Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Sep 21: Noticing that widows face neglect and suppression in the society, Kudroli temple governing council proposes to provide them with an opportunity to perform Navaratri puja alongside other women, whose husbands are alive. It also wants to perform a special ‘Chandika Homa’ on the occasion of Navaratri festival at the temple, and distribute saris, vermillion, bangles and jasmine flowers, which signal that they continue to be treated with reverence and considered auspicious, to 1,500 widows.
Former union minister, B Janardhana Poojary, has come up with the above idea. He wants to bring the widows, who are kept away from auspicious occasions, and denied the right to wear certain things after the death of their husband, to the mainstream and herald a new social transformation.
Poojary, managing trustee of Kudroli Lord Gokarnanatha Temple, informed at a press conference held here on Tuesday September 20 that he wants to begin the efforts to win back the status of respect and reverence to widows at the temple. He was inspired to do so by a letter written by a woman in which some poignant questions about the status of women in Indian society were raised.
“At the Navaratri festival, widows will be pulling the silver chariot in which the Lord’s idol is installed. Distribution of saris is symbolic of our gesture of respect towards them. We will also consider providing an opportunity to such women to inaugurate Navaratri festival with effect from next year onwards,” he said, in reply to questions posed by press persons.
He shared his anguish at the fact that a female child was abandoned by its parents in the temple premises a few days back. “Atrocities on women are increasing. The society has increasingly been owning up an attitude of utter derision towards women. Female foeticide is rampant. Widows are kept away from important and auspicious occasions. Our country can prosper only if it learns to give the respect due to women and widows,” Poojary explained.
He wanted the symbol of honouring widows not to stay confined to a single day, and hoped that it will be a continuous process. Reminding people that everyone meets death one day or the other, he said death of husbands should not be considered a curse for their wives. He requested heads of mutts, religious gurus, and teachers, to spread awareness about this among the people, and stop the practice of snatching away vermilion, Tali, bangles etc that are given to women at the time of marriages, upon the death of their husbands.
Kudroli temple governing council president, H N Sairam, vice-president, Raghavendra Kulur, treasurer, Padmaraj R, and spokesman, Harikrishna Bantwal, were present at the press conference.