The Sabarimala row in Kerala is turning a bit nasty. On the one hand, there is the Supreme court's direction banning any prohibition of anyone on the basis of gender to a common place of worship and on the other, there is the age-old tradition of the temple itself. If that tradition were a fringe one, then one could put it aside, but in this case it touches one of the core values of the deity: the deity being considered a bachelor. A heady mix of politics and religion is never healthy!
I've heard Catholics and other religious laugh it off or not really be bothered. But I wonder what if the Court tomorrow decides to take up the issue of oridnation of women in the Catholic church. Will the same catholics who are indifferent to the ongoing issue about Sabarimala take the same attitude?
However, for me there is something greater at stake here - in both the cases. We often lose the focus. We miss out important values for the sake of trivialities. When and why does upholding entry or denial to do so into a place of worship, become more important and sacred than a human life? Why isn't there an uproar when men or women are killed, or inhumanely treated right before our eyes? It is a question of getting our priorities right. Getting into the temple or staying out is of no great signifiance. If Ayyappa truly gets 'polluted' by a human being, then he certainly is no great a god. And if only by getting into the garbhagruha of Sabarimala one gets to heaven, then heaven certainly is not worth striving for.
As for the gods, I'm sure Lord Ayyappa and God the Father are having a good laugh at our expense somewhere up above!
I've heard Catholics and other religious laugh it off or not really be bothered. But I wonder what if the Court tomorrow decides to take up the issue of oridnation of women in the Catholic church. Will the same catholics who are indifferent to the ongoing issue about Sabarimala take the same attitude?
However, for me there is something greater at stake here - in both the cases. We often lose the focus. We miss out important values for the sake of trivialities. When and why does upholding entry or denial to do so into a place of worship, become more important and sacred than a human life? Why isn't there an uproar when men or women are killed, or inhumanely treated right before our eyes? It is a question of getting our priorities right. Getting into the temple or staying out is of no great signifiance. If Ayyappa truly gets 'polluted' by a human being, then he certainly is no great a god. And if only by getting into the garbhagruha of Sabarimala one gets to heaven, then heaven certainly is not worth striving for.
As for the gods, I'm sure Lord Ayyappa and God the Father are having a good laugh at our expense somewhere up above!
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