Ayyappa Jyothi: Thousands hit streets to protect customs

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thousands of people lined up with lamps on streets from Kasaragod to Kaliyikkavila on Wednesday evening as part of the ‘Ayyppa Jyothi’ programme organized by the Sabarimala Karma Samithi, in association with various Hindu organizations and the BJP.

The programme, which was held as a counter to the state government-sponsored Women’s Wall on January 1, brought into limelight a section of the public’s demand for protection of the Sabarimala rituals, especially the restrictions against the entry of women of all ages to the hill shrine. Around 180 Hindu organizations are part of the Sabarimala Karma Samithi.

Women outnumbered men at the programme, which started at 6pm and lasted for 15 minutes. According to the event organizers, the devotees stood side-by-side along the 765km stretch with the lamps, which were lit at the same time across the state.

The ‘wall of lights’ started from the Hosangadi Sri Dharma Sastha temple in Kasaragod and ended at Kaliyikkavila, where the southern border of Kerala meets Tamil Nadu.

The all-out support of the NSS and the Yoga Kshema Sabha helped the organizers in ensuring participation of women devotees in large numbers. The political support by the BJP aided them to manage the long queues. The lights were lit along the national highway from Kasaragod to Angamaly and from there on the MC Road, up to Thiruvananthapuram. From the capital, the people lined up along the national highway up to Kaliyikkavila. The ‘Ayyappa Jyothi’ was also lit at around 70 points in Tamil Nadu as well.

NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair lit the lamp at Mannam Samadhi. Nair had come out against the Women’s Wall programme of the government.

While Suresh Gopi MP participated in the ‘Ayyappa Jyothi’at Kaliyikkavila, former DGP T P Senkumar participated at the event at Kilimanoor. Former PSC chairman K S Radhakrishnan joined the programme at Angamaly.

BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai, O Rajagopal MLA and BJP state general secretary Sobha Surendran lit the lamps in front of state secretariat, where Surendran has been observing an indefinite hunger strike for the past eight days.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders K Surendran, M S Sampoorna, and K K Gopalakrishnan, Hindu Aikya Vedi leader Sasikala as well as writer Madambu Kunjukuttan were among those who participated in the Ayyappa Jyothi programme in Thrissur.

Volunteers attacked in Kannur:

The people who participated at the Ayyappa Jyothi came under attack in several areas near Payyannur in the district. A few were injured while some buses were damaged in stone pelting. The BJP alleged that the CPM orchestrated the attacks.

Police said the devotees were targeted in some places between Perumba and Kalikkadavu, and that they were admitted to hospitals with minor injuries. At least six buses were targeted, and those who suffered injuries were mainly the organizers of the event, they added.