Sabarimala: Rally taken out appealing Supreme Court to reconsider Verdict
Nellore: Hundreds of Ayyappa devotees participated in a rally appealing Supreme Court to reconsider its verdict on entry of women into Sabarimala at Nellore on Monday evening.
Cutting across party lines, former legislator and TD Nellore City wing in-charge Mungamuru Sridharkrishna Reddy, YSRC Nellore City legislator P. Anilkumar Yadav, BJP district unit president P. Surendra Reddy took part in the rally from VR College to Gandhi Statue.
Several women devotees also joined the procession holding placards appealing Supreme Court to reconsider its decision on entry of the women in Sabarimala.
Speaking on the occasion, president of Ayyappa temple in Nellore, P.T. Rangarajan reiterated that Lord Ayyappa or his devotees don’t have any discrimination against women while expressing concern over some vested plans to project the shrine in a poor light.
He said the restriction is linked to the incarnation of the Lord as Ayyappa at Sabarimala and there is no bar on women to visit any other Ayyappa temples across the country.
Nellore City legislator Dr Anilkumar Yadav has questioned the rational behind finding fault with Sabarimala customs and traditions while pointing to such restrictions even in the temples at advanced countries such as Japan.
He said Ominesanji shrine at the top of 6000 feet Mount Omine in Nara at Southern Japan run by Buddhist Monastery is considered most sacred and women of menstrual cycle are not permitted to the area. Though the ban was struck down in 1872, the monastery still preaches the segregation and most visitors respect it.
Former legislator M.Sridharkrishna Reddy said the customs prevailing in Sabarimala are in vogue since centuries and it is inappropriate to question them or violate them in the name of equal rights. He said 99 percent of the women in South India honour the traditions of Sabarimala and they are against going to the shrine even if they are permitted.
Speaking on the occasion, a devotee and TD leader Anam Jayakumar Reddy said basis for religious practices in Sabarimala is available in an ancient book known as “Bhootanadopakyanam” while lamenting over Supreme Court order against prevailing practices in Sabarimala.
Stressing that there is no discrimination in Sabarimala except for women of certain age, he reminded that every devotee in deekhsha is addressed as Swami and wear black there they are poor or affluent. Ayyappa temple committee Secretary G. Seshagiri Rao, noted priests Machavolu Koteswar Rao and Machavolu Ramesh, Ms Vijayalakshmi of VHP and VHP President Menta Rammoha Rao also spoke.
