The president of Bhumata Brigade, Trupti Desai, announced on Friday that her organisation would lead a nation-wide struggle against temples that do not allow women entry into their sanctum.
The president of Bhumata Brigade, Trupti Desai, announced on Friday that her organisation would lead a nation-wide struggle against temples that do not allow women entry into their sanctum.
She said she intends to do this with active help from a high court order recently which observed women cannot be barred from temples. Ms Desai was speaking to reporters after offering prayers in the sanctum of Trimbakeshwar Temple in Nashik on Friday after it was thrown open to women. Ms Desai and three other activists arrived before 6 am in Trimbakeshwar and offered prayers. Contrary to their usual dressing style, all of them were wearing silk sarees.
“We are very happy about the darshan. We had to lead a long struggle and faced many hardships. Today, we have been allowed darshan with sanman (respect),” she said.
Bhumata Brigade has been successful in gaining entry in three major temples in Maharashtra – Shani Shingnapur in Ahmednagar district, Ambadevi Temple in Kolhapur and Nashik’s Trimbakeshwar Temple.
The struggle for entry began when an unidentified woman climbed the platform of Shani Shingnapur Temple on November 29, 2015. The angry trustees and villagers allegedly washed and purified the temple complex. Following this move, the Bhumata Brigade took up the issue on December 20, 2015.
Ever since, the brigade has led several unsuccessful campaigns to gain entry and had to bear the brunt of trustees’ and priests’ ire. Cases were also registered when priests at Ambadevi Temple allegedly attacked her.
The attackers are currently absconding. Speaking about the Haji Ali Dargah (tomb) off Worli coast, Ms Desai said that it should also allow women entry into its sanctum. “We are giving the trustees time till April 28 to decide on entry to women which was banned in 2012. After April 28, we will be forced to agitate outside the complex, she said.
Earlier, a PIL appealing for entry to women in temple sanctums was filed by atheist social worker Vidya Bal through advocate Nilama Vartak in the Bombay high court on March 2, 2016, and the judgement was delivered on April 1, 2016.
A day before, a three-day member team from the Swarajya Mahila Sanghatna, including its president Vanita Gatte, became the first women to take darshan from the sanctum of Shri Trimbakeshwar Temple.
