Temple controversy: Debate still on

New Delhi: The meeting of Keralas thantris (high priests) of temples in Thrissur to decide on the entry of non-Hindus has ended inconclusively.

A majority of the thantris are still believed to be against the idea, but have promised to continue the debate.

What was interesting was the fact that a lot of people who were initiating the debate are the ones who are going to succeed the present thantris of these temples.

The meeting was called in light of a row sparked off by the purification rite conducted at Guruvayoor temple, after Union Minister Vayalar Ravi's son visited the temple.

The priests there justified the move claiming the Union Minister's wife was a Christian and thus the temple had to purified after the Minister's son's visit.

On India 360, to debate the issue was senior journalist, BRP Bhaskar, from Thiruvananthapuram.

"What is happening in this Yogakshena sabha cannot be seen as a change in the attitude of the thantris. The sabha is an organisation of the Namboodri Brahmins. I am questioning the very authority of Yogakshena sabha to give itself the right to decide whether non-Hindus should be allowed into the temple or not," BRP Bhaskar said.

TEMPLE CONTROVERSIES
	2007: Rs 10 lakhs worth of food destroyed at Puri's Jagannath temple after a foreigner enters it. Non-Hindus are barred from entering temple subsequently.
	2006: Actor Jayamala's claim that she touched Lord Ayappa's statue at Sabarimala shrine created a row for Lord Ayappa was a confirmed bachelor and the presence of a woman defiles temple sanctity.
	2005: American Pamela Fleig, a Hindu convert, is denied entry into Lingaraj temple, Bhubaneswar.
	2005: Thailand's Crown Princess Sirindhorn not allowed to visit the Jagannath temple as she is a foreigner and a Buddhist.
	Indira Gandhi not allowed to enter Jagannath temple as she had married a Parsi
	2005: Women aged between 10-50 yrs not allowed within premises as the belief is that women in their menstrual years are polluted.

"These thantris are saying that the government has no right to interfere in this matter. See we must understand that what we call the traditions of these temples rose over a long period of time. Political authority clearly had a role to play in the development of these temples," he added.

Some people have been accusing the Devaswom Minister, G Sudhakaran of vitiating the atmosphere, but Bhaskar said that this was not fair.

"He simply initiated the debate and as a responsible minister, that is a right which he has. He has not directed the temples to do anything. He just wrote a letter to the Devaswom board asking them to give right to non-Hindus to have access to the temples too - in this case, a singer, who was a Christian, but who has sung a lot of devotional songs," Bhaskar said.

Is it time for another temple proclamation?

Bhaskar said that it was wrong to use the term temple proclamation and try to link it with what happened in the 1930s. In the 1930s there was a popular movement in Kerala - especially in the southern part of Kerala, the old Travancore state - which resulted in the Maharaja of Travancore declaring all temples of Kerala open to all sections of the Hindu religion," said Bhaskar.

" Now the demand is whether it should be extended to members of other religions. On what basis do we decide that just because a person is born a Hindu, he is a faithful person. It is on the basis of his declaration. If somebody who was born in another religion wants to enter the temple, and if he believes he has that faith, I think it should be open to him also," he added.

So in that case, is it right to leave the matters to the so-called keepers of faith or should it be more of a socio-politco movement?

To this, Bhaskar said, "Like I said earlier, the Yogakshena sabha has no right to be the arbitrator in this matter. This is an issue for the whole community to decide on. The Yogakshena sabha is an organisation of people who want to perpetuate their hold on the community and on the temple."

FREEDOM OF RELIGION
	2007:Prior to Independence Dalits were not allowed to enter Hindu temples. SCs & STs account for nearly 25 per cent of India's population.
	In 1930, Dr B R Ambedkar launched the 'Temple Entry Movement' at Kalaram temple, Nasik. He challenged caste inequality in the society.
	Mahatma Gandhi also supported the movement. He encouraged inter-mingling and inter-dining between castes.
	Article 25(1) guarantees Freedom of Religion to all citizens of India
	Article 23 (2): Government should not discriminate the citizens on the grounds of religion, caste, creed and group