Ban on entry of women in xatras: Gauhati High Court orders issuance of notice

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court (HC) has ordered the issuance of notice to Xatras in Barpeta in the PIL case concerning the ban on entry of women into their premises.

A two-judge bench, comprising justice Lanusungkum Jamir and justice Kardak Ete, was hearing a PIL (68/2023) filed by advocate Sandeep Chamaria in the HC against the Assam government, Barpeta Satra, Sundari Diya Satra, Satra Baradi, and Ganakkuchi Satra, on the issue of prohibition on women entering the Xatras, which is a clear violation of their constitutional rights.

The PIL was filed with a prayer seeking directions to be issued to the xatra administrations of the xatras in Barpeta concerned to allow the entry of women into all the Satras in Barpeta within all parts of the religious premises without any gender discrimination and to allow them to carry out all religious activities at par with the facilities provided to male persons.

The petitioner stated that the Xatras in Barpeta are prominent religious institutions in Assam, and lakhs of devotees visit these places every year. These are also covered by the Tourism Department of the state government, which promotes visits by tourists from different parts of the country, sometimes with the expenses paid by the government from time to time. It was also mentioned that the state government provides various funds to these religious institutions for their development. Moreover, the petitioner stated that these are in the public domain, and their activities affect society at large. Therefore, it was prayed that their activities must be consistent with the basic concepts of the Constitution, and any failure to protect women's rights is contrary to the rights conferred by the Constitution.

It was also stated by the petitioner that he had visited the xatras of Barpeta personally and interacted with various persons regarding the affairs and practices continuing in these xatras during that time.

He also said that the Barpeta Satra is the earliest and most influential of the Mahapurusiya sect, as well as recognized as the chief monastery of Assam established by Madhavdeva, the chief disciple of Srimanta Sankardeva, the founder of the sect as well as the xatras as an institution of the neo-Vaishnavite movement.

The chief contention was that Madhabdeva regarded women as mothers of all and asked women to attend the morning prayer at Kirtanghar of the Xatra. He also underlined the fact that Sankardeva and Madhabdeva always accorded a high place to women during their lifetimes. Other historical facts borne out the fact that women were generally associated with the xatras, he stated.

It was only in recent times that the position of women within the male-dominated society of the xatras of Barpeta was downgraded and they started to be ignored, in a clear case of gender discrimination, a social evil, the petitioner stressed.

After hearing the arguments, the bench instructed the petitioner to take steps for service of notice to the respondents, i.e., the xatras, by registered post within one week from the date of order, November 9, 2023. The next date of hearing has been set after four weeks.

Also Read:   Naam Prasanga, Bhagawat Yatra reverberate in Assam

Also watch: