In a remark that has potential to stir a fresh controversy over women’s entry into Shani Temple, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Babu Lal Gaur on Friday said “they should first worship at home”.”Leave it, women can worship at home,” he said when his response was sought on the ongoing debate whether women should be allowed into the Shani Temple.
“Leave it, women can worship at home,” he said when his response was sought on the ongoing debate whether women should be allowed into the Shani Temple.
Around 400 women in Shani Shingnapur attempted to break decades old tradition, prohibiting women from entering the sanctum sanctorum of the temple – an issue that brought a group of activists at loggerheads with locals.
Shani Shingnapur, a village located about 330 kilometers northeast of Mumbai, is famous for the Shani temple.
Around 1,500 women from all over Maharashtra had gathered at Shani Shingnapur temple on Tuesday to troop down to the temple and perform prayers at the temple, dedicated to Lord Shani — the personification of planet Saturn.
According to the centuries-old traditions, women are barred from entering and worshipping.
The temple platform stands in the centre of the small village, also known as Sonai, and attracts millions of tourists and devotees from across the country and abroad.
However, barring the temple priests, none is permitted to climb the nine steps up to the actual stone idol that represents the deity. Everybody must only offer prayers from below the platform.
Shani Shingnapur is globally known as the only village where houses do not have doors and locks, and the village remains theft-free.
Even the nationalised UCO Bank’s branch in the village does not have locks on its doors.
