Kolhapur's Mahalaxmi temple thrown open to women

The sanctum sanctorum of the 2,000-year-old Kolhapur-based Mahalaxmi temple would no longer be a “forbidden place” for women. The state government on Friday announced that women could enter that sacred place in the temple from April 16.
Mahalaxmi temple in Kolhapur is one of the shakti peeths in the country and has  immense religious importance. Built by the Chalukya kings, it is a masterpiece of the Hemadpanthi style of architecture.

“Women now can enter the sanctum sanctorum of the Mahalaxmi temple between 10am and 11.30am daily from Saturday,’’ announced minister of state for home, Satej Patil, after a three-hour-long meeting with the temple priests and the officials of the Western Maharashtra Devasthan Committee at the Kolhapur district collector’s office.

However, considering the security issue and the heavy crowd in the temple, the entry time in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple has been restricted from 10am to 11.30am for men also. During this period, women can also offer abhishek to the idol.