Supreme Court is yet to decide if women are to be allowed into Sabrimala; devotees are already divided
For decades, a blue signpost that reads "Women between 10-50 years of age cannot enter the Sannidhanam (Ayyappa temple)", four kilometres away from Kerala's Sabarimala temple has acted as the 'laxman-rekha' for women visiting it.
While the Supreme Court is yet to decide if the signpost should remain where it is, the devotees are already divided in their opinions.
"There are men who don't follow the 41-day strict ritual as part of preparations, they just come one day before and visit Ayyappa. If Ayyappa is okay about blessing them, then why can't he bless women of all ages?" asked 40-year-old Subramaniam, who took 36 days to walk to the temple all the way from Telangana.
He and his friend Satish Singh are waiting for the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple to open on November 15.
Mr Subramaniam, who runs an ashram in Hyderabad, wants the women of his family to be able to visit the temple some day.
His friend, however, disagrees and said that he left his daughter behind for the pilgrimage as she had started menstruating.
"Kerala government's decision is wrong. This is an old temple with old rituals and should be maintained. This is not any modern temple. Such tough rituals will only affect the health of women", Mr Singh said.
According to many devotees, Ayyappa was a 'Brahmachari' or celibate - the reason behind keeping women of a certain age group away from his shrine.
"This is a closely watched, sacred tradition, that must be guarded for the sake of Ayyappa", 62-year-old Shanthi Amma said.
The Left-led LDF government's stand of allowing women of all age into Sabarimala is a crucial shift from the previous Congress-led UDF government's stance on the issue.
"Women of all age groups must be allowed. It's not about the difference of opinions, it's about equality", Kadakampally Surendran, the Minister for Devaswom and electricity boards said.