The Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sanghom (ABASS) has taken strong exception towards the reported statement of Bhumata Brigade leader and women’s rights activist Trupti Desai that she would enter Sabarimala, defying the restrictions imposed on women’s entry to the sacred abode of Lord Ayyappa.
Talking to The Hindu here on Monday, ABASS national vice president, D. Vijayakumar has said that there was no question of permitting any person or group to violate the age-old tradition and custom of the Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala.
The ABASS leader said Sangom workers would thwart any such move as the custom and tradition of Sabarimala pilgrimage did not allow entry of women in the age group of 10 to 50 years to forest shrine.
Mr. Vijayakumar said the propaganda that women’s entry to Sabarimala had been banned was totally unfounded and misleading. He said there was only a restriction to the entry of women in the age group of 10 to 50 years to Sabarimala on the basis of certain tantric tradition and speciality of the presiding deity.
‘Devotee is deity’ According to him, the custom and tradition at Sabarimala make no distinction by caste, creed or gender and it has been the most secular Hindu place of worship in Kerala. Here, every devotee is treated as the deity — male devotees as ‘Ayyappa’ and the female devotees as ‘Malikappuram’ – signalling the fact that the abode of Lord Ayyappa commanded a transformation of the human being to the deity, says he.
The pilgrims are supposed to observe 41-day penance prior to undertaking the pilgrimage to the forest shrine dedicated to Dharma Sastha or Ayyappa. The presiding deity is regarded as an ardent bachelor (Naishtik Brahmachari), ABASS leader said.
