Sabarimala opens amid high drama

Sabarimala/Pamba, November 16 

In a climbdown, the Kerala Government on Friday decided to move the Supreme Court seeking time to implement its order allowing women in menstrual age to offer prayers at the famous Lord Ayyappa temple here, which opened for a two-month long pilgrim season.

The decision by the Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the hill shrine, to move the court was announced by its President A Padmakumar in Pamba, minutes after the temple doors were opened this evening.

Social activist and leader of the Bhumata Brigade Trupti Desai, who had vowed to offer prayers at the temple, left for Pune after she, along with six of her young women colleagues, was prevented from leaving the Kochi airport for over 13 hours since her arrival early this morning by devotees opposing entry of menstrual age women into the hill shrine.

However, Desai vowed to be back before January 20, when the temple doors close. She is likely to approach the Supreme Court about what happened to her here. 

At one stage, the Cochin International Airport Ltd officials took a strong position that she has to either leave the airport or take a flight out from the airport.

The temple and surrounding areas have come under unprecedented security for the season which draws lakhs of devotees from various parts of the country.

As the shrine opened at 5 pm in the presence of head priest Kandararu Rajeevaru, the large number of devotees present there chanted “Swamiyae Ayyappa”.

Braving chill weather, devotees carrying the ‘irumedikettu’ (bundle carrying sacred offerings) rushed to climb the 18 holy steps leading to the Sannidhanam (main temple complex) as soon as the shrine opened. Long queues of waiting devotees were seen on the hills.

This is the third time the temple is opening after the Supreme Court’s order, though no girl or woman pilgrim in the 10-50 age group could offer prayers so far following stiff resistance by devotees and activists, opposing any change in the temple traditions.

Rahul Easwar, president of the Ayyappa Dharma Sena, spearheading the protest against the entry of women in 10-50 age group, said the devotees would “guard” Sabarimala against the entry of the women during the pilgrim season. — PTI 

Shrine board to seek time from SC 

• Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the hill shrine, on Friday decided to approach the Supreme Court seeking more time to implement its order
• TDB president A Padmakumar said the board would move SC either Saturday or Monday, adding that the board wanted devotees to have peaceful darshan
• The SC is slated to hear in January petitions seeking review of its September 28 order that allowed women in menstrual age to offer prayers at Lord Ayyappa temple