The shrine in Haryana is a far cry from the stone sculpted grandeur of Sabarimala

It is said that women who enter the temple end up widowed for seven lifetimes

Mustard oil is offered to pray for ancestors

Even as the heated debate on entry of women in Kerala’s Sabarimala temple refuses to abate, the Kartikeya temple in Pehowa town of Haryana enjoys relative anonymity. In Hindu traditions, Kartikeya is revered as the elder son of Lord Shiva The shrine in Haryana is a far cry from the stone sculpted grandeur of Sabarimala, but it is also out of bounds for women. It is believed that any woman who enters the garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum), will be widowed for seven births.People from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi visit the temple and offer prayers to ancestors. TOI visited the shrine to ascertain the reasons why women are restricted from entering the temple. To get there, you need to negotiate narrow alleys in the pilgrims’ area along what is said to be the bank of the Sarasvati river (as claimed by locals). A large board welcomes visitors to the ancient temple and warns women against entering it.Recounting the legend, Giri said when it was time for Lord Shiva to name his heir, Paravati announced that whoever went around the universe and came back first would be the winner. “Kartikeya’s younger brother Ganesha, who had a rat for a mount, simply circled Lord Shiva and Parvati saying they encapsulate the universe. He was declared winner. When Kartikeya, who was astride his mount, the peacock, came to know about this, he was furious. He removed the skin and blood he got from his mother and cursed her for the deceit. Then he announced that if any woman ever came to see him in this form, she would be widowed for seven successive births,” explained mahant Giri.The sanctum sanctorum comprises two blocks of stone and a marble image of Lord Kartikeya flanked by two oil lamps. Visitors offer mustard oil on the blocks and lamps. Mahant Sita Ram Giri, head priest of the temple, said the ancient structure dates back to the 5th century BC and his family has been officiating as priests for generations.After this, Giri said, Kartikeya came to Pehowa, where mustard oil was offered to cool him down. Thereafter, all those who visit the temple offer mustard oil to cool the deity. It is said that the practice soothes the souls of ancestors.“See, we only warn women entering the temple about the reasons for the prohibitory orders. After hearing about it, they do not dare visit the sanctum sanctorum to take darshan of the Pindi (sacred symbol) of Lord Kartikeya. Women can enter the temple. The prohibition is only to see the ‘Pindi’ (sacred symbol) of Lord Kartikeya).The priest said even Yudhishthira, the eldest Pandava, is said to have visited the temple for peace of the souls of soldiers who perished in the battle of Mahabharata in Kurukshetra. He said the two oil lamps lit by Yudhishthira at the time still burn.When asked if any woman or organization ever demanded entry for women in the temple, Raj Tilak, sahayak mahant said a few months back, a representative of the Haryana chief minister’s office came and asked if there is a complete ban on entry of women in the temple.“I told him we only warn women against entering the sanctum sanctorum by narrating the story and the curse. If somebody still wants to enter, they are not stopped,” he said. The representative visited the temple after an organization submitted a complaint to the CMO about the ban on the entry of women in the temple.