The Ayyappa temple here opened Monday for the second time in three weeks for a two-day special puja amid unprecedented security over apprehension of protests by those opposing the Supreme Court order allowing women of all age groups into the shrine.
Clapping and chanting 'Ayyappa saranam', about 200 frenzied devotees surrounded a woman pilgrim on Tuesday to prevent her from entering the Sabarimala shrine, suspecting her to be of menstrual age.
The 52-year-old woman, identified as Lalitha from Tirur, had come to the temple with 19 relatives, including women, for her grandson's 'chorunnu' (rice giving ceremony).
She was near the 'nadapandal' -- the area just before devotees climb the 18 steps to reach the sanctum sanctorum -- when her group was blocked by the protesting mob. Police intervened and after ascertaining the woman's age informed the protesters that she was not in the 'barred' age group and escorted her away.
Local media channels said journalists were also heckled. However, police denied that any such incident took place.
The doors of Sabarimala had opened for six days on October 17 for the first time since the Supreme Court allowed women of menstruating age group to enter the shrine, but none could make it to its hallowed precincts amid a welter of protests and violent clashes.
Lalitha was later taken to a hospital after she complained of uneasiness.
However, after a while she and some of her relatives returned and offered prayers at the temple, which opened this morning for the "Sree Chitira Atta Thirunal" puja to mark the birth anniversary of the last king of the princely state of Travancore Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma.
As they were speaking to mediapersons after the 'darshan', some of the protesters heckled them.
"We didn't expect such a situation," Lalitha said.
Girls below 10 years of age and women above 50 have frequently prayed at the temple in the past. However, the entry of women of all ages has become a sensitive issue after the Supreme Court verdict.
On Monday, a 30-year-old woman, who had reached the base camp at Pamba along with her husband and two children, went back early this morning without offering prayers.
She had told police that it was her husband who was keen that she should worship at the Ayyappa temple.
The Ayyappa temple here opened Monday for the second time in three weeks for a two-day special puja amid unprecedented security over apprehension of protests by those opposing the Supreme Court order allowing women of all age groups into the shrine.
Hundreds of police personnel, including armed commandos, are keeping a tight vigil in the temple complex and nearby areas to prevent any untoward incident.
Following the verdict, attempts by around a dozen women, including activists and journalists in the 10-50 years age group, to script history came to nought as frenzied devotees of Lord Ayyappa heckled and hassled them and forced them to retreat.
Both the Congress, the main opposition party in Kerala, and the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is seeking to expand its footprint in the state, have lent support to the agitation against the Supreme Court verdict.
TELEVISION CAMERAMAN INJURED
A cameraman of a Malayalam television news channel was attacked, allegedly by angry devotees, at the Lord Ayyappa temple complex here Tuesday when he was filming a protest organised to prevent the entry of a woman, whom they suspected to be of menstrual age.
Hundreds of devotees shouted at Vishnu, the cameraman, as he was taking visuals of them protesting. Television channels also aired visuals of some protesters hurling a plastic stool at the cameraman, who climbed up the sun-shade of a building to capture the protest.
Police later confirmed that the woman, identified as Lalitha, a native of Tirur, was 52 years old, and had come to the Lord Ayyappa temple for her grandson's 'chorunnu' (rice giving ceremony).
She came with her family members when the shrine opened this morning for the "Sree Chitira Atta Thirunal" puja to mark the birth anniversary of the last king of the princely state of Travancore, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, police said.
The news channel also alleged that the agitators threw a coconut at him, which devotees offer to the deity.
Vishnu was seen handing over his camera safely to other journalists standing below the sunshade.
The police said no case has been registered so far in connection with the incident.
Several journalists had been attacked by devotees when the doors of the Sabarimala temple was opened for six days on October 17 for the first time since the Supreme Court allowed the entry of women of all age groups into the hill temple.
Attempts by around a dozen women, including activists and journalists in the 10-50 years age group, to script history came to nought as frenzied devotees of Lord Ayyappa heckled and hassled them and forced them to retreat.
The Ayyappa temple opened Monday for the second time in three weeks for a two-day special puja amid unprecedented security over apprehension of protests by those opposing the Supreme Court order, allowing women of menstrual age there.
Hundreds of police personnel, including armed commandos, are keeping a tight vigil in the temple complex and nearby areas to prevent any untoward incident.
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 "Elderly women enter the temple complex in Sabarimala")
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