Huge security deployed as Sabarimala temple reopens for monthly ‘puja'

Sabarimala temple, which grappled with a crisis over the entry of young women into the shrine after the Supreme Court verdict last year, reopened on Tuesday for monthly worship. The temple will be opened for five days for the monthly ‘puja’ in the monthly Malayalam month of Kumbhom. The state administration has deployed scores of police personnel in Pamba and surrounding areas in an attempt to avoid violence and unrest.

The Sabarimala temple and surrounding areas witnessed a string of protests since October last year over the apex court's decision to quash restrictions on the entry of women between 10 and 50 into the holy shrine. Recently, the National Ayyappa Devotees Association (NADA) filed a petition for rehearing in Sabarimala case in the Supreme Court, citing that the devotees of Lord Ayyappa were not heard previously. Nearly four months after the top court permitted women of all ages to enter the temple on September 28 last year, two women aged below 50 entered the Lord Ayyappa temple to offer their prayers. Violent protests broke out all across the state, while a purification process took place in the temple following the entry of these two women—Bindu Ammini and Kanaka Durga.

(With inputs from agencies.)