Separate and expansive bathing ghats for women at Pamba, enhanced lighting facilities especially at night, special seats for women in buses and women-friendly toilets are some of the key measures the LDF government in Kerala is planning to undertake at the hill shrine of Sabarimala in the backdrop of the monumental Supreme Court verdict last week. The Sabarimala pilgrimage is considered the second-largest in the world after the Haj, drawing nearly 30 million people every year. The top court on Friday opened the doors of the Sabarimala temple to women of all ages in a 4-1 judgment, beating back centuries-old traditions of the temple management to deny the right to worship to women of procreating age. For decades, women between the ages of 10 and 50 were not allowed entry into the shrine as the Travancore Devaswom Board, that manages the temple, cited the 'celibate' nature of the presiding deity, Lord Ayyappa. The verdict has created ripples in Kerala where progressive sections hailed it calling it a victory for equal rights while conservative sections among Hindus complained that important traditions and rituals were being undermined. On Monday, after a high-level meeting attended by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Minister for Devaswom Kadakampally Surendran, members of the TDB and senior police officers, the administration listed steps it would take to implement the top court order. Also Read | Activist Trupti Desai seeks police security after death threats for hailing SC verdict on Sabarimala Surendran, briefing reporters after the meeting in Thiruvananthapuram, indicated that the government was ready to make all arrangements for women pilgrims who would visit the shrine during the first five days of the Malayalam month of Thulam (likely to fall in 2nd-3rd week of October) as well as during the long Mandalam festival in November-January. The temple, that attracts lakhs of devotees mainly from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, witnesses heavy rush during the annual Mandalam festival. Barring the Mandalam festival, the sanctum sanctorum is only open to pilgrims for the first five days of every Malayalam month. "There is already a separate bathing ghat for women and children on the banks of Pamba river. Anticipating the rush of more women, the ghat will be expanded and made bigger. Right now, there's a problem of lighting on the forest route to the sannidhanam (temple). Lighting will be improved. Women-friendly toilets will be set up on the route," Surendran told reporters. Drinking water facilities will be upgraded at Erumeli, Vandiperiyar and Nilakkal. The Minister added that 25 per cent of the seats on buses which run between Nilakkal and Pamba will be reserved for women. Additionally, women will be introduced into security contingents which handle crowds at the temple premises. Female cops will be deployed on the route to Sabarimala as well as the precints of the shrine. However, separate queues for women will not be introduced, he said, as they are likely to travel with their families which will involve men as well. Express Opinion | Liberty without statism "We cannot do anything about people waiting too long in queues. When I visited the Thiruvairanikulam temple, I saw women waiting in queues for darshan for almost eight hours. So in my opinion, only those who can brave long waiting queues should make the pilgrimage," the minister said. At the same time, a digital booking facility will be introduced during the mandalam festival this year to eliminate large rush of pilgrims. A 'Virtual-Q' system, designed and introduced by the Kerala Police a few years ago through which pilgrims can book slots at a specified date and time in the queue, will continue, the minister noted. During last year's festival season, nearly 7 lakh pilgrims used the 'Virtual-Q' system. To clear rush, pilgrims will be especially asked not to linger on in temple premises after worship, Surendran said. They would be asked to come, pray and leave the premises immediately. Also Read | Sabarimala temple: Women entry issue first came up in Kerala High Court 28 years ago While the CPM-led LDF government has praised the verdict calling it timely, the autonomous TDB is rumoured to file a review petition against the judgment. CM Vijayan is believed to have made his displeasure known over the TDB's rumoured move in the meeting on Monday.
