Kerala is bracing for a showdown at Sabarimala Wednesday when several young women are likely to visit the temple as many others get ready to resist the move.
Bengaluru: Women police personnel aged under 50 are believed to have expressed unease over the prospect of deployment near the sanctum sanctorum of Kerala’s Sabarimala temple, which is expected to open Wednesday for its monthly rituals.
Last month, the Supreme Court allowed women of all ages into the temple’s sanctum (sannidhanam) in a landmark order that nullified an age-old bar on females aged 10-50, which signifies the period of menstruation.
The bar, devotees say, is necessary because Lord Ayyappa, the reigning deity, is believed to be a brahmachari (bachelor), and the Supreme Court order has triggered several protests over what is seen as an “assault” on tradition.
Also read: Mother of teen says plea to reinstate Sabarimala bar on women offensive to Lord Ayyappa
The protesters include several women and, notably, the lone dissenting voice in the Supreme Court’s 4:1 majority verdict was Justice Indu Malhotra’s.
Now, the state intelligence has said in a report to the police headquarters that many young women officers are uneasy about a possible deployment near the sanctum.
This puts the state police in a quandary, said a local police officer who did not want to be named.
If male police officers are deployed near the steps leading to the sanctum, women pilgrims may object, the officer said, adding: “The dilemma is that policewomen too have refused duty near the sacred steps as they believe in our deep-rooted culture.”
Police were expected to deploy nearly 500 trained women police personnel as well as 200 civil women police officers, who will work in three shifts, to ensure the effective movement of pilgrims at the temple — the shrine at large, where women have always been allowed, as well as the sanctum.
Kerala Inspector General of Police (Thiruvananthapuram range), in charge of security at Sabarimala, said no police officer could refuse to be deployed anywhere. “As (police) officers, we cannot choose where we want to work,” he added.
Abraham also dismissed fears that women devotees will feel uncomfortable.
“We are already catering to women above the age of 50 on a regular basis,” he said. “Every season, we see close to 5 lakh women (who fall in the unrestricted category) come to the temple… And so the arrangements for women’s security are already in place.
“Our purpose is to provide security to everybody who will be coming to the sannidhanam. We will give a security cover to everyone,” he added.
The Supreme Court order has set the stage for a face-off at the famous temple, where several young women are expected to arrive from 17 October amid deep resentment among a vast section of devotees. Many women organisations have planned to visit the temple, on 17 or 18 October, to celebrate the Supreme Court order.
Meanwhile, thousands of devotees campaigning under the “Save Sabarimala” banner, including women and children, will be present near the Pamba river, in the temple’s vicinity, as well as the shrine’s premises to stand guard.
‘Over our chests’
Rahul Easwar, the president of the Ayyappa Dharma Sena and an ardent supporter of the bar, said the state government had “assured us there will be no women officers at the sannidhanam”.
Govt quote to come
“Police will be deployed near the Pamba river,” he said, adding that opponents of the bar had a plan to keep women aged 10-50 away from the sanctum and “protect our principles”.
The first step involves “a fervent verbal plea” asking women to honour the age-old tradition and not violate their beliefs. The second part will be to lie down on the roads leading to the temple.
“We will not forcibly resist anybody. Thousands of people will be lying down on the road and if anybody wants to enter, let them do so by walking over our chests,” said Easwar.
“This is the Gandhian method of resistance, which was used during the Narmada Bachao Andolan. It is our way of saying that we will not beat anybody, but we are ready to be beaten, we will not hurt anybody, but we are ready to suffer,” he added.
Meanwhile, police face another major challenge in crowd management, given the increased number of devotees expected to take the 18 “holy steps” to the sanctum. To this end, a high-powered committee set up to assess the challenge has suggested that only 75 people be allowed near the sanctum per minute, with “equal opportunity to both genders”.
Politics at play
Political players have participated in the protests against the Supreme Court order too, with the Congress and the BJP and several Hindu radical groups also seeking to corner the ruling Left Democratic Front government, which has been trying to implement the directive.
Also read: Sabarimala temple ruling distances courts from Indians steeped in tradition
“On 17 October,” said Peringammala Ajit of the Kerala unit of the Shiv Sena, “a women squad will gather near the Pamba river and if they find any young woman trying to enter Sabarimala [sanctum], our activists will commit suicide.”
Now let’s pray that this controversy doesn’t cause a stampede at the temple during its exposition.