After Sabarimala, Women Allowed To Trek Kerala's Agasthyakoodam Peak For The First Time

Another male bastion in Kerala has fallen! The Agasthyakoodam Peak in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram District will for the first time see women trekkers at one of the tallest peaks in the state.

Just like in the case of Sabarimala Temple, once again it was the court that upheld gender equality and allowed women to undertake the trek to the 1,868-metre peak, inside the Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary.?

Though there was no official ban on women trekker at Agasthyakoodam, the Forest Department will issues passes for the 41 days annual trekking season. It had never allowed female trekkers so far.

This was due to the difficult terrain and resistance from the Kani Tribe, a group of indigenous people who opposed women entry at the peak.

Members of the community argued that they worship Agastya Muni at the hill and according to their custom, women cannot go near the idol.

The Kerala High Court hearing petitions against the ban held that restrictions cannot be imposed on women because of their gender.

The Kerala Forest Department has already began accepting bookings for this year's trekking season which begins on January 14.

Though the Forest Department said they will allow physically fit women above the age of 14 to undertake the climb, no special facilities will be provide to them during the trip which will take three days and two nights.

Agasthyakoodam, situated in the Peppara Forest Range is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

As per the UNESCO citation, the Agasthyamala biosphere reserve includes peaks reaching 1,868 metres above sea level. Consisting mostly of tropical forests, the site is home to 2,254 species of higher plants including about 400 that are endemic. It is also a unique genetic reservoir of cultivated plants especially cardamom, jamune, nutmeg, pepper and plantain. Three wildlife sanctuaries, Shendurney, Peppara, Neyyar and Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger reserve are included in the site".

The popular trekking route is a hotspot of biodiversity with flora and fauna, some of them not found anywhere else on the earth.

Researchers have identified about 400 Red Listed Plants here. About 125 species of orchids and rare, endemic and threatened plants have been recorded from the reserve.?

Sali Palode

Locals even claim that a pygmy species of elephant locally known as 'Kallana' (stone elephant) which is yet to be recognised by scientists live in the Peppara.

Despite being a part of the local legend of generations it has only been pictured once in 2013 by a wildlife photographer.