Sabarimala verdict: Supreme Court throws open gate of Kerala temple for all women
New Delhi, Sep 28 (IBNS): Ending a century-old tradition, the Supreme Court on Friday passed a historic judgement which allows women of all ages to enter Kerala's Sabarimala Temple, which so far remained barred for female persons, media reports said.
The top court was hearing a clutch of petitions that have been challenging the ban on the entry of women, who are aged between 10 to 50 years, the average span when menstruation can take place, in Sabarimala Temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappan.
The five-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, passed the judgement in favour of women with a 4:1 ratio. The only judge who had dissented, interestingly a woman, was Indu Malhotra.
The CJI has been quoted by NDTV as saying, "Religion is for one dignity with identity. Right to practice religion available to men and women."
"Rules based on biological characteristics will not muster constitution," Justice Misra said asserting equality among men and women.
He also said, "Religion can't be a cover to deny rights."
On the contrary, Justice Malhotra said court should not interfere in religious matters.
The constitution protects religious practices, she said.
Several women activists have opposed the ban on the entry of women inside the temple.
Earlier in January this year, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the Sabarimala Temple, had decided to make proof-of-age documents mandatory for female devotees at the shrine.
Sabarimala is a Hindu pilgrimage centre at the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of Pathanamthitta District and is one of the largest annual pilgrimages in the world with an estimated 45–50 million devotees visiting every year.
Ayyappan's temple is situated amidst 18 hills on a hilltop.
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