Sabarimala Temple Opens For Devotees Amid Tight Security; Cops Sent Back Group of 6 Women

Days after the Supreme Court referred the Sabarimala temple case to a larger bench, the Lord Ayyappa shrine reopened on Saturday for pilgrimage season, even as the government said that women who want to visit the hill temple will not get any security from Police.

Devotees started arriving at Nilackal and Pamba from various parts of Kerala. (File Photo/ AFP)

New Delhi: Days after the Supreme Court referred the Sabarimala temple case to a larger bench, the Lord Ayyappa shrine reopened on Saturday for pilgrimage season, even as the government said that women who want to visit the hill temple will not get any security from Police. The temple opened this evening amid tight security, even as the CPI(M)-led LDF government has made all preparations to make it a hassle free pilgrimage. Kandararu Mahesh Mohanararu opened the sanctum and perform the pujas. On November 15, Kerala Devaswom Board Minister K Surendran said the state government will not provide protection to any woman, including the women activists, visiting the temple. He added that those who need protection should get an order from the Supreme Court. "Sabarimala is not a place for activism and the LDF government would not support those who make announcements about entering the hill shrine for the sake of publicity," he said. Women right activist Trupti Desai said on Saturday that she would be visiting the Sabarimala shrine after November 20, regardless of whether she would be provided security by the Kerala government or not. A group of six women, who wanted to trek to Sabarimala, were stopped at Pamba and sent back after the police checked their ID proofs. According to reports, the women were between the age group of 10-50 years. Devotees started arriving at Nilackal and Pamba from various parts of Kerala and neighbouring states and were allowed to leave for the shrine after 2 pm. Here's all you need to know about the Sabarimala Temple case: 1) For centuries women in the menstruating age group of 10- 50 years were barred from entering the temple. However, this year, even though the top court has not stayed its verdict on entry of young women into the shrine while posting various petitions on the matter to a larger bench, the government was excercising caution. 2) It has decided not to give police protection to women in 10-50 age group to trek the holy hills to reach the temple. 3) Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran has made it clear on Friday that Sabarimala was not a place for activists to display their activism and said the government would not encourage such women who want to visit the shrine for publicity. Those who want to visit the temple can procure a court order to enter the temple, he said. 4) Social activist and Bhumata bridge leader, Trupti Desai, who was not allowed to offer prayers last year and had to return from Kochi airport due to protests from devotees, said in Mumbai that she would be visiting Sabarimala on Sunday. "If women need protection to trek the hills, police should provide the same. Whether government gives protection or not we will be reaching on November 17 to offer prayers", she said. 5) Maintaining that this pilgrim season would be peaceful, Law Minister A K Balan said if anyone tries to hamper the darshan of the devotees, the government would take strong action. 6) A K Sudheer Namboodiri would take charge as the Sabarimala Melsanthi and M S Parameshwaran Namboodiri as Malikapuram Melsanthi. The pilgrims would be allowed to climb the 18 holy steps after the padi puja and have darshan. 7) The board has made elaborate arrangements to provide maximum amenities to the devotees. 8) The portals of the hill shrine, located in a reserve forest in Western Ghats in Pathanamthitta district of the state, would be opened for the two-month-long Mandalam Makaravilakku season this evening around 5 pm. 9) Devotees have started arriving at Nilackal and Pamba from various parts of Kerala and neighbouring states, but would be allowed to leave for the shrine only by 2 pm. 10) The state and temple precints had witnessed frenzied protests by right outfits and BJP workers last year after the LDF government had decided to implement the Supreme court's verdict of September 28, 2018 allowing women of all age groups to offer prayers at the shrine. Supreme Court defers verdict The five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi Thursday said a larger bench will re-examine various religious issues, including the entry of women into the Sabarimala temple and mosques and the practice of female genital mutilation in the Dawoodi Bohra community. A 3:2 verdict decided to keep pending the pleas seeking a review of its decision regarding the entry of women into the shrine, and said restrictions on women in religious places was not restricted to Sabarimala alone and was prevalent in other religions as well. The temple, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa is the most famous and prominent among all the Sastha temples in Kerala, is situated on a hilltop about 4000 feet above sea level-- Sabarimala. The devotees have to trek through difficult paths in the forest as the vehicles can go only up to pamba. (with inputs from PTI)