| Name(s) |
SABARIMALA TEMPLE
CASE |
|
Issue |
Ban on entry of
women into the temple. |
|
Description and Events |
- It is a Hindu pilgrimage centre located in the Western
Ghat mountain ranges of Pathanamthitta District, Kerala.
- It is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world with an
estimated 50 million devotees visiting every year.
- It is the place where the Hindu God Ayyappan meditated
after killing the powerful demoness.
- It is situated on a hilltop and is surrounded by
mountains and dense forests.
- Women between the ages of 10 and 50 were not allowed to
enter the temple, because Ayyappan is a Bramhachari
(celibate).
- The temple is open for worship only during
the days of Mandalapooja (approximately 15 November to 26
December), Makaravilakku (14 January- "Makar Sankranti ")
and Maha Vishuva Sankranti (14 April), and the first five
days of each Malayalam month.
- Lord Sri Rama and his brother Lakshmana met
Sabari, a tribal devotee, at Sabarimala. Sabari offered the
Lord fruits after tasting them. But the Lord accepted them
gladly and whole-heartedly. On his back side,
Lord Rama saw a divine person doing tapas, who Sabari said
that he was Sasta. Lord Rama walked towards Sasta and the
latter stood up and welcomed the Prince of Ayodhya. The
anniversary of this incident is celebrated on Makara Vilakku
day (a.k.a. Makar Sankranti). It is believed that on Makara
Vilakku day, Lord Dharmasasta stops his tapas to bless his
devotees.
|
|
1991 |
Kerala High Court restricted entry of women above the age of 10
and below the age of 50 from offering worship at Sabarimala
Shrine as they were of the menstruating age. |
|
Sep 28, 2018 |
Supreme Court of India, lifted the ban on the entry
of women. It said that, discrimination against women on any
grounds, even religious, is unconstitutional. |
|
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