Temple allows entry to Dalits, women after 400 years

New Delhi, Jan 20: In the name of tradition, dalits and women, were not allowed to enter the famous Parsuram temple in Garhwal's Jaunsar Bawar region.

But as per reports, soon, the 400 year-old tradition will be changed as management of the temple has announced that everyone will be allowed in the temple in future.

"This region is on the path of progress. Our literacy rate has gone up and people want scenarios to change," Chairman of the committee was quoted as saying in a TOI report.

"Dalits are hesitant to enter the temple premises because of certain beliefs. We want to send them a message that everyone is equal before the Almighty and no one can be stopped from entering a place of worship," Chauhan further added in the added.

According to the daily's report, "In the past few months, Dalits of the region had held several protests condemning these strictures. Dalit leaders and activists, said they had been fighting a bitter battle to end this discrimination and also added that a greater war was yet to be won as 339 other temples in the region still have the ban."

This announcement comes at a time when debates are already going on about women being stopped from entering Sabarimala temple.

The Supreme Court had questioned the age-old tradition of banning entry of women in the menstrual age group in the holy hill shrine dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, saying it cannot be done under the Constitution.

"The temple cannot prohibit entry (women), except on the basis of religion. Unless you have a constitutional right, you cannot prohibit entry. Anyway, we will examine it on February 8," a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and N V Ramana had said.

The bench said this while hearing a PIL filed by Young Lawyers Association, seeking entry for all women and girls in the Sabarimala temple which, as a practice, does not allow women to enter the premises after attaining puberty.

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