A 'Women Only' Temple in Kerala

[Guest guest]

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (July 6, 2006): Sabarimala temple, which is

facing a chorus of demands to allow women devotees, should take a

cue from Kerala's Chakkulathu Kavu temple. Here, in a devout

village, some 9 km from the Tiruvalla town of southern Kerala, women

are worshipped.

 

The temple is dedicated to the deity of Bhagavati, and follows a

peculiar annual ritual called "Naari Puja." On the first Friday of

Dhanu (December), the male priests wash the feet of female devotees

who have fasted for 10 days.

 

This system takes root in the belief that female devotees visiting

on this particular day are the incarnation of Chakkulathu Amma

(Goddess).

 

They are also showered with flowers and sprinkled with perfume,

after which the aarti is conducted. The temple itself is over 3,000

years old and the tradition of worshipping women has been passed

along over the ages.

 

Interestingly, every Friday female devotees also bring their

relatives who are addicted to alcohol, drugs or gambling. The

addicts, who are mostly male, are asked to touch the Devi's sword

and pledge to renounce their habit.

 

Locals claim many success stories in which even the hardcore addicts

have ended up on the wagon. "My younger brother was an alcoholic for

years. I brought him here three years ago and made him swear by the

Devi. He has renounced his drinking habit now," says a woman.

 

Of the three lakh (300,000) or so devotees coming here annually for

darshan, 75% are estimated to be women. They are revered to the

extent that during Pongala, a major festival that last 12 days and

is held every December, the temple becomes the exclusive domain of

women. Males do not participate in this tradition.

 

SOURCE: The Times of India. A 'women only' temple in Kerala, by P K

SURENDRAN. [Thursday, July 06, 2006 12:49:39 am] TIMES NEWS NETWORK

 

URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1709146.cms

[Guest guest]

That's a neat story.

 

 

-

Devi Bhakta

 

Thursday, July 06, 2006 11:57 AM

A 'Women Only' Temple in Kerala

 

 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (July 6, 2006): Sabarimala temple, which is

facing a chorus of demands to allow women devotees, should take a

cue from Kerala's Chakkulathu Kavu temple. Here, in a devout

village, some 9 km from the Tiruvalla town of southern Kerala, women

are worshipped.