Dhanya set to scale Agasthyarkoodam today

Thiruvananthapuram: Agasthyarkoodam peak will be scaled by a woman for the first time on Tuesday. Dhanya Sanal, an Indian Information Service (IIS) officer working with the defence ministry, will start the trek to the second highest peak in the state, along with 99 male trekkers, from the base camp at Athirumala.
The batch had proceeded to the base camp, 16km away from the entry point at Bonacaud, on Monday morning, and the trekkers are expected to finish the 8-km steep climb by Tuesday noon.

Like in Sabarimala, there have been protests against allowing women to trek Agasthyarkoodam led by Agasthyarkoodam Kshetra Kanikkar Trust for ‘breach of rituals similar to that in Sabarimala’.

Of the 4,700 people who have registered for the most-sought after annual trekking expedition, 100 are women. Only 100 people are allowed to undertake the trek a day. Three women are included in the batch of people who will proceed to Athirumala on Thursday.

Most number of women (a total of 16) is included in the batch that will undertake the hike on February 14, followed by the batch that got the slot on January 21 (13 women). On most other days, there will be only one woman in each batch. The forest department has also ensured service of women guards.

It was on November 30 last year that the high court ordered to allow women to be a part of the annual trekking programme to this 1,868m-tall peak. Last couple of years had witnessed mounting protest from a collective of women as it allowed only men (aged above 14 years) to undertake the trip.

Meanwhile, Antharashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP) took out a Secretariat march to protest the entry of women to the peak. AHP state secretary Hari Palode said a bunch of atheists with the support of the ruling state government were trying to breach traditions and rituals in Sabarimala and Agasthyarkoodam. The members of Kani community also staged a protest - Agasthyarkooda Gothra Achara Samrakshana Yagna - at the entry point at Bonacaud.