Chennai: “Unlike men who go to Sabarimala under the guidance of a ‘gurusamy’, women have no such person to lead. We are organising them to exercise their rights,” said Selvi, a lawyer and activist from Manithi. Around 50 women, led by Chennai based women right’s group Manithi are all set to visit Sabarimala on December 23.
“All the women visiting the temple would observe celibacy for five days before going to Sabarimala,” Selvi said, speaking to Deccan Chronicle. “Women from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Odisha will join together and women’s groups from Kerala, like the Adivasi women’s group, will lead us there.”
Manithi had written to the Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking support to visit the temple.”We got a response informing us that our email has been forwarded to police officers in Pathanamthitta to provide help during our visit,”Selvi said, adding that since they are going as a group, they l derive strength from their unity.
After Manithi announced their trip on their Facebook page on 16, more women have approached us to help them to go to Sabarimala. “It is the right of women and no one should stop them from visiting the temple, we will extend our support to any woman who shows the willingness to visit,” Selvi said.
Despite receiving discouragement online, the group has not wavered, Selvi says proudly.”There has not been any direct threat. Several people have left messages and comments online but that will not bring us down,” she says.
Despite the Supreme Court verdict on September 28 this year which allows women of all age groups to offer prayers at the shrine, no women had entered the temple due to protest by the BJP and other Hindu outfits. So far, around 16 women have been turned away from entering the temple premises.
