Pro-RSS journal favours resolving Shani Shingnapur row through

Amid a raging row over ban on women entering Shani Shingnapur temple, pro-RSS journal 'Organiser' has sought to justify the tradition saying arguments of rationalists protesting in support of defying it are wrong and favoured resolution through 'respectful dialogue'.
Citing reforms initiated during the pre-independence days, the publication said many thinkers argued for social reforms through legislations by the British, but were opposed by nationalists like Tilak who felt reformation has to come from within through a dialogue process, a thought reiterated by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in his last Vijayadashami speech.
"In case of Shani Shingnapur in Maharashtra, there is a 400-year-old tradition of banning women from entering its sanctum sanctorum. The women activists from the Bhumata Brigade led by Trupti Desai tried to forcefully enter the temple to break this tradition.

"Though there can be genuine concerns regarding space for women in religious matters, the arguments of 'rationalist protesters' in support of defying the tradition are wrong on at least three counts," the 'Organiser' editorial said.
Titled "Reformation through respectful dialogue", the editorial said from Sabrimala to Shani Shingnapur, liberals, seculars, rationalists, feminists are against the alleged discrimination against women in religious affairs.
It said while in Sabrimala, entry of all women between 10 and 50 years is banned due to ritualistic practice and tradition, in Shani Shingnapur there is a 400-year-old tradition of banning women from entering its sanctum sanctorum.

"In both the cases, it is a matter of faith. The trustees, villagers and devotees of both the places believe that the tradition has some reason which has to be followed. Rationality has no place for faith or tradition.

"The 'rationalists' have to explain whether they want to forcefully worship the God they do not believe in or to respect the sentiments of the people who believe in. People who do not have the courage to question the heinous practices in organised religion should do away with this age-old practice of making Hindu way of life a convenient target," it said.

Talking about reforms during the British, the journal said Hindu society has a long cherished reformist tradition as even during the freedom struggle many thinkers argued for social reforms through legislations by the British.
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The pro-RSS publication said temple trusts are generally governed by the people representing local communities, who define practices associated with temples as per the popular beliefs about a particular deity and not according to their whims and fancies and thus "legally have a right to restrict entries and behaviour of the entrants".
The editorial said one has to understand and appreciate the fact that certain restrictions in temples are not similar to caste-based discrimination that existed in pre-Independence era and are based on local customs or nature of particular sect.

"All these arguments come up on the basis of concept of 'rationality' rooted in the protestant movement within Christianity. These rationalists forget that Hindu traditions are not guided by any organised religious institution like in the case of Christianity and Islam. As a process of evolution, those customs and traditions are localised and guided by the events of that particular area," it said.
It argued that while there are certain places where women are restricted, there are other temples and rituals which only allow women like Attukal temple or Navaratri Puja, where only girls are worshipped.