M. Gautham MachaiahThe storm over Kannada actress Jayamala allegedly desecrating the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala refuses to die down with the Kerala police now chargesheeting her for hurting religious sentiments by making false claims.
The actress had raised the hackles of staunch Ayyappa followers in 2006, when she claimed she had entered the sanctum sanctorum of the temple at the prime of her youth in 1987 and touched the feet of the celibate deity, thus violating an age old custom which bars women in their reproductive age from entering the hill shrine.
The controversy has all the ingredients of a potboiler. The first question that crosses the mind is why did it take nearly two decades for Jayamala to make her confession? Therein lies a story.
In June 2006, a well known astrologer, P. Unnikrishna Panikker, performed the ‘Deva Prashnam’, a tantric ritual which revealed that the temple had been defiled by a woman. The very next day, the temple authorities received a facsimile message from Jayamala that the woman that the astrologer was referring to was indeed her. The actress detailed the sequence of events on that fateful day and expressed a desire to perform penance to overcome her sin.
High drama began to unfold with the letter being ‘leaked’ and Jayamala herself narrating the story with great relish to the media. But the actress had bitten more than she could chew. Distressed by this “sacrilege”, the devout, who too maintain a period of celibacy before visiting the temple, bayed for her blood, forcing the Kerala government to order an inquiry by the crime branch of the police.
In the midst of this brouhaha the chief priest of the Sabarimala temple, Kantararu Maheshwararu debunked Jayamala’s claim saying it was impossible for a lady to enter the innermost precincts of the shrine slipping through several rungs of security. And even if she did, touching the Lord’s feet was out of question because the sanctum sanctorum is on an elevated platform with a flight of steps leading to it. But the actress continued to narrate her story with even greater flourish, basking in the glory of all the publicity it got her.
But the actress has now received a rude jolt with the police filing a charge sheet against her for making “false claims”, thereby vindicating the chief priest’s stand. According to the police, Jayamala was part of a conspiracy hatched by astrologer Unnikrishna Panikker and his assistant who had an axe to grind with the temple authorities.
The astrologer had claimed then that the poojas and rituals of the shrine had not been performed with due sanctity and dedication by priests and that there were even signs of the idol having been touched by a woman. The whole episode, the investigation says, is a conspiracy to buttress the claim of the astrologer about the poor state of temple affairs, and Jayamala apparently was a willing accomplice. The accused have been arraigned for being involved in “a deliberate and malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings”.
The actress had raised the hackles of staunch Ayyappa followers in 2006, when she claimed she had entered the sanctum sanctorum of the temple at the prime of her youth in 1987 and touched the feet of the celibate deity, thus violating an age old custom which bars women in their reproductive age from entering the hill shrine.
The controversy has all the ingredients of a potboiler. The first question that crosses the mind is why did it take nearly two decades for Jayamala to make her confession? Therein lies a story.
In June 2006, a well known astrologer, P. Unnikrishna Panikker, performed the ‘Deva Prashnam’, a tantric ritual which revealed that the temple had been defiled by a woman. The very next day, the temple authorities received a facsimile message from Jayamala that the woman that the astrologer was referring to was indeed her. The actress detailed the sequence of events on that fateful day and expressed a desire to perform penance to overcome her sin.
High drama began to unfold with the letter being ‘leaked’ and Jayamala herself narrating the story with great relish to the media. But the actress had bitten more than she could chew. Distressed by this “sacrilege”, the devout, who too maintain a period of celibacy before visiting the temple, bayed for her blood, forcing the Kerala government to order an inquiry by the crime branch of the police.
In the midst of this brouhaha the chief priest of the Sabarimala temple, Kantararu Maheshwararu debunked Jayamala’s claim saying it was impossible for a lady to enter the innermost precincts of the shrine slipping through several rungs of security. And even if she did, touching the Lord’s feet was out of question because the sanctum sanctorum is on an elevated platform with a flight of steps leading to it. But the actress continued to narrate her story with even greater flourish, basking in the glory of all the publicity it got her.
But the actress has now received a rude jolt with the police filing a charge sheet against her for making “false claims”, thereby vindicating the chief priest’s stand. According to the police, Jayamala was part of a conspiracy hatched by astrologer Unnikrishna Panikker and his assistant who had an axe to grind with the temple authorities.
The astrologer had claimed then that the poojas and rituals of the shrine had not been performed with due sanctity and dedication by priests and that there were even signs of the idol having been touched by a woman. The whole episode, the investigation says, is a conspiracy to buttress the claim of the astrologer about the poor state of temple affairs, and Jayamala apparently was a willing accomplice. The accused have been arraigned for being involved in “a deliberate and malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings”.
The last word has not yet been said on the episode, but ever since the actress made her claim, a debate has been raging across the country on practices like barring women from entering the temple, with the Supreme Court too being seized of the matter. Soon, Jayamala will be relegated to the background with secularists, conformists and pseudo-secularists splitting hair over the “larger issue” of women’s entry into Ayyappa’s abode.
Gender discrimination is no doubt a cause for concern, but emotive questions with religious connotations is better left untouched for the time being, especially when the country is battling other series issues development, literacy, health and corruption. It is best to allow such issues of faith to resolve on their own in due course as the society evolves. Several such practices which were in vogue for centuries in the country have slowly disappeared with the spread of literacy and awareness. This too will pass.
Any attempt to find a legal resolution could backfire as similar questions could be raised with regard to mosques. Will the Supreme Court or the government then intervene and make it mandatory for mosques to permit women?
Gender discrimination is no doubt a cause for concern, but emotive questions with religious connotations is better left untouched for the time being, especially when the country is battling other series issues development, literacy, health and corruption. It is best to allow such issues of faith to resolve on their own in due course as the society evolves. Several such practices which were in vogue for centuries in the country have slowly disappeared with the spread of literacy and awareness. This too will pass.
Any attempt to find a legal resolution could backfire as similar questions could be raised with regard to mosques. Will the Supreme Court or the government then intervene and make it mandatory for mosques to permit women?
Sometimes, the best course of action is inaction.
COMMENTS
Gautham, Anyway Lord Ayyappa will not come Jayamala’s rescue. Your detailed report is so good. Through your blog, many people can understand the issue much better. Thank you.
-Machaiah B.U., Wayanad
As usual, just the 'write' stuff!
-Ananthakrishnan M, Bangalore
2 comments:
As usual. Just the write stuff, Chairman!
Gautham,
Anyway Lord Ayyappa will not come to rescue Jayamala. Your detailed report is so good. Through your blog,many people understand the issue much clearer. Thanks.
Machaiah bu wayanad,Kerala
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