Are there temples only for women?

There are no temples only meant for women, as per my knowledge, allows only women inside. But there are temples where restrictions are there on men on certain days/ occasions. For ex: 1. The temple of Lord Brahma in Pushkar, Rajasthan - In this temple, there are restrictions for men to enter.

2. Attukal Temple , Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: This is dedicated to goddesses kamyaka devi. During Sankranti festival days, men are not allowed to enter this temple.The temple’s Pongal festival – a festival where millions of women participate – has also made it to the Guinness Book of World Records.

3. Chakkulathukavu Temple, Kerala: In this temple, Goddess Durga is worshipped. During 2 rituals in the temple, men are not allowed to enter. One is Naari-pooja during Sankranti festival and another is Dhanur pooja during Dhanur maasam.

4. Bhagwati Maa temple in Kanyakumari , Tamil Nadu - The restriction was formed that men who enter should be unmarried.

5. Mata Temple in Muzaffarpur, Bihar: There is a one Mata temple were during the time of special period – only women devotees are allowed to enter the temple

Sabarimala doesn’t distinguish people on the base of religion unlike other temples in Kerala. But, there is a restriction for ladies between 10 and 50. It is not related to menstruation; Because I’ve heard of girls who begun menstruating before 10 and some ladies whose periods didn't stop even after 50. So.. its not related to menstruation. Sabarimala is not a 24 x 7 and 365 days temple. It is opened for a very few days only. And every devotee visiting Ayyapa shrine are called as Ayyapa and they all have to wear the same kind of clothing - Black dhoti with no shirt. This uniformity in devotees is a specialty of Sabarimala Ayyapa temple and no one questions it. Everyone should have same kind of bag (its actually not a commercial bag that we see around - but a cloth bag ) and hence the rich, poor, middle class - everyone looks the same. No distinction at all.

Before entering Sabarimala Ayyapa temple, there is another temple where the devotees go. its the temple for a goddess - Malikappurathamma. Malikappurathamma loved Ayyappan and wanted to marry him. But, Ayyappan said - “I have already decided to be a Naishtika Brahmachari. So I’ll not be able to marry you. But, If there is a time when Kanni Ayyapans (First Time Sabarimala Visitors) stop coming to visit me, then at that time, I’ll marry you.” Till, then, Ayyappan did not want young women to come and see him. Because of the love and care he had for Malikappurathamma, this decision is taken. And the tradition is carried out for 1000s of years.

I think we should celebrate the love and romance of Malikappurathamma and Ayyappan than condemning the traditions, rituals and all. Yes there are some temples in India where men are not allowed to enter. In Kamakhya Temple of Assam during the menstrual period only female priests are allowed to enter that area. The temple remains closed for men. In Kanya Kumati Temple of Tamil Nadu only women can enter the main premise. Though the unmarried men are allowed till the gate of the temple, married men can not enter the temple premise. There are many such temples like Durga Temple Muzaffarpur, Brahma Temple Pushkar etc.

1. Attukal Temple: The Attukal Bhagavathi Temple, a temple located in Kerala that worships women, has made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for hosting the Pongala festival which sees around three million women participate. Men are not allowed to enter the temple that sees the largest gathering of women during the festival.

2. Chakkulathukavu Temple: Another temple located in Kerala that worships Goddess Bhagavathi and observes an annual ritual called ‘Naari Puja‘ in which the male priest washes the feet of women devotees fasting for 10 days on the first Friday of December. The day is called Dhanu. During ‘Naari Puja‘, only women are allowed to enter the temple.

3. Santoshi Maa ‘Vrat’: The ‘vrat‘ for Santoshi Maa is observed strictly by women or unmarried girls. They are prohibited to eat sour fruits or pickles during that period. Males are allowed to enter the temple to worship the goddess but are strictly prohibited from entering the premises on Fridays.

4. Lord Brahma Temple: This 14th century temple located in Pushkar in Rajasthan prohibits married men from entering its premises. This is the only Brahma temple in the world.

The Puranas suggest that Lord Brahma had performed a yagna at Pushkar Lake with his wife Goddess Saraswati who got late for the event. Therefore, Lord Brahma married Goddess Gayatri and performed the ritual due to which Goddess Saraswati cursed the temple saying that “no married man is allowed to visit the inner sanctum otherwise a trouble will arise in his marital life.” This is the reason men are not allowed to enter this temple.

5. Bhagati Maa Temple:This temple, located in Kanyakumari, worships Kanya Maa Bhagawati Durga who is said to have gone to an isolated area in the middle of the ocean for Tapasya so that she could ask for Lord Shiva as her husband.

According to the Puranas, the spine of a Sati fell on the shrine. The goddess is also known as the Goddess of Sanyasa. Due to these reasons, sanyasi men are allowed till the gate of the temple, while married men are prohibited from entering the premises.

6. Mata Temple: During a particular period, men are strictly prohibited to enter this temple located in Muzaffarpur in Bihar. The rules are so strict that even a male priest is not allowed to enter the premises. Only women are allowed to enter this temple during that particular period.

7. Trimbakeshwar Temple, Nasik, Maharashtra: Women were not allowed to enter the inner sanctum of this temple devoted to Lord Shiva till 2016 following which the Bombay High Court passed an order saying that even men shouldn’t be allowed to enter the inner sanctum if women are not allowed. Since then, men have also been barred from entering to maintain gender equality.

8. Kamrup Kamakhya Temple, Assam: This temple permits only women to enter its premises during their menstrual cycle. Only female priests or sanyasis serve the temple where the menstrual cloth of Maa Sati is considered highly auspicious and is distributed to the devotees. It is said that Lord Vishnu had cut Maa Sati with his Sudarshan Chakra due to which her waist fell on the spot where the temple has been built. Jay Mata Di