Skip to main content

Malayalis and Guruvayur Temple: Isn't it Time to Change Ridiculous Norms?

For me, a visit to Kerala is never complete without a visit to its most popular and revered temple, the Guruvayur Temple. Right from the time I was a kid, my parents visited this temple at least twice a year. So many legends continue to sweeten the experience of devotional ecstasy that one feels at this holy place, where the little Lord Krishna is worshipped and pampered as the deity named "Guruvayoorappan."

The famous playback singer Dr. K.J.Yeshudas is an ardent believer of Guruvayoorappan but the temple has stringent rules about permitting only Hindus to enter. That reminds me of the famous devotional song that Yeshudas sang because it resonates in the hearts of every Malayali,:

"Guruvayoor ambala nadayil oru divasam njaan pokum, gopura vaathil thurakam, njaan gopakumaraney kaanum."

Sorry for the poor translation but this means, "One day, I will go to the Guruvayoor Temple, the door leading to the sanctum sanctorum shall open someday and I will see the young cow herd prince."

Sadly, many famous people were prohibited from offering their prayers at the temple because they were not "pure Hindus." I see this as a ridiculous and narrowed interpretation of what Hinduism stands for. 

It had been reported that Rajiv Gandhi and later, Sonia Gandhi were not allowed to enter the temple because they were not considered 'pure Hindus.' The famous and now the late Mrs. Mercy Ravi (wife of top Congress Party leader, Vayalar Ravi) had to undergo considerabe discrimination because she attended her son's marriage conducted inside the temple and the authorities realized that she is a Christian by birth much later and they wanted her to pay for the 'punyaaham' or the 'purification' rites to cleanse the whole temple that she had polluted with her presence.

The funny thing is that I personally know of people from different religions who visit and pray at this temple but they are not 'caught' because they are not famous people. However, they say they can't openly let others in their community know that they worship at this temple because they would be ridiculed and isolated for doing so. We have such ridiculous social norms in the name of faith and I wish this could be changed. 

 I believe temples such as the one at Guruvayur should be open to all those who want to have a darshan of the presiding deity there.

 What's your take on this?

♥♥  I thank you with all my heart for reading my post. I dedicate this post with love and gratitude to all those who believe in changing outdated norms for a better, happier society. REQUEST: Please SHARE this article on your favorite social networks. Every share, like or tweet makes me reach out to more people who love reading books by Indian writers. I am grateful and I appreciate you for doing so. ♥♥

Labels:

Comments

LIFE_REFACTORED said…
I've never understood what it is to be a pure Hindu.. who sets the standard? Is there a rule book? Did not someone say that Hinduism is just a practice and not a religion? The temple authorities must understand that people do not wish to enter the temple to gawk at the crowd. They rather have only one mission in mind. To catch a glimpse of the adorable sweetness that is the little boy wonder. True to what you say, its hard to imagine the lord wishing this. Vayalar Ravi episode really made me cringe.
October 6, 2010 at 5:34 PM
Anonymous said…
thanku so much for ur comments in blog. pls do visit n post ur coments when time gets
October 7, 2010 at 6:42 PM
R's Mom said…
you are so right Swapna...its quite sad that Yesudas is not allowed into Guruvayyur when he is perhaps the staunches devotee of Lord Krishna...his songs have such strong devotion in them that I am sure one day Lord will walk out himself to greet him
October 7, 2010 at 8:48 PM
Nitha said…
I totally agree with you Swapna. BTW thanks for visiting my space. Loved to read your write ups here. Shall visit again.
October 7, 2010 at 11:33 PM
Swapna Raghu Sanand said…
Thank you all so much for sharing and discussing your thoughts here. I wish we could bring in the change we want to see but alas, it doesn't always work that way, does it?
October 8, 2010 at 2:59 AM
Anonymous said…
http://ashwatthamanphiloctetes.blogspot.com
|
Show the Guruvayur Temple authorities the article you find at the above link. It will put them in their place. It will make the highest caste of the Hindus squirm to be in their own bodies. What you will read there are my observations. I was only interested in finding out the truth. And if the truth puts a smile on the face of the Hindus, it is only a side effect; not my intention.

Ashwatthaman
October 16, 2010 at 7:24 PM
Swapna Raghu Sanand said…
Thanks for the suggestion. I really think its very thoughtful of you to suggest this.
October 21, 2010 at 4:10 AM
harimohan said…
while agreeing with you that temples should have unlimited acess to all devotees and believers one also should be aware that the holy city of Islam Mecca is prohibited to non muslims so are many mosques ( iam not at all telling our temples should emulate this ) Strangely Guruvayoor temple has non believers of the communist kind who are its decison makers ! as they are part of its devaswom commitees !
We Hindus can be blamed for all these paradoxes by one sentence lack of unity
poor Guruvayoorapan what will he do with such devotees !
August 7, 2011 at 7:08 PM
Post a Comment

Most LOVED Posts

Best time to light diya

Want to know when is the best time to light diya or deepam at home? In most Hindu homes, 'deepam' or 'diya' is lit at least twice - once in the morning and then in the evening. For both times, brass is considered to be auspicious for lighting deepam or lamp at home. Clay diyas are auspicious for lighting at home. On Fridays, it is considered auspicious to use ghee in a silver lamp. When Should I Start Lighting Diyas? The symbolic shift begins from darkess to light. Therefore, in the evenings, light diya before sunset to usher in divine blessings into your home. Is it ok to light diyas at night? Yes, you can light diyas at night. How to light diya in front of house? Clean the area in the front of your home, decorate with a hand drawn rangoli or traditional kolam or swastik using rice powder or any organic materials. This is symbolic of inviting Goddess Mahalakshmi to enter your home. Then, place the diya on the right side of your entrance and make sure the lamp is fille...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences.  [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste.  You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this  new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being bor...
181 comments
Read more

Does something bad happen if the diya goes off?

Is it bad if a diya goes off? This is a frequently asked question among people who light the evening lamp or diya regularly in their puja room. Cultivating the attitude 'Everything is Divine Prasad', which embodies Prasada Bhakti , is a good way to minimise negative thoughts with regard to one's way of worship.  When we light the lamp in our homes, imagine you are sending out divine love to the world.  When you burn the incense stick, imagine you are burning away all negative karma within each family member and offering it before your Ishta Devata. [READ: How To Light Deepam at Home and  Why Malayalis Light Nilavilaku ]                                                     [Image by Sachin Yadav @ Pixabay] What Happens When A Diya Goes Off? Many consider it as a 'bad omen'. For a devotee who worships Ishta Devata, everything represents Divine Gra...
Post a Comment
Read more

How To Light Diya: Big Mistakes To Avoid

Wondering how to properly light a diya? What are some common mistakes to avoid while lighting diya at home? As a child, I used to watch my grandmother light the Nilavilakku or the traditional lamp at home. Back then, I didn't understand its deeper significance. [READ: Why Malayalis Light Nilavilakku ] Lighting a diya or a lamp embodies our inner journey from darkness to light. T he transition represents a deep metaphysical truth: the triumph of light over darkness. Are you lighting your diyas wrong? Use these tips! [Source: Pexels.com] How To Properly Light A Diya At Home 1. Never place your diya or lamp on the floor to light it in your pooja room. Keep a Thaali/Plate under it. You can keep a small brass plate under the lamp. Don't use that Thaali/Plate for any other purpose once you use it for this purpose. 2. Don't put your diya or lamp in any place where it is not clean earlier. Before you place the diya or lamp, make sure ...
Post a Comment
Read more

How do you light Deepam at home?

How do you light deepam at home? How to properly light a diya? Should diya face god or us? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. The lamp or the diya always faced the deity or Ishta Devata. A sense of serenity accompanied her frail figure as she would carefully straighten every wick, dip it into the tiny puddle of oil and light the lamp. [ Let's Connect on Facebook ] As my grandmother would read out the scriptures and chant the prayers, the fragrance of incense sticks and flowers added depth to the experience. In many Hindu homes nowadays, the lighting of the lamp (or the nilavilakku, as Malayalis refer to the traditional lamp in their homes) is not a regular practice. A lot of people have many questions around how to light deepam at home and which oil to use and so on. An important point to keep in mind - Maintain physical cleanliness and hygiene while lighting the lamp. Wear clean clothes whi...
2 comments
Read more