Al jazeera News, New Delhi :
A centuries-old ban has been breached by two women who entered an ancient Hindu temple in the southern Indian state of Kerala despite strong protests by right-wing conservative groups.
“Today, two women entered Sabarimala Temple. We had issued standing orders to police to provide all possible protection to any woman who wants to enter the temple,” Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters in Kerala’s capital city, Trivandrum, on Wednesday.
A video posted online by the Indian news agency,
ANI, showed the two women, Bindu and Kanaka Duraga, hurriedly walking towards the shrine wearing black clothes with their heads covered.
The temple was briefly shut down for a “purification ritual” by the priests following the announcement of the women entering the temple. The Sabarimala shrine was historically closed to women of menstruating age until the country’s Supreme Court overturned the ban in September.
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.
Since the top court’s verdict, Hindu hardliners, opposed to the decision, have attacked female pilgrims, threatened journalists and pelted stones at police.
A centuries-old ban has been breached by two women who entered an ancient Hindu temple in the southern Indian state of Kerala despite strong protests by right-wing conservative groups.
“Today, two women entered Sabarimala Temple. We had issued standing orders to police to provide all possible protection to any woman who wants to enter the temple,” Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters in Kerala’s capital city, Trivandrum, on Wednesday.
A video posted online by the Indian news agency,
ANI, showed the two women, Bindu and Kanaka Duraga, hurriedly walking towards the shrine wearing black clothes with their heads covered.
The temple was briefly shut down for a “purification ritual” by the priests following the announcement of the women entering the temple. The Sabarimala shrine was historically closed to women of menstruating age until the country’s Supreme Court overturned the ban in September.
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.
Since the top court’s verdict, Hindu hardliners, opposed to the decision, have attacked female pilgrims, threatened journalists and pelted stones at police.
