Sabarimala Temple to Reopen on November 17: 560 Women Register For 'Darshan' at sabarimalaq.com
A landmark Supreme Court judgement on September 27 overturned the ban, but no women of menstrual age were allowed to enter inside by the temple authorities and right-wing activists.
Thiruvananthapuram, November 13: With the Sabarimala temple set to re-open on November 17 for the three-month-long ‘mandalam-makaravilakku’ pilgrimage season, the Kerala government has asked devotees to register themselves online via the virtual queue system to prevent chaos and mismanagement.
Among the pilgrims who have registered on the portal - sabarimalaq.com - include 560 women devotees in the age group of 10-50, who were barred from entering the sanctum sanctorum till two months ago. Sabarimala Row: Supreme Court to Hear Review Petitions Today.
A landmark Supreme Court judgement on September 27 overturned the ban, but no women of menstrual age were allowed to enter inside by the temple authorities and right-wing activists.
The temple was opened on two occasions since the court order -- between October 17-22 and November 5-6. Despite the state government attempting to implement the SC verdict, workers of the BJP and affiliated ideological groups staged demonstrations and heckled away female below the age of 50.
While addressing his party cadres, BJP state unit chief Rajasekharan Pillai said the agitation at Sabarimala is "part of their agenda", which allowed the party to "score against their prime rival" - the ruling CPI(M).
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said his government has taken cue from the agitation between October 17-22, and has planned measures to effectively "combat" elements who want to spread anarchy.
Vijayan, while reiterating that his government is only implementing what the apex court has ordered, admitted that their actions have "alienated a section of the faithful".
Notably, the annual mandalam-makaravilakku pilgrimage season would feature lakhs of devotees visiting the hilltop Lord Ayyappa shrine each day. The first 10 days would post the most stringent challenge, as Mandala Pooja Mahotsavam, will be held till November 27.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 13, 2018 01:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).