The rationale is that transwomen - those who were assigned male at birth but identify as women - do not menstruate.
Women have been unable to enter the Ayyappa shrine at Sabarimala despite a Supreme Court order. But transwomen seem to have had better luck on the basis that the ban on women of menstruating age from entering the temple does not apply to them. On Tuesday, four transwomen who had earlier been stopped by police offered their prayers to Ayyappa without any opposition.
The four transwomen - identified as Anannyah, Trupthi, Ranjumol and Avantika - had been stopped by police from proceeding on Sunday at Erumeli, about 50 km away from the hill shrine. Police had asked them to change into men's clothes if they wanted to continue. The rationale they offered was that if they carried on in women's clothes, it could cause confusion and even violence at the shrine.
The transwomen refused and approached the panel appointed by the Kerala High Court to oversee this season's pilgrimage. The panel consulted both the priests of the temple as well as the members of the erstwhile royal family of Pandalam, which still plays a role in the administration of the temple, The Indian Express reported.
Neither the priests nor the family had any objections to permitting the transwomen to worship at the shrine. They noted that the restrictions on worship at the shrine only covered menstruating women.
The four transwomen were escorted to the temple by the police, and offered prayers, to which none of the other pilgrims objected, reports said.
However, it is important to note that the go-ahead for worship at the shrine is not for all transgenders, but only for transwomen - individuals who were assigned male at birth but identify as female.
The entry of transmen - individuals assigned female at birth who identify as men - may still be opposed by those blocking the entry of women to the temple on the rationale that they may still be menstruating if they have not undergone medical interventions.
More than 30 women have tried and failed so far to gain entry to the temple.
It is also important to note that the legend surrounding the birth of Ayyappa and has identification with the deity Hariharaputra relies on Shiva as one parent and Vishnu as the other, in his form as the female Mohini.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "4 transwomen have been allowed to enter the temple at Sabarimala.")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}