Devaswom board to seek time to implement SC order

The Travancore Devaswom Board will approach the Supreme Court to seek more time to implement its order to allow women of menstrual age to offer prayers at the Sabarimala shrine. The decision was taken after the board members discussed the issue with legal experts on Friday. The move came on a day when ‘activist’ Trupti Desai’s attempt to reach the shrine was foiled by protesters who did not allow her to move out of the Kochi airport area.

The board will move the court either on Saturday or Monday, TDB president A Padmakumar told reporters in Pamba on Friday. The temple opened Friday evening amid mounting tension in the backdrop of the stand-off over protests by certain sections. The board’s decision comes a day after the LDF government said that it was bound to implement the apex court order and rejected suggestions by opposition parties that it seek time from the court.

High drama was witnessed at the Kochi airport after Pune-based Desai protested, though the state administration later managed to ‘convince’ her to go back. Desai remained confined at the airport after her arrival early morning en route to Sabarimala as protesters, including BJP workers, remained firm that Desai and six other young women who accompanied her would not be allowed to the temple. A complaint was filed against Desai and her group at a police station in Kerala for “outraging religious feelings,” under Section 295A of the Indian Penal code.


Meanwhile, state finance minister Thomas Isaac toldET that the LDF government stood by its intent to ensure that the temple was made accessible to all. The temple opened on Friday for the 2-month long pilgrimage amid unprecedented security around the Nilackal base camp and up in Pamba to protect women devotees. The SC decision has turned into a politically-contentious issue with the local BJP unit stridently organising protests against the order. Condemning the agitation, devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran termed as “uncivilised” the BJP “orchestrated protest” preventing free movement of a citizen.

As the shrine opened at 5 pm, the large number of devotees braving chill weather, carrying offerings rushed to climb the 18 steps leading to the main temple complex. Long queues of waiting devotees were seen on the hills.

The annual pilgrim season is observed in two phases, with the 41-day ‘mandala puja’ festival concluding on December 27. It would reopen for the grand ‘Makaravilakku’ festival on December 30 and close on January 20, marking the culmination of the pilgrim season.