Nilakkal: Police personnel, including fresh recruits of the woman battalion, took up positions in heavy downpour at Nilakkal, 20 km short of Sabarimala, after woman vigilantes evicted a Tamil couple, come for Ayyappa darshan, from a KSTRC bus, on Tuesday night, hours before the temple opens for the monthly pooja on Wednesday.
Tension reigned as vigilantes, both men and women, stopped vehicles and evicted young women they thought were headed for the hill shrine, emboldened by the top court verdict striking down age-old restrictions on woman worshippers. But they faced the wrath of self-styled protectors of traditions, who vowed to punish anyone breaking the custom barring women in 10-50 age group from Ayyappa darshan.
In Thiruvananthapu- ram, the meeting between Travancore Devaswom Board and the pro-tradition group comprising tanstris and Pandalam ex-royals to find a via media solution, fizzled out over whether the board would prefer a review petition before the Supreme Court.
For the LDF Government, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reiterated the resolve to punish anyone taking law in his/her hands and ruled out filing a review petition since the Government is committed to gender equality.
At Nilakkal, a woman devotee tried to commit suicide, vexed by the verdict. Scores of women and men chanting, “Swamiye Ayyappa”, were sitting in protest at Nilakkal, not letting women go to Pampa, the Sabarimala base camp. They argued with police personnel who tried to prevent them from harassing passengers.
The women, most of them from local settlements, along with young men, said they would continue their protest till the Supreme Court gave a favourable verdict. “Young women who try to defy us will be taught a lesson,” they said.
The women, who were protesting at the 'Namajapa mantra koottayama,' knew nothing about the legal implications of the matter. But they insist on no woman goes past Nilakkal to Sabarimala. Veena, daughter of Ratnamna,47, Anjilomootil, Attathode, who tried to hang herself in the morning, told DC that she suspected that the organizers had forced her mother to do so. “I don't think my mother would volunteer to hang. I will not endorse such acts,” she said.
A high-level meeting of police officials in Thiruvananthapuram evening reviewed the situation and decided to ensure adequate protection to any woman who turns up for darshan. A decision on deploying woman cops at Sannidhanam, the area barred for women, will depend upon the number of woman pilgrims who turn up for darshan, police sources said.
Since Tuesday morning a section of local people tried to block vehicles towards Nillackal, a base camp of the hill shrine, and prevented even women journalists from proceeding further. ADGP (South-zone) Anil Kant and Pathananthitta district police chief T Narayanan were camping at Sabarimala. The police also intensified the patrolling.
State police chief Loknath Behera issued a directive to the police officials to take stringent action against those blocking vehicles towards Sabarimala. Mr. Behera said in a statement that woman police personnel would be deployed to avert attempts by a section of people, including women, to block vehicles and carry out searches along the Vadasserrikkara - Nillakkal and Erumedli - Nillakkal routes. Police strike force was deployed at Nilakkal and Pampa.
Karthiyayani,54, hailing from Attathode settlement near Nilakkal, said she joined the protest along with her family members soon after the judgment. The order shocked her.
“I was born in the panchayat where Sabarimala is located and I had never felt a desire to go to Sabarimala after l turned 10. I believe if young women enter Sabarimala, there would be serious consequences not only in Pathanamthitta but the entire world. That is why we stay here to protect the ritual as well as the world. If women come here wanting to go to Sabarimala, we will make them aware of the rituals. If they still want to go, we will let them and they will face the consequences,” she said.
Sujith, a devotee who came here from Bangaluru to protest against the Supreme Court judgment, said judges delivered the verdict without knowing the sentiments of devotees. “I suspect a conspiracy to inject European culture thorough the court of law. I am a staunch devotee of Ayyappa and it is my duty to ensure that the rituals remain intact,” he said.
Another devotee Suneesh, 35, hailing from Kodali of Thrissur, felt that Sabarimala will become a centre of prostitutes if the verdict is implemented. He has come here without the support of any organisations and said he would physically prevent any woman trying to go to Sabarimala. “ I don't care for the court verdict,” he said.
Sources said that the government wanted the police to maintain utmost restraint, especially considering the religious sensitivity of the issue. "There would be even deliberate attempts by vested interest groups to bring women for Sabarimala darshan. The political andreligious outfits opposed to women entry would resist it. Hence there was every chance of tension and it would be a tightrope walk for the police," said sources.
