Punjab girl leads Sabarimala board bashing on ‘purity scanner’

Nikita Azad, 20, a graduation student from Patiala, in her letter posted on Youth ki Awaaz, a mouthpiece for the youth, asked how ‘God’s own children’ become impure and “which God’s permission are you proposing that my purity be checked.”

In her letter posted on November 20, which has become viral on the social media, she writes: “I have eyes, nose, ears, lips, arms, legs just as any other human on earth. But, unfortunately, I also have breasts, hips, and a bleeding vagina. I recently came to know that my blood pollutes the temple at Sabari-mala, and I am denied entry into it because I am a woman who menstruates… I am not furious at your statement but saddened.”

TDB president Prayar Gopalakrishnan had said in Kollam on November 14 that women would be permitted in Sabarimala after the invention of a machine which could scan and judge their purity. This was in response to a question about women's entry into the temple.

“A time will come when people will ask if all women should be disallowed from entering the temple throughout the year. These days there are machines that can scan bodies and check for weapons. There will be a day when a machine is invented to scan if it is the ‘right time’ (not menstruating) for a woman to enter the temple. When that machine is invented, we will talk about letting women inside,” he said two days after taking charge.

Nikita told DC over phone, “I came to know about the official’s sexist post when an online portal aired his statement. I had heard about Sabarimala temple. Every year, I go to Chintapurni, Naina Devi, Vaishno Devi, Chamunda Devi and Jawala Ji with my family. My parents have taught me how God created men and women as equals, how all humans are the children of God,” she said.