To

13.04.2016

Honble Justice Mr Dipak Misra

Supreme Court of India
New Delhi

On-going WP (C) 373/2006 in the matter of the sacred abode of

abarimala

Honble High Court of Kerala Order dated 05 April 1991 and its
unscientific contents which violate the scriptures

Supernatural dimensions of the Siddha-pa at abarimala and

the role of physical processes in the Yoga process Women
abstinence from the Maala-kla pilgrimage by the sacred
tradition no denial of rights or discrimination but participation as
required in facilitating familial and social spiritual objectives

Subject:

Sir,
Present submission is an effort to convey the genuine spiritual dimensions of the
Siddha-Pa of abarimala so that unwanted controversy and criticism of the
spiritual legacy is avoided and the Hindu as well as our secular society is enriched
with the grace of ancient spiritual wisdom. On behalf of the Siddha-pha at
abarimala, the undersigned a devotee makes the following pleadings before the
Honble Supreme Court of India:
1. In the matter of gender equality sought by the petition referred above, a decision
on merits can be achieved only if the process of spiritual and social objectives
represented by the Siddha-pa is understood.
2. The 41-days Maala-vtam (religious vow) is a distinct religious observance by
which the Pha had been commanding spiritual authority over the devotees
and the devotees in turn had been cognizant of the supernatural element vis-vis blessings emanating from the sacred abode. Main deity atop the hill is
Dharma-sth who is Yogra (in Yoga posture) and rdhvaretas, highest
attainment of Tantra which transforms the human being into a deity.
3. Facts as above of the original deity of sth as rdhvaretas and the attainment
of the same stature by Lord Ayyappa, a warrior devotee, can be ascertained from
the temple history as well as the customs and rituals existing since time
immemorial. Modern researches have revealed that abarimala originally had
1

been the Pa of Nlakaa Avalokitesvara and a holiest abode of the Buddhist

Vajrayna tradition known as Polaka, sacred name by which the palace of Dalai
Lama came to be known in later times.
4. Customs and traditions at abarimala makes no distinction by caste, creed or
gender and had been the most secular abode of Kerala infamous for casteism
and observance of un-touchability during pre-independence days. Every devotee
is treated as the deity male devotees as Ayyappa and the female devotees as
Mikappura signalling the fact that the abode commanded a transformation
of the human being to the deity i.e. transcendence of human limits by Yoga to
become vara.
5. Process of transcendence of the delusive human existence involves initiation and
dutiful pursuance of the Path of Tantra, orally transmitted from generation to
generation and the process defies easy sum up and presentation in judicial
proceedings. Spiritual pursuit in Tantra honours the social structure and imparts
highest dignity to the women folk by instructing every male aspirant to treat his
spouse as manifestation of the Goddess and the Goddess in the making.
6. It is important to understand that Tantra makes use of the physical processes
as for example, the use of sanas (postures), Kaari (martial arts) etc at the
fundamental level and more advanced procedures which are different for the
male and female aspirants because of the physiological difference.
7. Siddha-pa at Sabarimala today stands as the relic of a prehistoric past and the
ritual observed as Makara-viakku is an imitation or symbolic re-enactment of the
enlightenment for which the Pa had been famous in the Siddha tradition.
Historical records can be cited to explain this fact if the honourable Supreme
Court so desires.
8. Maala-pja of 41 days for which the women of the age bracket 12-50 are
apparently debarred today in truth is not debarring at all. What is being projected
as an exclusive male activity in fact is only a faade beneath which sound sociospiritual rationale can be spotted. Human spiritual aspirations can be realized
only by the mutual co-operation of the male and female forms of the divine. The
spiritual process can be explained by citing the example of the martial traditions
that existed in different parts of India. War had been worship and apparently
only the men fought and sacrificed whereas the wars and worship thereof
2

had been sustained by the women folks with their spouses and the sons
which are the social limbs of the sacred female existence. Siddha-pa of
abarimala likewise envisage women as the most sacred manifestation of the
divine supported by her spouse and sons as ancillary socio-spiritual limbs which
aid in the transcendence. Scriptures can be quoted to establish the highest
pedestal that Tantra ascribes to the women. 41-days Maala-pja is in fact a
combined family ritual where the men leads as in war supported by the women
folk and there is no gender distinction as only women of menstruation bracket
abstain I repeat there is no bar and it is a tradition abstinence due to the
physiological implications of the Upsana processes.
9. Tantra precepts declare that the human transcendence is combined there is no
exclusive transcendence for men or exclusive for women. All the Upsana
processes are aimed at conveying the sacred relationship like the interplay of
Sun and Moon Man and Woman can transcend the delusionary perils and
attain Yoga only by the realization as making up the sacred whole popular in the
Agamas as Ardhanrvara.
10. It is important to understand that the male side of the sacred Human duality is
masculine in character and non-spiritual as compared to the female side rich with
motherly instincts. Subjugation of the masculine and transformation of the same
into creative spiritual energy demands special rites and insulation of the male
being from sensual inducements. My effort is to describe the process in a
scientific language that can be understood by the non-initiates. The 41-days
Maala-vtam for the male who ascends the hill is such a male specific rite
where the individual must be insulated from sensual inducements and it is for this
reason that the women of a specific age bracket had been abstaining from the
shrine during the said period. It is a socio-spiritual arrangement of the spiritual
tradition and no gender distinction. In fact it is an illustration of the participative
aspect of spiritual transcendence.
11. Sensual inducement sexual feelings aroused can be detrimental to the men
folks committed to total celibacy for the 41 days owing to the physiological
processes unleashed by tantrik observances. Spirituality a micro-fine physical
process by which control is achieved over the senses, intellect and the breath vis-vis mind and the processes are different for men and women.

12. The reasons stated before the honourable High Court of Kerala and subscribed
by the High Court in barring the entry of women folk at the sacred abode are
bogus and contrary to the known historical facts.
a) Para 40-41 of the verdict subscribe to the unscientific averments by the Tantri
that the women are debarred as the deity is avowed celibate and that the deity
shall be affected by the women of the age bracket 10 50. Nothing can be
farther from the truth.
b) Alleging a weakness to the deity exposes the ignorance and incompetence
of the Tantri and the spiritual legacy claimed by his household by
hereditary succession.
c) Yogra Dharma-sth is beyond all sensual inducements and the divine
presence

at

abarimala

involves

the

divine

spouse

Bhagavati

alias

Mlikappuram too. There cannot be any bar for the entry of women during
periods other than the Maala-kla.
d) Only the devotees who have taken vow for celibacy for the 41-days shall be
affected and the specific adversity faced by them due to sensual vibes can be
explained with appropriate tantra precepts.
e) Any reference to the menstruation as impurity amounts to sacrilege on the true
scriptures and the tantra precepts declare rajaswala as divine at par with
Bhagavati herself. Menstrual phenomenon has no bearing upon the Siddhapa and it is a sacred biological process without which even the spirit couldnt
have manifested.
Social factors that need remediation
13. One of the major social causes of degeneration of the spiritual discipline had
been the hereditary priesthood and caste oriented discrimination. abarimala in
fact seeks judicial intervention to liberate it from the hegemony of the Brhminism
refusing to release the spiritual tradition from its unscientific shackles.
14. Shadow boxing between the petitioners vis--vis the women devotees and the
Temple authorities amply illustrate the intellectual bankruptcy of both the sides.
The Tantri of the temple the father figure or the Pope of the sacred abode, is
incapable to explain the play of the supernatural aspect of the 41-day Maalavta because of his poor initiation and training. Most of the hereditary claimants

to the priesthood are dis-eased non-believers taking to the tntik worship as an

easy means to livelihood.
15. abarimala Devastna pleads for an enlightened Tanti having the genuine
experience of the deity and qualified priests who are sincere devotees. Also, the
political masters must be thrown out of the precincts of all Hindu abodes so that
the deities may enjoy an uncorrupted serene and sacred ambiance.
16. Sir, the hereditary and caste based transition of such authority needs to be
abolished and system needs to be created for grooming and selecting noble
souls for the honourable position of Tantri in all Kerala temples.
17. Justice can be done to women aspirations for abarimala by modifying the 1991
verdict of the High Court of Kerala by which the ban got imposed on women and
thus grounds of discrimination got created without comprehension of the spiritual
rationale.
18. Lack of devotion, knowledge and integrity of the pontifical authorities and others
associated with the management of the temple had received ample
demonstration in the expose that happened of the Devaprasna-fraud at
abarimala of 16 June 2006.
Honourable High Court of Kerala was misled into issuing a total ban
instruction for the women aged between 10 and 50, round the year.
Honourable Supreme Court may kindly issue a speaking order without any
indignity to the Siddha-pam at abarimala which in no way does any gender
discrimination. Women devotees may kindly be allowed to visit the shrine with
complete dignity at all times except the Maala-kala of Vcika 1 to Dhanu
12 of the Malayalam calendar.
Lack of meritocracy is the bane of Kerala temples steeped in ignorance
perpetuated by the hereditary succession of the pontifical authorities attached to
the temples. Honourable Supreme Court may kindly order the hereditary
succession as unconstitutional and discriminative in character.
With regards,
K. Chandra Hari
A3-304, Springwood Residency
Old Padra road, Akota (PO)
Baroda- 390 020