Nilakkl, January 2: Hours after two women, under the 50 years of age, on entered Kerala's Sabarimala temple early on Wednesday, the head priest ordered to shut the hill shrine for 'purification'. Sabarimala temple opened on Sunday for the 21-day 'Makaravilakku' festival. The 'purification' rituals continued for an hour. The Lord Ayappa temple is supposed to close at 7 am on January 20.

Two women in their 40s, identified as Bindu and Kanakadurga, entered Sabarimala temple 3:45 am and left after praying to Lord Ayyappa. They were accompanied by the police. The same women had made an unsuccessful bid to visit Sabarimala temple on December 18. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan also confirmed the visit of two women to the shrine.

Traditionally, girls and women in the menstruating age group of 10-50 years were barred from offering prayers at the temple, the presiding deity of which is 'Naishtika Brahmachari' (perennial celibate). However, the Supreme Court on September 28 had struck down the tradition and allowed women of all age group to visit the sanctum sanctorum of Sabarimala temple. Sabarimala Row: 47-Year-Old Woman Devotee Suffers Panic Attack Enroute Shrine as Protesters Heckle Her.

Over a dozen women had so far made unsuccessful attempts to trek to the Sabarimala shrine to offer prayers during the Mandalam season. The Ayyappa temple had witnessed massive protests by devotees against the state government's decision to implement the Supreme Court's September 28 verdict.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 02, 2019 10:42 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).