A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court today commenced hearing in the case relating to the ban on entry of women in Sabarimala temple..The case is being heard by a Bench presided by Chief Justice Dipak Misra and comprising Justices Rohinton Nariman, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra..Advocate Ravi Prakash Gupta is arguing for the petitioner Indian Young Lawyers Association..Gupta began by tracing the history of the temple, attributing Buddhist origins to the temple. Excerpts from his submissions made today are given below..After the spread of Buddhism, some Buddhist monks made it to the top of one of 18 hills spread over Western Ghat covered by dense forest as a place for their abode and meditation.Sabarimala temple was initially also called Sree Dharma Sastha Temple. Some of the expressions used for this temple resembles with Buddha Temples, like ‘Sastha’ is a synonym of Lord Buddha.The State of Kerala has also mentioned in its affidavit about the opinion of some scholars that this temple has come out of a Buddhist temple that existed earlier..The Bench rose after Gupta made his initial submissions. The hearing will continue tomorrow..Read the written submissions of Ravi Prakash Gupta below.
A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court today commenced hearing in the case relating to the ban on entry of women in Sabarimala temple..The case is being heard by a Bench presided by Chief Justice Dipak Misra and comprising Justices Rohinton Nariman, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra..Advocate Ravi Prakash Gupta is arguing for the petitioner Indian Young Lawyers Association..Gupta began by tracing the history of the temple, attributing Buddhist origins to the temple. Excerpts from his submissions made today are given below..After the spread of Buddhism, some Buddhist monks made it to the top of one of 18 hills spread over Western Ghat covered by dense forest as a place for their abode and meditation.Sabarimala temple was initially also called Sree Dharma Sastha Temple. Some of the expressions used for this temple resembles with Buddha Temples, like ‘Sastha’ is a synonym of Lord Buddha.The State of Kerala has also mentioned in its affidavit about the opinion of some scholars that this temple has come out of a Buddhist temple that existed earlier..The Bench rose after Gupta made his initial submissions. The hearing will continue tomorrow..Read the written submissions of Ravi Prakash Gupta below.
