Women can visit Sabarimala shrine: Govt

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Friday, August 18, 2006 (New Delhi):


The government of Kerala says women can enter Sabarimala temple - just hours after the Supreme Court issued a notice to explain the ban.

But the shift in the government's position may not open the temple's doors to women because the autonomous Travancore Devaswom Board governs it.

The State Devaswom Board Minister G Sudhakaran has said the government backs equal status for men and women and it is not opposed to women visiting the shrine.

So far the government maintained the issue was a matter of faith.

Females between the ages of 10-50 years are not permitted to enter the temple under a Kerala High Court order.

"If the Supreme Court asks us to make our stand clear on the issue I will ask my government secretary to tell the court we are for allowing all women in the temple," Sudhakaran said.

Several women's organizations including the CPIM led All India Democratic Women's Association opposed gender discrimination in places of worship.

Ground for debate

The Chief Priest of the temple insists that tradition will be followed.

His spokesman Rahul Easwar said the issue involves religious practice and tradition should not be changed.

These developments are expected to spark a new debate over tradition and gender discrimination at places of worship.

Young Lawyers Association, seeking to ensure the entry of women at the Sabarimala temple filed the petition in court.

They sought quashing of the provision of Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authority of Entry) Rules 1965 by which women are not allowed to enter the temple.