Sabarimla Temple to shut tonight at 10 pm after it was open to devotees five days ago.
Today will be the last chance for women bellow 50 years of age to make history by walking it though the doors of the Sabarimala temple since the temple opened on Wednesday for the the first time after the top court's ruling. The Ayyappa shrine, which was scheduled to be open for 5 days, will shut tonight at 10 pm. So far, 9 women in the 'banned' age group have attempted the trek to the hilltop temple and have met with angry protesters forcing them to return. In the latest case, a woman yesterday suffered from a panic attack and had to be taken to a hospital near Sabarimala after masses of protesters surrounded and heckled her. Police officials today informed media in the shrine and in the Pamba camp to vacate the area as police had inputs of a targeted attack being planned on the media.
Kerala police had earlier said that they will provide protection to the women devotees to reach the temple, but cannot help beyond that. "Darshan is something which can be done with consent of the priest," said Kerala Inspector General S Sreejith. On Friday, his team formed a protective ring around two women who wished to enter the temple, but they did not succeed.
Here are the highlights of Sabarimala temple:
Social activist Trupti Desai hails the entry of two women in their mid forties into the Lord Aayyappa hill shrine in Kerala's Sabarimala, saying it is a "victory of equality".
Another woman trying to enter Sabarimala was stopped near Eumeli. Named Bindu, she is the tenth woman stopped from going to Sabarimala temple over the last six days. Most journalists were asked to leave the premises of Shabarimala. Most of them were sent to Pathanamthitta.
Thousands of men continue to camp along the route to Sabarimala, asking women to provide their identification proof so that they could be allowed into the shrine.
Last last week, several journalists and media crew vehicles were attacked by the protesting devotees who hit them with stones, sticks and heckled women journalists.
Press Trust of India quoted reports stating that a woman carrying with her, the Supreme Court order -- permitting the entry of all women into the shrine -- approached the police, seeking help to offer prayers at the temple as the stand-off continues on the last day of the temple being open for devotees.
Security was tightened at Sabarimala and other pilgrim centres connected to it amid reports that women in the menstrual age group are planning to visit the hill shrine on Monday, the last day of the "darshan": Press Trust of India
A woman had yesterday suffered from a panic attack and had to be taken to a hospital near Sabarimala after masses of protesters surrounded and heckled her.
Supreme Court to decide tomorrow when to list the Sabrimala case
National Sabrimala Ayyappa devotees association has filed a petition challenging the Supreme Court verdict on Sabrimala
The other petitioner told the top court that these petitions can be taken up along with the review petitions
The Chief Justice of India said, we know there are 19 review petitions filed. Don't dictate to us what to do. We will decide tomorrow when to list it
Sabarimala Temple Closes Today. There May Be Targeted Attacks On Media, Say Police SourcesThe Sabarimala temple will close on Monday at 10 pm after the five-day puja. The shrine had opened on October 18, first time after the Supreme Court's landmark verdict, allowing women in menstruating age groups to enter the temple. In the last four days, nine women in the 10-50 age groups have been stopped by protesters from going to the temple. Yesterday a 47-year-old woman suffered panic attack at the entrance of the temple after protesters surrounded and heckled her.
Since Wednesday evening, when the Sabarimala temple doors were open to all devotees including women of the 'banned' age group between 10 to 50 years, 9 women have attempted the trek to the shrine amid protests and heavy police deployment.
Six days after the standoff between devotees and the women attempting the trek to the hilltop temple continue. The Sabarimala temple is scheduled to close its doors to devotees today at 10 pm after the five-day ritual that began on Wednesday evening.
Journalists who have been carrying out news coverage from the Pamba base camp and from inside the temple premises have been told by the police to leave after they claimed to have information about targeted attacks on the media, reported news agency ANI.