Women can now enter Kolhapur temple

Women can now enter the sanctum sanctorum of Goddess Mahalaxmi at Kolhapur,the state government said on Friday.

The announcement was made by Minister of State for Home Satej Patil after a meeting of police,district officials and priests,who had refused the entry of women on grounds of tradition. Women will be allowed inside the temple from 10 am to 11.30 am.

The ban on women’s entry was challenged in the High Court by the Anddha Shraddha Nirmula Samiti chief Narendra Dabholkar and Shalini Oak in 2000. The verdict is pending. The BJP’s women’s wing,led by Neeta Kelkar,and MNS MLA Ram Kadam had led agitations at the temple this week.