Cases under the Maharashtra Hindu Places of Public Worship (entry authorisation) Act have been registered against the Shri Trimbakeshwar Devasthan Trust (STDT) trustees, priests and villagers for allegedly refusing entry to women led by Vanita Gatte, president of Swarajya Mahila Sanghatna.
Assistant superintendent of police (ASP) Pravin Mundhe said that cases had been registered under Section 4 and 5 of the Act on Thursday.
Ms Gatte told The Asian Age that they had had a meeting with the trustees on Wednesday. “The trustees agreed that they would allow women inside the sanctum of the temple. We were asked to be present at 6 am and the duration for permitting entry into the sanctum is only one hour,” she said.
According to tradition, the devotees, wishing to enter the sanctum have to wear ‘sovale’ (silk dhoti). If they wear a cotton dhoti, they have to take a dip in water first. Ms Gatte said that accordingly the women wore silk clothes and waited for darshan. “About 30 to 40 purohits (priests) were already in the sanctum and indirectly stopped us from entering. The one hour was up and we were told to go away,” she said.
Speaking to The Asian Age, advocate Shrikant Gaidhani said that he could not comment, as the case was sub judice. Other villagers, who spoke on condition of anonymity said that they had not made any agreement with the women to allow them entry.
However, Ms Gutte asserted that she had a voice recording of the meeting and could show it to anyone, who wanted it. Earlier, the Bombay high court had directed that women could not be barred from seeking darshan. Following this ruling, the Shri Shingnapur Devasthan allowed women, and Bhumata Brigade activists, including Trupti Desai took darshan from the chauthara (platform).
Later, the Shri Amba Devi Temple in Kolhapur too broke its tradition and allowed women.
