Sabarimala Temple Closes Without A Single Woman In 10-50 Age Group Entering The Shrine

The Sabarimala temple in Kerala has closed for devotees on Monday night after completing routine prayers amid the high drama and tensions in the state after the Supreme Court allowed women of all age groups to enter the hill shrine.

But despite the Supreme Court order, the temple remained unreachable for women devotees from menstruating age as devotees along with?some religious and political outfits who are opposed to the move made sure that it did not happen.

BCCL

Nearly a dozen women attempted the trek, under heavy police protection, but failed to reach the hilltop as the?blockade by thousands of devotees made it impossible for them to proceed.??

BCCL

Even before the temple opened for devotees on October?17,?a?large number of devotees and vigilantes had taken control of almost all roads leading to Pamba and Nilakkal. Vehicles carrying devotees from across the state and beyond were subjected to rigorous checking by these groups and women pilgrims were only allowed to go ahead after they showed their ID cards to clarify that they were above 50 years old.?

AP

A number of vehicles were also pelted with stones and vandalized by these groups, who claimed they are guarding the age-old tradition of the temple.?

The first woman to attempt reaching Sabarimala was a Delhi-based journalist working with the The New York Times. The journalist, who was accompanied by a large contingent of police was forced to abort the climb midway as the protests grew stronger, despite her clarify that she was there as a reporter and not as a devotee.

Since then, a few others from inside and outside the state attempted the trek, but the result remained the same.?

BCCL

And this continued till Monday night when the temple closed after monthly prayers. It will reopen on November 17.

Devotees and fringe groups which have been protesting against women entry have claimed victory after just around a dozen young women came forward to visit Sabarimala.

Others, however, say women devotees kept away from the shrine in the fear of violence. They also claim that more women will attempt visiting the shrine when it opens next month.

BCCL

Meanwhile the Supreme Court is set to consider a host of review petitions filed against its order which lifted the ban on women entry.?

The Kerala Government has so far maintained that it is in favour of women entry in Sabarimala and is committed to carrying out the SC order.

The BJP and Congress which had initially welcomed the verdict have since changed its position and had been in the forefront of the protests against the SC order.

PTI

The protesting devotees got a boost after the Thazhamon family, who are the chief priests, and the erstwhile Pandalam Royal family, the custodians of the Sabarimala temple threatened to shut it down if women are allowed entry.