penance before undertaking the pilgrimage. In conservative Hinduism a woman is not permitted to participate in religious rituals while she is menstruating. Hence she cannot undertake the 41-day penance and the subsequent pilgrimage. Another reason given is that Ayyappa had embraced bachelorhood and the presence of women could weaken his resolve.

There is a legend associated with the ban on women at the shrine. The story goes that a young princess of the Pandalam family insisted on accompanying the King on the pilgrimage to Sabarimala. However, the princes couldn't complete her journey due to unexpected menstrual problems. She informed the King about it and said she would wait for them in the hut of a tribal. On his return the King was shocked to see that the princess had turned into a granite statue. This statue can be seen on the pilgrimage route. Of late there have been protests against this practice, especially by women's groups.

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