Jayamala: Kannada Actress Jayamala chargsheeted for entering Sabarimala temple. The chargesheet against Kannada Actress Jayamala was filed in the first class judicial magistrate court at Ranni in Pathanamthitta District. Kannada film actress Jayamala case has been filed today on December 14, 2010 by kerala police as Jayamala made a controversial claim that she had touched the idol of Lord Ayyappa at the famous Sabarimala temple in violation of the hill shrine custom after 4 years. 50-year old Jayamala has been listed as the third accused after astrologer Parappanangadi Unnikrishnan and his Bangalore-based aide Raghupathy for their alleged “deliberate and malicious act to outrage” religious sentiments by hatching a conspiracy involving her.?

Gender discrimination against women is not only practised by orthodox and chauvinistic communities in India, it is also being perpetuated by regional governments. In such a case, the crime branch of Kerala police chargesheeted Kannada actress Jayamala for violating a religious practice that barred women from entering a temple and touching its male idol.

The case has its origin in sensational ‘findings’ of a ‘deva prashnam’ which is a periodical astrological inquiry prescribed by the Tantric texts to know the deity’s mind. The ritual, it is believed, would bring-forth shortcomings in the manner of worship and help make necessary amends.

In 2006, the ritual was conducted by Parappanangadi Unnikrishna Panikker, a noted astrologer. He claimed that a woman had entered the sanctum sanctorum (central space inside the shrine where the idol is placed) of Sabarimala temple and even touched the idol. He also claimed that he could point out the identity of the person who had entered the sanctum sanctorum.

Jayamala’s claim however seemed far fetched as it suffered from several inconsistencies, say informed sources. In her fifties now, the actress had claimed in her fax message that she was tossed into the sanctum sanctorum while standing in the queue due to the rush of pilgrims. There is a flight of stairs leading to the sanctum sanctorum and the queue of worshippers is only formed outside. So even if a person is pushed out of the queue, he or she would only fall on the stair and not inside the sanctum sanctorum.

The outrage that followed forced the government to institute a Crime Branch inquiry which concluded that the claim was manufactured by her in collusion with the astrologer Panikker and his helpher Raghupati to establish that the latter’s findings was true. The astrologer, claim police, had prevailed upon the actress to come up with the claim to support his finding about the poor state off affairs in the temple.

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