Alappuzha: Amid tension over the entry of young women, the sanctum sanctorum of the Sabarimala Temple was open for a five-day monthly puja (Kumbamasa puja) on Tuesday evening.
Melsaanthi (Chief priest) V.N. Vasudevan Namboodiri opened the temple doors in the presence of the Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru at 5 pm. No special pujas were held on Tuesday. The devotees were allowed to pass through the gates at Pampa by the police at 12.30 pm. No rush of pilgrims was seen on the opening day.
Meanwhile, police has kept a close eye on the situation deploying as many as 700 personnel in and around the Sabarimala temple. Though the police asked the district administration to impose Section 144 of CrPC, the prohibitory order was not been enforced till late evening.
P.B. Nooh, Pathana-mthitta District Collector, told this newspaper that they were considering the police recommendation. “We are thinking on whether to impose Section 144 or not. So far we have not made up our mind,” the Collector said.
The temple and its base camps had witnessed tensions between police and protesters during the 64-day annual pilgrimage season that ended on January 20 and Thulamasa puja season in October. Many people were booked in connection with the violence.
Many young women who were not alloed to enter Sabarimala temple had to face the fury of of protesters. The police will see their work increase if any young woman seeks protection to go to the temple. Many women including Reshma Nishanth and Shanila Sajesh hailing from Kannur, had said that they would be back again for darshan when they were turned back by police during recently concluded pilgrimage season. Many right wing groups have also declared open war against young women who try to enter the temple this season as well. So it will be a Herculean task for police to keep protesters at bay.
It was on September 28, 2018, the Supreme Court judgment came allowing all age women to the temple. Since then temple and base camps had occurred many political dramas across the state. The season also comes at a time when the SC put off review petitions, heard earlier this month, for delivering judgement.
