New Delhi, Oct 17: The Sabarimala temple in Kerala will open its doors to women of all age groups for the first time at 5 pm after the historic Supreme Court ruling last month that permitted the entry.
The verdict had however received mixed responses with several thousand protesters flocking the streets of Kerala demanding an overturn in the ruling citing that it is against their traditional beliefs.
A meeting by The Travancore Devaswom Board, a temple body yesterday with various stakeholders including the Pandalam royal family and Ayyappa devotees failed to come to a conclusion on the matter.
Devaswom Minister to hold review meeting at 11 am
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said no one would be allowed to block devotees from proceeding to Sabarimala and that "Stern action will be taken against anyone who prevents devotees from going to Sabarimala".
Devotees had yesterday checked cars and buses along the route and at Nilakkal, the base camp below the site, preventing women from proceeding
The protesting group of devotees had been staging a sit-in chanting Ayyappa mantra in the shelter in protest against the Supreme Court order permitting women of all age groups to enter the shrine.
As the showdown is expected to begin around 3 pm, tribals continue to guard the route leading up to the Lord Ayyappa shrine.
Total 1000 security personnel, 800 men and 200 women, deployed at Nillekal and Pampa base. 500 security personnel deployed at Sannidhanam.
Kerala: #Visuals of heavy security deployment near Nilakkal, the base camp of #SabarimalaTemple as the portals of the temple are all set to open today. pic.twitter.com/YomkknhEVl
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2018
Heavy security deployment near Nilakkal, the base camp of #SabarimalaTemple as the portals of the temple are all set to open today.