Two women who had made their way to reach 500 metres from the Sabarimala temple in Kerala were forced to return after the devotees, including junior priests, sat near the main entry point to protest their entry to the Lord Ayyappa shrine. The women, including a journalist, had covered a 4.7 km trek uphill and were minutes away from the holy 18 steps (Pathinettam Padi) that lead to the sanctum sanctorum of the famous shrine where no woman between 10 and 50 years has been allowed for centuries. A third woman, Mary Sweety, was turned midway by protestors.
Devotees have blocked attempts from women in the age group of 10 to 50 years from taking the 4.7 km walk from Pamba. The Sabarimala temple head priest has threatened to stop prayers at the shrine if women in the 10-50 years age group are allowed entry to Sannidhanam.
Sabarimala Ayyappa temple's website explains that since Lord Ayyappa was "Nithya Brahmachari" - or celibate - women in the 10-50 age group are not allowed to enter. "Such women who try to enter Sabarimala will be prevented by authorities," the website reads.
On September 28, a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, headed by then Chief Justice Dipak Misra lifted the centuries-old ban on the entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine.