Lord Ayyappa prohibits the entry of the women in the menstrual age group. The temple allows entry of women between 10 and 50 only. Women is considered impure during the menstrual period. Since temple authorities can not ensure whether the women enter the temple during the menstrual period or not they have imposed this draconian rule. I think they are justified in doing so.

" A pilgrim attending the Mandalapooja should observe austerities for 41 days. During this period, the pilgrim should abstain himself from non vegetarian food and carnal pleasures." Is one rule in visiting Lord Ayyappa. But nowadays people who wear the mala and Irumudi on the date of the visit to sabarimala are enlarging and as such this ritual is not followed fully.
Another ritual is ,"The vritham can be undertaken only after getting permission from one's parents and Guru. It should be undertaken in such a manner as to cause no inconvenience to one's family."
Eventhough no one in a family objects nobody take the permission before going to sabarimala.
"The devotee must keep away from all social activities and spend his time praying and singing bhajans and in worthy causes like visiting temples, cleaning temples, feeding the poor, helping the poor and sick and attending religious discourses.
He must eat only vegetarian food and abstain from meat, physical or verbal violence, alcohol ...more

Swamiye' Saranamayyappa!
I wish to answer this question for two reasons.1.I am an Indian Hindu who feels that reforms should come in every religion.2.Religion is considered taboo here in social network sites because many find it difficult to rise above the narrow religious sentiments to enter into a healthy discussion.My salutation for this answer is indeed a give away where my roots lie in India.That also gives me another reason to join in.
One of the lawyers who has approached the supreme court is my friend's elder sister too.Before I go into my answer,I wish to reiterate that I do not in my wildest dreams intend to hurt anyone's feelings here and if it happens it is merely coincidental:-)
Women are not inferior beings on Earth though men treat them that way.God,who is the creator of all life forms has no such distinction.There is no ancient script that gives us any direction that Lord Ayyappa never liked women in their child bearing years.It is sad to see how humans try to impose ...more

Hi Shintz, I am very shocked and disappointed to see this Q of yours which is irrelavant.2 days before I saw an answer of yours in which you mentioned that you avoid religion related Qs .Then how come you raised a Religion related Question, My Friend.Your Q is, why is Indai still reeling such primitive practises.Why are you not happy with the practises of our Religions.When a baby boy is born in Muslim Community ,its circimcission is done.When babies are born in Christion community baptism is done.India is country wiith cultural,religious and language diversities.if we start criticisng other religious practises in the Social forum ,will we be able to have Harmony.When you personally avoid answering such Qs why you encouraged other members to answer this irrelevant Q of yours.You have done a grave mistake Shintz as you had criticised the Beliefs of keralite Hindus.When you had raised such a Q you should have done some studies in this subject.You know ,we young women of Kerala dont even ...more

In this male dominated world every opportunity to despise femininity is cleverly utilized by society. All organized religions are anti-women,some more, some less. The biological difference with females is nature given and on it depends the survival of each species. It should be accepted and honored rather than despised.There is nothing unholy or sinful about god given features of women. Women have the right to enter any shrine. To keep them away is clear sexual bias which is against our constitution. No religion is immune to Indian constitution in this secular country. I am all for those lady lawyers, and i think we all should be.
Twisted traditions are to be broken. We have broken the traditions relating to bias against scheduled classes in the past !

Hi Shintsie, a very reasonable question you have asked. And after reading the question closely (REFERRING TO THE PHRASE `such primitive practices` USED BY YOU), I can say that it is not only about the prohibitions made at Lord Ayyappa Temple but against women but any such WRONG practice against women and womanhood.

We all know that customs, traditions and usages are the result of long experience of people living at a particular time. When certain things are found to be useful for a certain society, its being adopted by the people of that time. It is included in it as a practice form and with time it takes becomes a custom or ritual. Well, that is how such things goes according to me. But with passage of time, the social conditions change and moderation of customs and practices become necessary. We need to adopt new practices to remain in the race. When we say that India was the most advanced country in the world during the ancient times, it was only because of our rational belief. R ...more

It is surprising that the "God" who can clean sins of the devotees can himself become " apavitra" by a mere entry of women. It gives a wrong signal that if the God himself can become Apavitra, how he can wash the sins of others?. At the same time, the pujaris or the temple, who does Praksalam can go inside and touch the idol, even if he is a sinner. Even the murderers can go inside because they are males. Surely this is insulting to God himself. Who is checking whether all devotees are '' clean '' ?
Secondly, why Lord Ayyapaa's temple should alone have a different rule, when most of the other "Tirthakshetras" of India allow women to enter? If those idols cannot become ''apavitra'', then how Lord Ayyappa's idol can ? There is no rational reasoning except somebody's wrong notions which is going on since last many years. May be the first priest who made this rule was fanatic.
You have nicely stated that why is India still running under such primitive practices. Now the court wi ...more

I reserve my comments as it may hurt the sentiments of so many people

After reading such great discussion of such knowledgeable i find wonder if i will be able to add something of value to it.........but one thing i can do surely opt to be with the daring ladies who went against and the flow.....i think that if your heart is pure what else qualification you require to enter a temple!!!

Yes, The petition challenging the ban on entry of women between the age of 10 and 50 years into Lord Ayyappa's shrine in Sabarimala in Kerala has been referred to a larger bench by the Supreme Court. A bench of Justice SB Sinha and Justice VS Sirpurkar referred the matter to a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan, saying that the contentions raised in the petition involved important legal and socio-religious issues. The order was passed while hearing a petition filed by the Indian Young Lawyers Association. The association wants the ban lifted saying it is a violation of women's fundamental rights...So the punch lies in the last sentence, unless someone approaches the court none could understand that it's just a violation of fundamental rights...we are so blind to the realities that happen day in and day out around. Sixty-long years have lapsed after getting the independence, but still freedom eludes to a number of people in our own country, thanks to our politic ...more