Meet The Women Who Made History By Entering Sabarimala
The Sabarimala temple in Kerala was shut on Wednesday (January 02) "for purification" after two women from the hitherto banned age group said they had prayed there, and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan confirmed this was true. "Yes, it's true. The women have had the temple darshan," the Chief Minister said in Thiruvananthapuram.
Kanaka Durga (39) and Bindu Ammini (40) made history by becoming the first in centuries to enter Sabarimala Temple, which traditionally bans the entry of women of menstrual age, in Kerala, after India's Supreme Court ruled in late September to end a ban on women of menstruating age entering it. In this photo, Kanaka Durga and Bindu Ammini are seen posing for a photo after an interview with Reuters in Kochi. (Image: Reuters)
They had attempted to enter the temple last year as well but were turned away by protesters. In this photo, Kanaka Durga and Bindu Ammini are seen escorted by police in Pathanamthitta on December 24. (Image: Reuters)
A massive protest erupted after two women entered the holy shrine in Sabarimala. In this photo, Police are seen tackling protestors in Kerala. (Reuters)
Protesters burn an effigy of Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of the southern state of Kerala, during a protest against the state government for allowing two women to defy an ancient ban and enter the Sabarimala temple, in New Delhi. (Image: Reuters)
A dawn-to-dusk 12-hour hartal called by Hindu outfits on Thursday (January 02) in protest against the entry of two women entered the Sabarimala temple of Lord Ayyappa. In this photo, A policeman is seen chasing protesters. (Image: PTI)
Protesters beat an effigy of Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of the southern state of Kerala, with shoes during a protest against the state government for allowing two women to defy an ancient ban and enter the Sabarimala temple, in New Delhi. (Image: Reuters)
Policemen wear riot gear before the start of a rally during a strike called by Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to protest against the state government for allowing two women to defy an ancient ban and enter the Sabarimala temple, in Kochi. (Image: Reuters)
Protesters beat an effigy of Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of the southern state of Kerala, with shoes during a protest against the state government for allowing two women to defy an ancient ban and enter the Sabarimala temple, in New Delhi. (Image: Reuters)
Police arrest BJP workers in connection with a protest of Sabarimala women entering, in Kochi. (Image: PTI)
Policemen chase away a protester during a protest against the entry of two women to the Sabarimala temple, in Thiruvananthapuram. (Image: PTI)
Congress party activists burn an effigy of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reacting to reports of two women entering the Sabarimala temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. (Image: AP)
Police arrest BJP workers in connection with a protest of Sabarimala women entering, in Kochi. (Image: PTI)
Policemen stand guard near the state secretariat anticipating protests in Kerala. (Image: AP)
Priests carry out 'purification' of the Lord Ayyappa Temple after two women in their early 40s entered the shrine and offered prayers, in Sabarimala, Kerala on January 02, 2018. (Image: PTI)
The Sabarimala temple in Kerala was shut after two women from the hitherto banned age group prayed there and was reopened an hour later after the priests performed purification rituals".
The women — Bindu (42), a CPI(ML) activist from Koyilandy in Kozhikode district, and Kanakadurga (44), a civil supplies employee from Angadipuram in Malappuram — became the first female pilgrims of menstruating age to have achieved the feat after the Supreme Court overturned a traditional ban on women's entry last year.
Two Kerala women devotees were escorted down the hill, as thousands of Ayyappa devotees on Monday (December 24) put up a massive protest causing one of the women to faint. (Image: PTI)
Bindu from Malappuram and Kanaka Durga from Kannur, both from the hitherto banned age group, were stopped at 8 a.m., barely 1000 metres away from the shrine as even a 100-policemen contingent could not pass through a massive wall of Ayyappa chanters. Despite the police resorting to a lathi-charge, the situation did not change. In fact tension escalated and more security force was requested to be deployed at the spot. (Image: PTI)
Four transgenders draped in sarees, who were earlier denied permission to visit the Sabarimala temple, completed their darshan of the Lord Ayyappa shrine on December 18 after securing permission. (Image: PTI)
Four transgenders draped in sarees, who were earlier denied permission to visit the Sabarimala temple, have their darshan of the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala. (Image: PTI)
Hindu Aikya Vedi leader KP Sasikala climbs up the 18 sacred steps to offer prayers at Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala. The leader, who is out on bail, was earlier arrested from near the temple over alleged attempts to foment trouble. (Image: PTI)
Devotees wait to offer prayers at Lord Ayyappa temple on the first day of Malayalam month of 'Vrischikom,' in Sabarimala. Pilgrims, including children, queued up in large numbers since the temple opened at 3 am.(Image: PTI)
Union minister Alphons Kannanthanam offers prayer at Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala. He visited the shrine to study the facilities meant for the pilgrims.I had visited the temple town two months back and found out that it was in a pretty bad shape due to the floods. I had suggested that a lot of things had to be done to make it fit for a smooth pilgrimage," Alphons told IANS. (Image:PTI)
Over 70 pilgrims have been arrested since late last night from Sabarimala temple after they failed to comply to prohibitory orders leading to protests here and across Kerala. (Image: PTI)
While angry devotees took to streets, raised slogans and held prayer sessions in front of police stations across the state. (Image: PTI)
Police personnel detain the devotees who were staging 'Namajapa' protest against the police restrictions at Sannidhanam, in Sabarimala. (Image: PTI)
Devotees stage 'Namajapa' protest against the police restrictions, at Sannidhanam, in Sabarimala. The devotees were reportedly refused permission to halt at Malikappuram. (Image: PTI)
Police personnel detain the devotees who were staging 'Namajapa' protest against the police restrictions at Sannidhanam, in Sabarimala. (Image: PTI)
Women’s rights activist Trupti Desai and other women pilgrims wait at the Cochin International Airport after protesters blocked the arrival gate of the domestic terminal, in Kochi on November 16, 2018. Desai was forced to stay inside the Airport as hundreds of protesters blocked her way at the arrival gate of the domestic terminal. (Image: PTI)
Police stand guard after women’s rights activist Trupti Desai arrived at the Cochin International Airport to visit the Sabarimala temple, in Kochi. (Image: PTI)
Trupti Desai, a women's rights activist, waves from inside the Cochin International Airport at Kochi. Trupti Desai along with six women pilgrims, all aged under 50, arrived in Kerala from Pune at 4.40 am on Friday. However, she was not allowed to move out of the arrival terminal of the airport. (Image: Reuters)
Demonstrators chant hymns during a protest against the arrival of Trupti Desai, a women's rights activist, outside the Cochin International Airport at Kochi. (Image: Reuters)
Protesters oppose the entry of women to the Sabarimala Temple, Kerala, Friday, Oct 19, 2018. Rehana Fathima and journalist Kavitha Jakkal were escorted to the temple but the priest reportedly locked it and the women had to return mid-way. (Image: PTI)
Activist Rehana Fathima being escorted by the police to Sabarimala Temple, Kerala. (Image: PTI)
Activist Rehana Fathima being escorted by the police to Sabarimala Temple, Kerala, Friday, Oct 19, 2018. Rehana Fathima and journalist Kavitha Jakkal were taken to the temple but the priest, reportedly, locked it and the women had to return mid-way. (Image: PTI)
Journalist Kavitha Jakkal being escorted by the police to Sabarimala Temple, Kerala. (Image: PTI)
Journalist Kavitha Jakkal and activist Rehana Fathima being escorted by the police to Sabarimala Temple, Kerala. (Image: PTI)
Suhasini Raj, a Delhi-based New York Times journalist, to Sabarimala Temple, Kerala. Suhasini Raj had to return mid-way after violent protests. (Image: PTI)
Melsanthi Unnikrishnan Nampoothiri opens the Sabarimala temple for the five-day monthly pooja in the Malayalam month of ‘Thulam’, Sabarimala on October 17, 2018. Tension was witnessed outside Sabarimala temple that was opened for the first time for women between the age of 10 and 50 following the Supreme Court verdict, turning over the age-old custom of not admitting them. (Image: PTI)
Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple head priest (Tantri) Kandararu Rajeevaru gestures at devotees who were staging a protest against the Supreme Court verdict on the entry of women, as he arrives on the opening day of the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala. (Image: PTI)
An elderly woman on her way to Sabarimala Temple as police personnel stand on guard, in Pathanamthitta. (Image: PTI)
Devotees, including women, outside the Lord Ayyappa Temple on its opening day in Sabarimala, Kerala. Sabarimala temple opened for the first time for women between the age of 10 and 50 on October 17, turning over the age-old custom of not admitting them based on a 28 September Supreme Court verdict. (Image: PTI)
Police escort Madhavi (of Andhra Pradesh) and her family members after she was heckled by the protesters while she was seeking the entry to the Lord Ayyappa Temple on its opening day in Sabarimala, Kerala. (Image: PTI)
Police escort Madhavi (of Andhra Pradesh) and her family members after she was heckled by the protesters. (Image: PTI)
Police chase away a protestor after they opposed the entry of girls and women into the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala. (Image: PTI)
Police take away one of the protestors after they opposed the entry of girls and women of menstrual age into the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala, Kerala. (Image: PTI)
It's Devotees vs Cops at Sabarimala as Kerala Police baton charge protesters at Nilakkal as the mob started pelting stones. (Image: News18)
Police lathi-charge on the protestors after they opposed the entry of girls and women of menstrual age into the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala. (Image: PTI)
A policeman charges his baton at protesters who tried to block women of menstruating age from going to the Sabarimala temple at Nilakkal, a base camp on way to the mountain shrine in Kerala. The historic mountain shrine, one of the largest Hindu pilgrimage centers in the world is set to open its doors to females of menstruating age following a ruling by the country's top court. Police arrested some protesters when they tried to block the path of some females. (Image: AP)
Indian policemen are deployed to guard against protestors who are opposed to allowing women of menstruating age from entering the Sabarimala temple at Nilakkal, a base camp on way to the mountain shrine in Kerala. (Image: AP)
A policeman throws back a stone as they clash with protestors who tried to stop women of menstruating age from going to the Sabarimala temple at Nilakkal, a base camp on way to the mountain shrine in Kerala. (Image: AP)
Police chase away protestors who tried to stop women of menstruating age from going to the Sabarimala temple at Nilakkal, a base camp on way to the mountain shrine in Kerala. (Image: AP)
Women police personnel are deployed to guard against protestors blocking the path of women of menstruating age going to the Sabarimala temple at Nilakkal, a base camp on way to the mountain shrine in Kerala. (Image: AP)
An elderly woman on her way to Sabarimala Temple as police personnel stand on guard, in Pathanamthitta. Sabarimala Temple is open to women of all age groups for the first time since Supreme Court announced its verdict. (Image: PTI)
As Pamba slowly limps to normalcy, protests have started gaining steam in Nilakkal where devotees have attacked several media vehicles amid chants of Lord Ayyappa slogans.(Image: News18)
Tribals living in the forests around Sabarimala feel some vested interests were utilising the Supreme Court verdict to play politics over the issue.(Image: News18)
Despite police presence, incidents of devotees preventing women from entering the shrine have been on the rise. (Image: News18)
Devotees favouring barring women from entering the Sabarimala temple scan vehicles at Nilackal, a base camp on way to the mountain shrine in Kerala. (Image: AP)
Devotees take part in a motorcycle rally as part of a protest against the lifting of ban by Supreme Court that allowed entry of women to the Sabarimala temple in Pathanamthitta, Kerala. (Image: Reuters)
A Hindu devotee is surrounded by other devotees as she threatens to commit suicide in protest against the lifting of the ban by Supreme Court that allowed entry of women to the Sabarimala temple, at Nilakkal Base camp in Pathanamthitta. (Image: Reuters)
Devotees stop a car to check if any women of menstruating age are headed towards the Sabarimala temple in Kerala (Image: Reuters)
Lord Ayyappa devotees during a protest called by various Hindu organisations against the lifting of ban by Supreme Court that allowed entry of women to the Sabarimala temple, in Ahmedabad. (Image: PTI)
Lord Ayyappa devotees during a protest called by various Hindu organisations against the lifting of ban by Supreme Court that allowed entry of women to the Sabarimala temple, in Ahmedabad. (Image: PTI)
Women gesture as they chant religious hymns worshipping Lord Ayyappa during a protest against Supreme Court's verdict on Sabarimala, in New Delhi. The protestors demanded either an immediate review petition or an ordinance to overrule the Supreme Court verdict. (Image: AP)
Women chant religious hymns as they protest against a recent Supreme Court verdict in New Delhi. (Image: AP)
