Ayyappa temple opens, 10 women sent back

Sabarimala, November 16

Thousands of devotees offered prayers at Lord Ayyappa Temple after it opened for the annual Mandala-Makaravilakku puja on Saturday. Ten women from the “barred age group” were sent back. The LDF government said the shrine was not a ground for activism.

The temple has re-opened days after a five-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court referred to a larger Bench the matter related to entry of women into the hill temple and issues related to various faiths. The state and temple precincts witnessed protests by right wing outfits last year after the LDF government decided to implement the SC verdict of September 28, 2018, allowing women of all age groups to offer prayers at the shrine. PTI