Sabarimala temple Updates: The Sabarimala temple of Lord Ayyappa in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala has been re-opened for a special puja. Keeping last month’s violent protests in view, the administration has made elaborate security arrangements near the temple and also around the base camps. Section 144 has been imposed at Pamba, Nilakkal, Elavungal, and Sannidhanam to ban gathering of four or more people. According to police, 2,300 personnel including a 20-member commando team and 100 women have been deployed to ensure the security and safety of devotees. Police said if required, around 30 women cops in the rank of circle inspector and sub-inspector and above the age of 50 will be deployed at the temple complex to check suspicious movements.
This is the second time the shrine will open for public after the Supreme Court’s landmark verdict to allow women devotees of all ages to visit the temple.
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Devotees climb the sacred Pathinettam Padi to enter #SabarimalaTemple to offer prayers. The temple, which opened this evening, will be closed after the 'Athazha puja' tomorrow evening.
The Sabarimala temple is now open amid heavy security deployment. The administration has made elaborate security arrangements near the temple and also around the base camps. Section 144 has been imposed at Pamba, Nilakkal, Elavungal, and Sannidhanam to ban gathering of four or more people.
More number than the usual crowd have come to Sabarimala this year, an Indian Express report says. At the same time, things have calmed down at Nilakkal and Pamba. Earlier there were reports that devotees were being allowed to leave for Pamba and Sannidhanam.
The Sabarimala temple of Lord Ayyappa in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala will re-open on Monday at 5 pm for a special puja. Keeping last month’s violent protests in view, the administration has made elaborate security arrangements near the temple and also around the base camps.
Kerala High Court said that devotees and media at Sabarimala Temple should not be blocked. The government should not interfere in day to day activities of the temple. A department level inquiry must be conducted on policemen who had damaged the vehicles.
According to news agency PTI, 3,731 people have been arrested so far in connection with last month's violence. Police have also filed 545 cases.
Meanwhile, both the BJP and Congress have slammed the LDF government over its failure to control the situation. While Kerala Congress said that the situation in Sabarimala was explosive, the BJP has warned of repercussions if police obstruct devotees. Kerala Congress chief Mullapally Ramachandran accused the CPI(M)-led LDF government of failure to handle the situation. Senior BJP leader MT Ramesh said that if police tried to hinder devotees, it will lead to serious repercussions.
Reacting to the heavy security deployment in and around Sabarimala, the Pandalam royal family, believed to be closely associated with the shrine, said it was pained to see that devotees will have to offer prayers at the shrine amid thick police cover. The family said that to protest against the court’s verdict, a 'prayer yagna' will be held.
Senior Congress leader and former CM Oommen Chandy said that authorities want to hide something as the media had never before been banned into the temple town. The reaction comes in the backdrop of reports doing the rounds that entry of reporters has been banned following threats from Sabarimala Karma Samithi. The outfit has written to media groups not to depute lady journalists to cover development.
The Devasom Bench of Kerala High Court had on October 29 ruled that the Sabarimala temple was not only for Hindus but it had a tradition of welcoming people from all faiths. The court’s ruling came in response to a petition filed by activist TG Mohan Das who had urged the court to pass an order that temple should be open to only devotees. The court did not accept this and pointed out that the Sabarimala temple was open to everyone.
Sabarimala Karma Samiti lashed out at the LDF government alleging that even though the top court of the land has decided to hear the review and writ petitions on November 13, the Vijayan government was intentionally ignoring the mass movement against the judgment. It said that the state government was trying to hastily implement the court’s order.
Congress has come out strongly against the Vijayan government and RSS in connection with the Sabarimala temple issue. Criticising Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s stance on the Sabarimala temple women’s entry issue, senior Congress leader K Muralidharan had earlier said that CPM has never spearheaded any renaissance movement in Kerala whereas the Congress was at the helm of all social reforms. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
Devotees begin the trek from Nilakkal base camp to the Sabarimala temple. The doors of the temple will be open today at 5 pm and will be closed on Tuesday at 10 pm after a special puja. Meanwhile, heavy contingent of security officials have been stationed near the temple to ensure smooth conduct of darshan.
Activist Rahul Easwar, who is the chief of Ayyappa Dharma Sena, has released a video message. He said that “like police, we are also fully prepared”. Ayyappa Dharma Sena is among the outfits spearheading the protests.
Easwar belongs to the Thazhamon family of Sabarimala thantris. He was arrested twice last month in connection with the violent protests.
Meanwhile, Kerala DGP Loknath Behara said that there was no bar on entry of journalists in the shrine to cover news. The remark comes in the backdrop of reports that reporters have been restrained from going to Sabarimala and nearby places. “No restriction of any sort has been imposed on media persons,” he said. Last month, the temple had witnessed violent protests against the top court’s order. Several journalists including female reporters were attack by the protestors and police had to face severe criticism from various quarters.
According to Pathanamthitta district Superintendent of Police T Narayanan, as of now, there had been no request from women to enter the shrine.
Right-wing outfits like Sabarimala Karma Samiti and VHP have appealed to media houses not to depute female reporters in the menstrual age group to cover news related to Sabarimala. The Sabarimala Karma Samiti has also written a letter to editors of media groups urging the same. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
Pandalam Royal family, the custodian of the Sabarimala temple, said the temple was passing through tough times. Family members said that the temple town had been taken over by the police.
“We will hold a special prayer and singing of hymns when the temple opens,” family spokesperson Sreekumar Varma said.
Police have barricaded all the roads leading from Nilackal to the base camp and declared out of bounds till Monday morning. Police officials are checking each and every vehicle that passes in and around the temple town. The administration has imposed Section 144 of CrPC at Pamba, Nilakkal, Elavungal, and Sannidhanam to ban mass gathering.
The shrine will open at 5 pm on Monday for the Sree Chitira Atta Thirunal special puja. The puja will be held on Tuesday to mark the birthday of last king of Travancore Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma. Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru and chief priest Unnikrishnan Namboodiri will open the doors jointly and light the lamp at the 'Sreekovil' (sanctum sanctorum). The doors will be closed at 10 pm same day.