SABARIMALA TO SHUT ITS GATES TODAY; WARNED OF ATTACKS, JOURNALISTS ASKED TO LEAVE AREA

The gates of Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala will close its gates today at 10 PM after five days of rituals and puja. The shrine opened on October 18, after the Supreme Court's historic verdict, allowing women of all ages entry into the temple.

However, over the last four days, 9 woman, who tried to enter the sanctum sanctorum, were stopped, heckled and forced to turn back due to massive protests. Yesterday, a 47-year-old woman suffered a panic attack at the entrance  of the temple after protesters surrounded and heckled her. Despite police support and protection, the protesters have reigned supreme.

Journalists who have been reporting the saga from Pamba, have been advised by police to leave the area as they had information about targetted attacks on the media.

The temple administration has written to the government that it would lock the temple and stop rituals if any tradition is broken. Now there are concerns over more than a thousand men camping inside the temple, who can take law into their own hands, to stop women less than 50, from entering the shrine claimed the temple authorities.

Meanwhile a political blamegame has erupted over the issue, with the Congress, BJP, and the CPI(M)-led Kerala government hitting out at each other. With the gates set to shut tonight, will any woman of menstruating age be able to make her way into the shrine? While it is highly unlikely, it will be interesting to see how the situation pans out.