[Peptobismol]

Well Badri ! Even i do agree the say that we call Gayatri matha and still women are not allowed to say the mantram ....

but i am not sure about any chauvenistic behaviour .... when women are considered to be the wealth and shakthi n knowledge of the house .... i dnt agree upon the fact taht women were kept aside for pujas ....................

Sandhya Vandhanam - as the name suggests, could be just doin vandhanam or offering prayers to the sandhya kaalam ...

Gayathri mantra has to be recited from a Guru to the respective individual .... that too not in a loud manner, very softly without others hearing it .... If we see the Brahmopadesam part actually happens with the Guru, the boy and his father ..... where no other person has to hear the same ! Also the mantram should not be loudly said ....... Am not sure about a kind of upanayanam for ladies .... if that is the case ... they shld have the habit of reciting this long ago !

Is there any ceremony of that sort ? any evidences of the same ?

Actually SandhyaVandhanam n reciting of Gayatri is a Nitya Karma ... which shld not be stopped ! probably this could have been a reason, why women were not practicing ... coz of their breaks inbetween !