Watch: Massive Protests By Women In Kerala’s Pandalam Against Supreme Court’s Sabarimala Verdict

Over one lakh Swami Ayyappa devotees chanted prayers and took out a procession at Pandalam in Kerala in protest against the Supreme Court ruling to allow menstruating women into the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. The procession was taken out from the Pandalam NSS Medical Mission Junction to Pandalam Valiyakoickal temple with the devotees, led by thousands of women, chanting “Ayyappan keerthanams”.

No political party was involved in organising the protest, that was called for by the Pandalam royal family that has made its unhappiness over the verdict public. Later, a public meeting was held after the procession ended with various leaders, Hindu priests, social and religious leaders addressing it. The New Indian Express reported that Pandalam Kottaram Nirvahaka Samithi president Sasikumar Varma has said that prayer meetings will continue across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka till the 28 September ruling of the Supreme Court allowing women between ages of 10 and 50 to enter the Sabarimala Temple is rectified. Pandalam is the birthplace of Swamy Ayyappa.

Similar processions were taken out in other parts of Kerala such as Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. Protests in Kochi led to the blockade of the national highway for almost an hour. Similarly, roads were blocked in Alappuzha, Kollam and Palakkad when the protests were staged.

On Wednesday (3 October), Ayyappa Seva Sanghams in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka besides Kerala were scheduled to continue their protest meetings. The Supreme Court 4:1 majority ruling has left many Ayyappa devotees and Hindu organisation bitter. The Pandalam royal family had criticised the ruling saying the court should have allowed the tradition, that came into existence much before the Constitution was framed, to continue.

Girls below the age of 10 and women above 50 years are allowed to enter Sabarimala temple. Those of menstruating age are not allowed in deference to the Naishtika Brahmachari (eternal bachelor) status of the presiding deity, Ayyappa at Sabarimala. The Supreme Court ruling struck down the traditional practice on the grounds that the Constitutions does not permit such discrimination. However, critics of the judgement point out at the dissenting judge Indu Malhotra’s observation that the court should not have entertained the petition and kept off the temple affairs.