THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thousands of Lord Ayyappa devotees, including women, are protesting in Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram against the Supreme Court order allowing entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala temple.
As the temple complex opens Wednesday for monthly rituals, protesters warned they will not allow women inside the complex and if needed, they will lie down at the entry points.
Steered by the state unit of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), devotees raised slogans and held pictures of Lord Ayyappa, placards as part of their “Save Sabarimala” campaign.
The Travancore Devaswom Board, which runs the hill-shrine, will meet the patrons, including the Tantri (head priest) family, Pandalam royals and Ayyappa Seva Sangam on Tuesday to discuss the preparations of the three-month-long annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrim season starting November 17.
The state has been rocked by protests by the state units of Congress and the BJP as well as Hindu outfits against the Left-led government’s move to implement the top court order. Some of the groups have demanded that the Kerala government should come out with an ordinance to stop the entry of women to the shrine.
The BJP has alleged that the government is “conspiring” to destroy the hillock shrine.
Rahul Eashwar, a lead voice opposed to the entry of women in the temple, said that the protesters would lie down in front of the shrine when it opens on October 17 to “prevent the entry of women” into the temple
