Hinduism - Can Gayatri mantra can be recited by women? |
Who said they should not? Those who believe girls should not chant Gayathri have no understanding of Gayathri, the Spiritual Sun of Savitr, or even Vishwamitra the Seer of this mantra.
Women held equal spiritual status for a large portion of Bharath's history. Countless female saints, ancient and contemporary, are venerated as Liberated souls, Gurus and Gods.
Every male chauvinist or priest who brings the rule book would not blink before bowing down to the Goddess in every temple.
The disconnect occurs in translating that veneration for the Feminine Divine into a pragmatic respect for every woman.
Until they rise to moral and spiritual heights, men are weak creatures..need all the support they can get. Easiest way to avoid temptation is to ban women from venturing out. Easiest way to have the woman for himself is to lock her up. Easiest way for a man to maintain so-called spiritual superiority is to make the woman a second class being, made from a mere rib even. Or build complex social constructs to keep a woman docile and obedient.
Reality is this. Every woman is effortlessly spiritual when they chose to be so. As mothers, daughters, sisters and wives they are unmatched in every noble quality. I strongly believe men, spiritual or otherwise, are afraid of a woman's innate strengths and do whatever it takes to demean or use her for their own purposes.
She is Shakthi, very manifestation of the Divine Feminine. Or Kali dancing wildly on the prone body of Shiva. She is Prakriti, without whom Purusha would be immaterial.
Those who have actually felt the presence of the Divine would never bother with these social constructs.
Such irony in a female not being allowed to chant "Gayathri" mantra..:)