Despite SC verdict, Women devotees of Lord Ayyappa say, won't enter temple against tradition

New Delhi, Sep 28: Just when many women across the country welcomed the Supreme Court verdict allowing women to enter Sabarimala temple, a different kind of movement seems to be taking shape in Kerala.

A section of women who advocated #Readytowait campaign argued that only women of a certain age are barred from entering the temple and that it is okay to wait till 50 to enter the holy shrine.

#Readytowait campaign activist Smitha P Devi said that the verdict had reduced Sabarimala to an ordinary temple.

"Sabarimala is not merely a temple. It is a school of advaitha founded by Lorda Ayyappa on the basis of values of brahmacharya. With the verdict, the supreme court has closed the only true advaitha school in the country. I am very sad about the judgement and I don't know how to react to it," she said speaking to Firstpost.

The "devotee activists", on the other hand, say rights activists have misunderstood the issue. "It is wrong to say women are banned in Sabarimala," said activist Rahul Easwar, whose grandfather was senior supreme priest at Sabarimala.

"Only women of a certain age are restricted and that also has a context. Here, the deity has been consecrated as a brahmachari who does not want to be with women. That is why women are not allowed here while all other Ayyappa temples are open to women. There is no more violation of right here than in women-only and men-only colleges."

In a majority judgment, the Supreme Court has held that any exception placed on women because of biological differences is violative of the Constituion. In his judgment, Chief Justice Dipak Misra said that exclusionary practices cannot be justified as a right to practice religion