Pamba: Four women were prevented from the entering the Sabarimala temple Sunday by a large number of devotees as the stand-off over entry of women of menstrual age into the Lord Ayyappa temple continued for the fifth day.
The devotees, up in arms against implementation of the Supreme Court order lifting ban on entry of women in 10-50 age group, blocked the six Telugu-speaking women from reaching the famed shrine amid high drama.
Sunday is the fifth day since the temple gates were opened for the monthly puja after the apex court last month lifted the centuries-old ban. Though attempts were made by some young women, including an activist, to enter the temple, the eternally celibate deity, since Wednesday, the devotees backed by priests have stood their ground, saying they would not allow the tradition to be breached.
By all available indications, not a single woman in the age group of 10 and 50 has so far reached the temple which will close Monday at the end of the monthly puja.
BJP demanded a special assembly session to seek the Centre's intervention, while the Congress sought an ordinance by the NDA government.
The Pandalam royal family, the traditional custodian of the Sabarimala temple, alleged the CPI(M)-led LDF government was trying to destroy sanctity of the shrine of by taking women in the menstrual age group there.
On Sunday, a 47-year-old woman reached up to the 'Nadappandhal' close to the sanctum sanctorum, but was prevented by the devotees after three others were stopped enroute to the hills.
The woman, who complained of uneasiness, was brought to a hospital here by the police.
A elderly woman devotee who was present at the spot said as the identity card of the woman showed she was born in 1971 and had not attained the 'permissible age", the other devotees started chanting Sarana mantra.
Earlier, the protesters prevented two women, in their 40s, at the foothills itself. The women were accompanied by their relatives.
The police, who took the women to the safety, said the two informed them that they came to Sabarimala without knowing the customs of the temple.
They were part of a pilgrims group visiting temples in Kerala and other women not in the 'banned' age group were allowed to climb the holy hills by the protesters.
After the women were brought to Nilackal, the base camp, they gave in writing to the police that they did not want to break the centuries-old custom of the temple, sources said.
Another woman was blocked by the devotees at Marakkoottam enroute to the shrine and sent back on suspicion that she has not reached the permitted age of 50.
By all available indications, not a single woman in the age group of 10 and 50 has so far reached the temple which will close Monday at the end of the monthly puja.
According to sources, 12 women in the 10-50 age group have so far been prevented from offering worship at the temple.
Namajapa Yatra
Condemning the police action on devotees at the base camps, Sabarimala Karma Samithi took out Namajapa Yatra to police stations across the state on Sunday.
Hundreds of women participated in one such protest march held in Erumely, a key pilgrim centre connected with Sabarimala.
'Pinarayi should initiate talks'
BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai urged the Kerala government to convene assembly session to discuss the issue. He claimed that even CPM members in the state were opposing the bid to break the custom of the ancient shrine.
CPM politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai said the protesters did not have the support of the Kerala society.
Couple of BJP workers were arrested for violating Section 144 at Nilakkal.
Challenging days ahead
Kerala state police chief Loknath Behera said the police would conduct a review of the alleged police lapses while handling the issues related to Sabarimala after the doors of the shrine close on Monday after the monthly puja.
He said the Sabarimala pilgrim season beginning next month was going to be a challenging one for them.
Kerala has been witnessing massive protests by devotees opposing the entry of girls and women of menstrual age into the Sabarimala temple since the government decided to implement the apex court order.
The devotees had intensified the agitation at the shrine and nearby areas since the shrine was opened for the monthly puja on October 17.
On Saturday, Dalit woman activist Manju had to put off her plans to visit Sabarimala following heavy rain.
The Sabarimala temple had witnessed high drama and tense moments Friday when two women reached the hilltop with heavy police escort, but had to return before reaching the sanctum sanctorum following massive protests by Lord Ayyappa devotees.
Madhavi, a devotee from Andhra Pradesh, and a New Delhi-based woman journalist were also forced to return following intense protests by devotees on October 17 and 18, respectively.
(With inputs from PTI)