In the midst of deities, distractions and debates...

her god too

It is hard to tell whether it is patriarchy or misogyny that has created this
increasingly divided world. Accepting the denial of basic rights is expected of women. As a result, most women don’t even understand what the fight is about, or worse, should we even fight? I am talking about the growing debate on whether women should enter a place of worship or not — be it Sabarimala or the Shani Shingnapur.

No, I am not a religious zealot. I don’t want to head down that path because religion, practices and belief systems always throw one question — who has the right to allow or deny someone to pray? Over the years, self-claimed religious pontiffs have ruled where women should be. This becomes relevant the minute a girl child is born. Puberty and menstruation — the life-giving biological mechanism becomes a curse to the very girl over the years.

To pray or not; if yes, when to pray or how — a practice that is entirely personal and a privilege enjoyed by male counterparts — becomes a public debate. There cannot be anything more humiliating for a woman. All she wants is her space to do her prayers. Surely, it cannot be too much to ask for. Is it now?

When I was a little girl, I believed that 20 years later, the world would be very
different and that I would not have to wait for my ‘pure’ days to pray. I was too afraid to question why I was not allowed inside some temples. It is shameful to think that even after 30 years, we are still locking heads over this basic human right. The fact that women are restricted in so many terms means we are belittling ourselves.

But there’s a lackadaisical attitude in this too. Some of the women even question the need to fight this. So, what if we are not allowed in certain places? But what women don’t realise is that this sense of indifference has led to our acceptance of second citizenship. The idea is not to go to the temple where we can. But the thought that somebody else decides for a woman is disturbing.

Praying and leading a life the way a woman pleases is a her basic right. Denying her that is a violation and also unconstitutional. It’s the modern age of gadgets and evolution, but we are still debating about who can enter a temple. There cannot be anything more absurd than having to fight for what rightfully belongs to you. Besides, think about this: what right do men have to stop women from entering a place of worship? Is it the belief that they are, indeed, superior to women? Or that they are the sole custodians of tradition?

To all those who propound theories and logic about why women cannot enter
certain places of worship, here’s something to think about — when you deny a woman the right to pray, you are indirectly telling her that you are superior to God. And please, let’s not don’t demean ourselves by calling women a distraction.

If after all these years, she still has to fight for something so basic, then it’s time for another revolution for equality. Today, as the world changes, women are asking for their basic right and it is only fair to grant them this dignity. There’s no better time than now!