Tamil Nadu - Madurai

Allow women to perform pujas in temples: court

MADURAI: Altars of God must be made free from gender bias and women should be allowed to perform pujas and other rituals in temples, the Madras High Court said on Friday.

Allowing a writ petition filed in the Madurai Bench, Justice K. Chandru said the Constitutional mandate under Article 15 and 51A (e) will become a reality only if women were allowed to enjoy such rights. Article 15 prohibits discrimination against a citizen on the ground of sex, while Article 51A (e) states that it shall be the fundamental duty of every citizen to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women.

P. Pinniyakkal (45) of Nalluthevanpatti in Usilampatti taluk in Madurai district had filed the writ petition. She was prevented from performing pujas at a Durgai Amman temple in the village after the demise of her father, a poojari, in 2006. “It is ironical that when the presiding deity of the temple was an Amman in a female form, objections are being raised against a woman performing pujas in such temples. Even in Vedic times it is recorded that women had performed pujas and rituals,” Mr. Justice Chandru said.

Fortunately, the temple was not trapped under any Agama Sastras. The sub-cultural deities established in the southern parts of the country were free from the norms of Manu Smritis, the Judge said.

The petitioner’s family members as well as other villagers did not want her to perform pujas. Hence, she filed a civil suit to assert her rights. In the meantime, Usilampatti Tahsildar convened a peace committee meeting in which a male pujari was selected and hence the writ petition.

The Judge said that the Tahsildar, being a government servant, could not be a party to “obscurantist” ideas of persons having vested interests.

He directed the Collector to provide necessary protection to the petitioner in performing pujas until any contrary order was passed in the civil suit filed by her.

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