Author: Pioneer News Service
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: July 5, 2006
The raging controversy over women between
puberty and menopause not being allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the
all-men hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala in Kerala overlooks the
fact that there are temples that are meant only for women devotees.
One such shrine is the Chakkulathukavu temple
in the village of Neerettupuram near Thiruvalla where Parvati is the presiding
deity. The temple is popularly referred to as "Women's Sabarimala".
Curiously, though meant for women devotees,
men are allowed entry to these temples which have male priests. It would seem
women devotees who visit these temples are more indulgent in relaxing tradition.
The famous Sabarimala temple, which attracts
millions of devotees every year, is caught in a controversy over the "revelation"
by Kannada film actor Jaimala that she had touched Lord Ayyappa's idol in
the sanctum sanctorum when she was 27. This is a breach of the shrine's tradition.
The issue has caused hiccups among officials
because the Kerala Government oversees the operations of the Travancore Devaswom
Board that manages the affairs of the temple and it has reached the Kerala
High Court.
The Chakkulathukavu temple meant for women
devotees is situated on the border of Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts,
12 km westward from the town of Thiruvalla. Rivers Pampa and Manimala flow
on either side of the shrine.
The shrine is open to all women irrespective
of their caste and creed who wish to worship the Goddess. Since the Devi is
not bothered by the caste or creed of the pilgrims, innumerable Hindus, Christians
and Muslims visit the shrine regularly. A large number of women offer Pongala,
holy pudding, on the Thrikkartika day of Vrikschika (November-December) of
the Malayalam calendar.
They also observe the Panthrandu Noimbu (12-day
fasting) from the first to the twelfth day of the month of Dhanu. Many pilgrims
visit the temple with irumudikettu (bag with two bundles) on their heads,
a ritual similar to the one observed by the male devotees who visit Sabarimala.
Faith has it that the deity has a special
affinity towards women and children. Chakkulathamma, as the presiding deity
is known, is also regarded as a miracle-worker.
More than three lakh women visited the temple
for the last Pongala festival. Women make hearths on both sides of all the
roads leading to the temple and use firewood to cook the pongala in earthen
pots with rice and jaggery. The pongala is used as an offering to propitiate
the Goddess. The temple priest washes the feet of women as part of Nari Puja
(Worship of Women).
