Amid tight security, Sabarimala temple to open today evening

SabarimalaKerala Amid tight security the Lord Ayyappa temple here would open for the twomonth long pilgrim season this evening with the CPIMled LDF government making all preparations to make it a hassle free pilgrimage Kandararu Mahesh Mohanararu would open the sanctum sanctorum and perform the pujas A K Sudheer Namboodiri would take charge as the Sabarimala Melsanthi and M S Parameshwaran Namboodiri as Malikapuram MelsanthiThe pilgrims would be allowed to climb the 18 holy steps after the padi puja and have darshan The portals of the hill shrine located in a reserve forest in Western Ghats in Pathanamthitta district of the state would be opened for the twomonthlong Mandalam Makaravilakku season this evening around 5 pm Devotees have started arriving at Nilackal and Pamba from various parts of Kerala and neighbouring states but would be allowed to leave for the shrine only by 2 pmThe state and temple precints had witnessed frenzied protests by right outfits and BJP workers last year after the LDF government had decided to implement the Supreme courts verdict of September 28 2018 allowing women of all age groups to offer prayers at the shrine For centuries women in the menstruating age group of 10 50 years were barred from entering the temple However this year even though the top court has not stayed its verdict on entry of young women into the shrine while posting various petitions on the matter to a larger bench the government was excercising cautionIt has decided not to give police protection to women in 1050 age group to trek the holy hills to reach the temple Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran has made it clear on Friday that Sabarimala was not a place for activists to display their activism and said the government would not encourage such women who want to visit the shrine for publicity Those who want to visit the temple can procure a court order to enter the temple he said Social activist and Bhumata bridge leader Trupti Desai who was not allowed to offer prayers last year and had to return from Kochi airport due to protests from devotees said in Mumbai that she would be visiting Sabarimala on SundayIf women need protection to trek the hills police bshould provide the same Whether government gives protection or not we will be reaching on November 17 to offer prayers she said People like Trupti Desai should not make use of the opportunity to exhibit their strength the minister said adding sabarimala is not a place for such dramas Maintaining that this pilgrim season would be peaceful Law Minister A K Balan said if anyone tries to hamper thedarshan of the devotees the government would take strong actionIf someone thinks that they can exploit the devotees by spreading lies and turn them against the government let me tell you its not going to happen he said Attempts by around a dozen women including activists and journalists in the 1050 years age group to climb the sacred hills had come to nought last year as frenzied devotees of Lord Ayyappa heckled and hassled them and forced them to retreat However defying protesters two women in their 40s Bindu Ammini and Kanakadurga had entered the Ayyappa temple in January this year and offered prayers scripting historyThe Travancore Devaswom Board TDB which is managing the Ayyappa shrine has also sought legal opinion on the apex court directive The board has made elaborate arrangements to provide maximum amenities to the devotees The unprecented floods during August last year had also played havoc with the pilgrimage season with most of the facilties for the devotees being destroyed The resting places for the devotees at Nilackal Pamba and Sannidhanam has already been set up along with medicalwater and toilet facilitiesOver 10000 police personnel would be posted in phases in and around the Lord Ayyappa temple for security purposes during the pilgrim season The fivejudge bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi Thursday said a larger bench will reexamine various religious issues including the entry of women into the Sabarimalatemple and mosques and the practice of female genital mutilation in the Dawoodi Bohra communityA 32 verdict decided to keep pending the pleas seeking a review of its decision regarding the entry of women into the shrine and said restrictions on women in religious places was not restricted to Sabarimala alone and was prevalent in other religions as well The temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa is the most famousand prominent among all the Sastha temples in Kerala is situated on a hilltop about 4000 feet above sea level SabarimalaThe devotees have to trek through difficult paths in the forest as the vehicles can go only up to pambaCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updatesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness 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