I am appalled by the contents of the reply given by the High Priest of Gurovayoor temple Raman Namboodiripad.
For one thing, he insists that the traditions of the temple and the rules of the temple as are laid down by Adi Sankara. In effect, this "tradition" equates the mere presence of a human being to that of (see Part 1) Vomit, Incontinence, Dogs piss and such items of material nature bringing back memories of a past where some castes were considered even beneath the level of sight and touch. I challenge the priest to produce any documentary evidence to support this. The same temple had until half a century back disallowed the so called lower castes from visiting it - Was this again laid down by Adi Sankara? I refuse to believe that Adi Sankara who said that the essence of Man and God are one and the same "Advaitha" would EVER have laid out this arbitrary rule of "Punyaaham". If this draconian classification of men into sub human beings and hence refusal for them to even visit the shrine of the almighty, have indeed been indeed laid down by Adi Sankara, then I exhort all self respecting Indians to reject it with all your might. I side with Shri Ravi when he says that this is Brahminical arrogance or its vestigial carryover from the mighty days of the old. In the guise of "laid down by Adi Sankara" can any nonsense be allowed? The heriditary system of priesthood should be questioned; its traditions are highly suspect and likely to be tainted with the unequal social syst
