A tradition or custom which degrades humans and undermines nature is not worth it and should be shunned. The recent controversy on Sabarimala is no different. The claim that women of certain age are impure and therefore not allowed definitely goes against the values of humanity as also anti-constitutional, against the law. The women who do go to these temples should be congratulated. Having gone to sabarimala you very well know it is quite impossible to reach the statue, it’s too far and too in. The kannada actress concerned is not bound to answer anyone. The kerala government should answer why public money is being wasted on setting up ‘enquiries’. The ‘enquiry’ needs to be set up to find who are the people who become priests and what gives them right to be one? Also why ‘non Hindus’ not allowed in Kerala temples? How do you define Hindus? How a ‘Hindu’ is different from ‘non Hindu’?….well Nazis atleast had reason like shape of the nose, length of cheek and other path breaking criteria. Where in Vedas, Upanishads or Bhagavad Gita it is mentioned ‘who is a Hindu and who is non Hindu’? I also want to know from these ‘wise men’ at what stage an ‘Atman a Hindu and non Hindu’?
In the contemporary world ‘Brahman’ means thugs and some slimy creatures who make living out of temples. But in the puranas it says when you know atman, your inner self you also know the heart of universe, that is Brahman, the ‘inner self’ of all creature. One of the scripture mentions it thus:
The spirit within me is smaller than a mustard seed.
The spirit within me is greater than this earth and
Sky and the heaven and all this united is Brahman.
In the contemporary world ‘Brahman’ means thugs and some slimy creatures who make living out of temples. But in the puranas it says when you know atman, your inner self you also know the heart of universe, that is Brahman, the ‘inner self’ of all creature. One of the scripture mentions it thus:
The spirit within me is smaller than a mustard seed.
The spirit within me is greater than this earth and
Sky and the heaven and all this united is Brahman.
The knowledge of these makes him or her a Brahmin. Not that when my grandfather used to fart or belch with his threaded potbelly, it used to heave and so I too a Brahmin and so I can lick inside the temple (plz don’t pardon me for the language used…it’s my pleasure!!). The ordinary temple going Hindus don’t give a damn about these ‘rules’ and many a times are pained by these rules of exclusion. Apart from famous examples of Yesudas, Indira Gandhi and so on there are many examples at personal level for most of us. Like some years back I was in north kerala-Malabar, and there was this fellow who had married a foreigner in USA and wanted to solemnize it through Hindu tradition in his favorite temple but was stopped at the entrance since she was ‘not Hindu’. Ofcourse her ‘non Hindu’ status was more to do with her colour of her skin. That in civilized societies is referred to as racism. Quite peculiarly in some temples in say Cochin they had no problem-long back I had gone with some foreigners and I told them to put chandana puttu (sandalwood paste)…that made them Hindu. I was apprehensive but it did work!!.( incidentally these foreigners ask too many questions on Hinduism they generally have an exotic view and yes I catered to that exceedingly well…its about free food-not asking but making them give, and generally having nice time talking to foreigners on beaches. For last few years I lost interest in such occupations). So the rules of temples are generally decided by these thugs on their fancy. I don’t think we need to tolerate their idiosyncrasies nor is there any need to indulge them. It is time up for these scoundrels. It is these Brahmanical thugs who have wriggled into temples, who create problems to common people for sake of maintaining their self importance. The reason of removing shirt in temples is not about being equal in front of God as is being circulated; it’s about seeing who is threaded. Why not remove that dirty grimy thread also from that potbelly body? Any takers? First they didn’t want "untouchables" to be in since they are impure, having lost they have extended it to other things. It’s a shame. These thugs who are running the temples should be kicked out. Further public need to know where their money-they give it as offering to god, is going. As people give money to the temple for spiritual-egalitarian reasons it need be spend as such like on orphanage, education of poor and so on. The money is not for ‘maintenance’ of thugs inside the temples….we are not responsible for them and they shouldn’t make a living on the faith of ordinary people. On the contrary these scoundrels owe apology to the society….what apology they should be arrested. Talking of Ayyappan temple in sabarimala and it’s need for godforsaken ‘purity’; what about many Ayyappan temple all over the country? Further the argument that there are also women’s only temples in kerala is quite out of context in this discussion on ‘how religious elite perceive gender’ since the reason why men are not allowed is not about men being impure, in some case it is about safeguarding the family.
Ah, vain are words, and weak all mortal thoughts!
Who is there truly knows, and who can say,
Whence this unfathomed world, and from what causes?
Nay, even the gods were not! Who, then, can know?
The source from which this universe hath sprung,
That source, and that alone, can bear it up-
None else: THAT, THAT alone, lord of the worlds,
In its own self contained, immaculate
As are the heaves, above, THAT alone knows
The truth of what itself hath made-none else!
(Hymn of creation: Rig Veda)
One thing I really like about Hinduism is respect accorded to trees and other living creature (the condition of cows and animals are appalling in many cities. People do feel bad about these. But they really are not in a position to do anything except maybe to feel pity). The cows in metros are like portable temple. In my neighborhood where I used to stay sometime back this cow used to come everyday morning to this house on its on and say mow mow and the lady inside would shout aayee and give her rotis and then pray….so no need to go to temple!!. But sadly cows are turning out to be portable automatic garbage disposal unit. I have also seen many elderly people during morning walk feeding ants! Many trees in crowded cities were saved because of the sacred value attached to it. And most temples all over India have trees, particularly true where snakes are worshipped; in places like kerala temples give space for a complete ecosystem to thrive. Temples here are few unobtrusive stony structures, where you can do your own small conversation with the god unhindered by rituals. This is religion at its best. Some intellectual morons do refer to these as ‘animistic’ traditions in a tone that is demeaning. Fools when read more books don’t become wise, clever maybe.
These snaps of trees taken from many part the country ranging from Shantiniketan to Trivandrum. Guess why they were saved from the axe of ‘development’?
Existence was not, nor its opposite,
Nor earth, nor heaven’s blue vault, nor aught beyond.
Death was not yet, nor deathlessness; the day
Was night, night day, for neither day nor night
Had come to birth.
Then THAT, the primal fount
Of light—immobile--rest and action joined--
Brooded in silent bliss. Itself beside,
In the wide universe there nothing was.
So according to ancient holy scriptures GOD was not HE or SHE. GOD was THAT.
