Sabarimala: Shreeshaila seer opposes gender bias

There is nothing wrong in women entering the Sabarimala Ayyappa shrine, Channasiddharama Panditaradhya swami of Shreeshaila Mutt said in Belagavi on Wednesday.

He told presspersons at the Hukkeri Mutt that men and women were equal and should not be discriminated. Women have the right to worship, just like men. Gender differences should not come in the way of his or her right to worship, he said. “Some temples have traditions banning women from their premises, under some conditions. However, all this needs to change in keeping with the changing times. Temples should also change their rules as per changing times and the desires of the people.”

However, there is no need to attach importance to the Sabarimala temple entry issue, he said. “I believe that allowing women to enter temples is a good development.”