Indian state tries to ban nude worship yet again

Straits Times ^ | 2002-03-05

[Lessismore]

BANGALORE - Every year, tens of thousands of women gather at a Hindu temple in southern India and worship in the nude despite repeated efforts by the authorities to stop them.

For 17 years, the authorities and social reformers have tried to prevent the devotees from disrobing as they bathe in the Bhadra River and roll around at the temple of the Hindu goddess Renukamba in special rites.

And yesterday, officials said they had again banned nudity during the annual temple fair, which runs from March 9-11 in the village of Chandragutti in Karnataka state.

Many of the devotees are young women who are performing an initiation rite before entering a life of prostitution, while others are simply fulfilling personal vows they have made to their goddess.

Mr Tushar Girinath, the deputy commissioner for the Shimoga district, said female devotees could continue to perform all the rituals as long as they remained clothed.

He has also ordered all liquor shops within a 5 km-radius of the temple to remain closed during the fair to keep people from becoming unruly.

In 1986, worshippers became angry at attempts to stop them.

They stripped police officers, journalists and social activists in attendance and forced them to parade around naked. --AP

[BullDog108]

Pictures! I demand PICTURES! bump....

[Cicero]

They stripped police officers, journalists and social activists in attendance and forced them to parade around naked.

[BenLurkin]

This could be their first arrest: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/030301/168/3e4iq.html

[Physicist]

I wonder how many guys have had the fantasy of being stripped by 10,000 angry, naked women and commanded to march around nude?

[BullDog108]

That picture is of an ANTI-WAR slut in South America.

Has nothing to do with the ladies in India, whoem support the WAR AGAINST ISLAM.

delenda est islam

[Illbay]

Sounds like they are WAY, WAY ahead of the Fembots here in the U.S. that are just now discovering their "personal goddess."

[Illbay]

You misspelled "Iraq."

[Hank Kerchief]

The Onion could not possibly top this.

Even the name of the infamous city, BANGALORE sounds like something Ian Flemming would make up.

I'll bet there will be a boost to their tourist trade in the near future, especially during the period March 9-11.

Hank

[BullDog108]

You misspell "Sickbay".

[sd-joe]

Yes, but he would have called it BANGALOT.

[Hank Kerchief]

Yes, but he would have called it BANGALOT.

No doubt!

[RonF]

They stripped police officers, journalists and social activists in attendance and forced them to parade around naked.

NO PICTURES, NO PICTURES PLEASE!

[RightOnline]

"The rituals were in accordance with their worship of the goddess 'Zoot' and appear to involve a lot of nude spanking. Worshippers were heard to chant "BAD Zoot! Naughty, naughty Zoot!!!""

[Free the USA]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[Dog Gone]

They stripped police officers, journalists and social activists in attendance and forced them to parade around naked.

I think everyone should know that Helen Thomas will be reporting on this event this year.

[dighton]

I wonder how many guys have had the fantasy of being stripped by 10,000 angry, naked women and commanded to march around nude?

Assaulted and overpowered by an elite team of Yakshis?

Sorry, it never occurred to me.

[sheik yerbouty]

Feh!