Violence erupts as women try to enter Sabarimala temple

Sabarimala: Amid violent protests, the doors of Sabarimala temple in Kerala opened on Wednesday for the first time since the Supreme Court lifted the centuries-old ban on entry of women of menstrual age. Though many women tried, but none from this age group could make it to the famed hilltop shrine.

There were protests at various places in and around the temple town, including one that forced a 45-year-old woman and her family from Andhra Pradesh to abandon their trip to the Ayyappa temple.

Madhavi, who was accompanied by her parents and children, began the climb leading to the hilltop temple hours before its opening for the monthly puja rituals. Ten minutes into their trek, accompanied by police, the family had to abandon their plans as angry protesters went after her, shouting and abusing. Madhavi then reportedly decided to return.

Another woman devotee, Liby, who got down at the Pathanamthitta bus stand and was to board a bus to Nilakkal, faced angry devotees who booed her. “I wanted to pray at the Sabarimala temple,” she said as police took her to a police station for protection.

There was chaos and mayhem on the road leading from Nilakkal, the gateway to the shrine, to Pamba, 20 km away, in the foothills from where the devotees start the arduous six-km trek to Sabarimala. Hordes of activists of Hindu fringe groups fought pitched battles with police, leaving many injured and bleeding.

Women journalists were heckled, their vehicles smashed and young female Ayyappa devotees turned back from the road leading to the temple, abode to Lord Ayyappa, the eternally celibate deity.

Scores were injured, including eight journalists, and there was extensive damage to vehicles and other assets at the Nilakkal foothills.

On Wednesday evening, prohibitory orders were clamped on a 30-km radius of Sabarimala for two days.

Pathanamthitta district collector P.B. Nooh, who clamped the orders, said utmost restraint had been used, hoping the protesters would agitate peacefully. “But the situation has slipped up and now we can’t take chances. We will ensure Sabarimala remains peaceful for pilgrims to offer prayers,” said Mr Nooh. Pampa, Nilakkal, Sannidhanam and Elavunkal are four places under ban orders.

Ayyappa Dharma Sena and Achara Samrakshana Samiti activists held Nilakkal and Pampa to ransom, taking advantage of the small-sized police pickets.

Fifty people have been charged with violence, and police arrested prominent activist Rahul Eswar and other members of the tantri family.

When the shrine at Sabarimala sannidhanam opened on Wednesday evening for the customary puja during the first five days of the Malayalam month, two young women devotees who were waiting for Lord Ayyappa’s darshan said that they had lost their jobs due to their ardent wish to worship at Sabarimala.

While Reshma Nishanth, 32, of Kannur, who is on a 41-day “vrutha”, quit her teaching job in a college due to the mounting protest against her from various quarters, Soorya Devarchana, also on “vrutha”, was fired from her job. She said in her Facebook post that she had been fired due to her decision to go to Sabarimala. She did not reveal where she was working.

Reshma said, “My husband or my relatives cannot provide escort to me all the 41 days on my way to the college and back. Hence I quit the job.”