MYSORE: There are temples at many places where entry of women is banned. The priests and devotees maintain it is an age-old tradition. However, at a few places like the one in Kolhapur in Maharashtra, some women groups stormed into the temple defying the ban dating back to centuries. Kannada actress Jayamala had hit the headlines a few years ago when she revealed that she had entered the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala. Despite criticism and protests from intellectuals, rationalists and women groups, the practice of keeping women away from the temples has continued under one or the other pretext. The Kongahalli Mallikarjuna temple situated on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border in Chamarajanagar district keeps women away. No women from Mysore, Chamarajanagar or other districts or Erode district of Tamil Nadu have dared to visit this temple so far. Reason: They believe that the women who enter the temple turn into stones and this belief making rounds for generations among devotees.Interestingly, the women working in fields or grazing cattle in rain-fed areas and hilly terrain have no answer for not visiting this temple. However, they politely show the way to the temple in the foothills of Kongahalli hills. The temple, nestled in the middle of the lush green forest, attracts devotees in huge numbers from both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Hundreds of men turnout on Sunday, Monday and Fridays. There is a mad rush of devotees from far off places during Mondays in the Hindu month of Karthika (October-November) and during Deepavali festivities. The devotees make it a point to stay at Anjaneyaswamy temple at the entrance of the hill and then proceed to Mallikarjuna Swamy temple. Many times, the footpath vendors, petty shop owners, flower vendors and priests advise women not to go near the temple. Mallappa’s legendThe priests at this temple narrate that Mallikarjuna, familiar as Malappa, a saint, along with Madappa (Mahadeshwara) from Srishaila settled in Kongahalli hills.Basavanna Devaru, the main priest from a family which is serving in the temple since six generations, says that Malappa had aversion towards women who lived in Kongahalli hills. The saint entered the tomb alive saying that no women should visit or offer puja to him, he tells the story. However, defying this order, a women carrying pots with oil in a bamboo basket was once crossing the hill. When she was crossing a stream away from temple, she was advised not to further proceed towards the temple. As she neglected and moved towards the temple, she turned into a idol inside the forest, he states. This story is still making rounds in the region and has instilled fear among women. Consequently, they have stayed away from the temple for centuries. “Why should I go when my mother and grandmother have not dared to visit the temple?” asked Saroja, a resident of Yaraganahalli. She says they will not go against the wishes of ‘Malappa’ who does not want puja from women. The male devotees not ready to take risk, go alone to offer flowers and fruits to a linga that has surfaced out of a rock inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Hundreds of devotees who arrive here stay for two nights, offer prayers and even serve prasadam to visitors. They cook the food.They also take out a procession of Mallappa idol seated on bronze lion donated by devotees to the temple in 1930. The devotees sing folk songs dedicated to Mallappa and perform folk dance and pray for good health, rains and prosperity of the family and their village. The main priest recalls that matinee idol Rajkumar visited the temple once and even sung a song for the devotees some years ago. “The late Maharaja of Mysore Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar also visited this temple. My father Shanthamalla Devaru offered him prasadam in a silver tumbler and fruits to the Maharaja who was on his way to Tamil Nadu after India became a Republic,” Basavanna Devaru remembers.The devotees, including former ministers and legislators over the years, have built buildings and provided basic infrastructure to ensure that devotees stay without fear in the temple premises. There is good bus facility too. In recent years, the increase in the number of devotees has forced the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to ply more than six buses daily to this hill temple other than jathra festivals and special occasions. No hotels There is a strong belief that devotees should bring all food grains, jaggery, dal, oil and other ingredients to cook food and serve the devotees in the temple premises.The temple officials say that all the devotees will get prasadam from the donors or from the temple during special occasions and festivals as no hotels sell food to visitors here.
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