The Bhumata Rangranai Brigade (BRB), spearheading a crusade against gender bias in temples in Maharashtra, finally had its way on Friday, as the management of Shani Shignapur temple in Ahmednagar district allowed women activists climb up to chauthara, a platform housing the open sanctum sanctorum, to offer prayers to lord Shani.
In an accomplishment that put an end to the four-century-old tradition barring the entry of women to the core worship area, BRB activists —Pushpa Kevadkar and Priyanka Jagtap — ascended up to the chauthara on the auspicious occasion of Gudi Padwa, the Maharashtrian New Year, and garlanded the five-and-a-half-feet high black rock symbolising lord Shani. They also poured oil on the presiding deity.
The historic development came at the end of a day of hectic activity that began with the temple trust, presided over by its chairperson Anita Shetye, holding a meeting with the district officials. At the meeting, the district officials insisted on the temple management and local people on allowing women inside the core worship area in line with a directive issued last week by Bombay High Court to the State Government. The officials assured the temple management that they would take measures to ensure against any untoward incident.
The temple, meanwhile, witnessed an unusual happening that saw 30-odd local men barge into the core worship area and pour “Ganga jal” on the presiding deity, defying the promise made to the trustees that they would pour water on lord Shani from a distance without climbing up the “chauthara”.
(The temple management, it may be recalled, had taken a decision in 2010 not to allow any man -- except priests - from the core worship area).
After the group of men performed “Ganga jal abhishekh”, the temple management made it clear that it would not prevent women from climbing up the “chauthara” to offer prayers, as such thing would amount to gender discrimination at the temple.
Subsequently, BRB’s two women activists walked up to the “chauthara” and offered prayers to lord Shani, even as the temple’s security personnel and the police -- present in large numbers -- at temple watched the event mute spectators.
Welcoming the temple management’s decision, BRB convernor Trupti Desai said, “The development could not have on more auspicious day than Gudi Padwa. This is a victory of women power and the prolonged campaign carried out by Bhumata brigade”. Desai also complimented activist Vidya Bal for having successfully challenged the practice prohibiting the entry of women in the Shani Shingnapur temple.
Though she had led the campaign against the gender discrimination at the Shani Shingnapur, Desai missed out on the opportunity of becoming the first women to enter the core worship area at the temple.
Desai was on her way from Pune to the temple town of Shani Shingnapur when Pushpa Kevadkar and Priyanka Jagtap -- belonging to a parallel faction of the BRB -- pipped the women activist group to the post as they climbed up “chauthara” and offered prayers.
Friday’s development is a culmination of a spirited campaign against gender bias in temples by the BRB activists, effective intervention by the Bombay High Court and the undertaking given by the Maharashtra Government that it would scrupulously implement the Maharashtra Hindu Place of Worship (Entry Authorisation) Act 1956 which prescribes six months’ imprisonment to those prohibiting anyone from entering the place of worship.
In its direction given to the State Government on April 1, a HC Division Bench of Chief Justice DH Waghela and Justice MS Sonak had said: “The acting Advocate General has assured the court that the Government is against gender discrimination. Keeping in view Article 14, 15 and 25 of the Constitution of India, the Government can take pro-active steps to ensure that the fundamental rights of a citizen are fully realised and not allowed to be encroached upon by any authority”.
It may be recalled that on January 26, 500-odd activists were detained by the Ahmednagar police at Supe toll naka, while they were on their way to storm the Shani Shingnapur temple and force entry inside the temple’s sanctum sanctorum.
Subsequently on March 7, more than 100 women activists owing affiliation to the BRB were detained when they were on their way from Pune to Nashik to storm the Trimbakeswar temple seeking an entry into its sanctum sanctorum.
The failed attempt by the BRB women activists to storm the Shani Shingnapur temple on the occasion of Republic Day had come in the wake of a sensation that a woman from Pune had created by breaking a five-century-old taboo, climbed up to “chauthara” (a platform) housing the idol of lord Shani on November 28 last year.
The act of her performing puja had been captured on the CCTV of the temple the following morning. Irked by the incident, the temple management sacked seven security personnel and “purified” the idol by performing an “abhishek” with milk on the following day.