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Some months ago, Kerala made international headlines as women fought to enter the famed Sabarimala temple in the face of violence and threats. But going by an incident that occurred earlier this month, the state seems to have come a long way since then: two women visited the temple to attend rituals related to Onam. While they had expected some resistance and physical violence, the thousands of devotees who had gathered there seemed to have no problems, and they were able to enter the temple in peace.
Women’s collective Navothana Keralam Sthree Paksha Koottayma (NKSPK) said on its Facebook page that the women did not have any police security and weren’t subjected to abuses or threats. The collective, which has helped several women enter the temple in spite of resistance from Sangh Parivar cadre in the past year, said it would disclose more details about the women soon, and that more women would enter the temple when it opens next.
A year after the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple, women’s groups in Kerala are more determined than ever to ensure that their hard-fought gains don’t wither away. Despite the Left’s humiliating performance in the last Lok Sabha election, at least partly attributable to its decision to uphold the SC verdict, the CPI(M)-led state government and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan have reiterated their commitment to supporting the cause. While the right-wing now seems to have lost the momentum it had built up over the issue, the Congress continues to maintain that the Vijayan government hurt devotees’ sentiments.
“Whatever be the stand of the BJP and Congress, it seems the resistance levels of orthodoxy are weakening in Sabarimala. The musclemen are no more in action and women of menstrual age are freely entering the temple whenever it opens for devotees,” said Kanakadurga, one of the two women who created history in January by entering the temple.
While the BJP had hoped that the protests would help open its Lok Sabha account in Kerala, it didn’t win a single seat.
www.huffingtonpost.in
Communities were torn apart for party politics.
Women’s collective Navothana Keralam Sthree Paksha Koottayma (NKSPK) said on its Facebook page that the women did not have any police security and weren’t subjected to abuses or threats. The collective, which has helped several women enter the temple in spite of resistance from Sangh Parivar cadre in the past year, said it would disclose more details about the women soon, and that more women would enter the temple when it opens next.
A year after the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple, women’s groups in Kerala are more determined than ever to ensure that their hard-fought gains don’t wither away. Despite the Left’s humiliating performance in the last Lok Sabha election, at least partly attributable to its decision to uphold the SC verdict, the CPI(M)-led state government and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan have reiterated their commitment to supporting the cause. While the right-wing now seems to have lost the momentum it had built up over the issue, the Congress continues to maintain that the Vijayan government hurt devotees’ sentiments.
“Whatever be the stand of the BJP and Congress, it seems the resistance levels of orthodoxy are weakening in Sabarimala. The musclemen are no more in action and women of menstrual age are freely entering the temple whenever it opens for devotees,” said Kanakadurga, one of the two women who created history in January by entering the temple.
While the BJP had hoped that the protests would help open its Lok Sabha account in Kerala, it didn’t win a single seat.
One Year After Sabarimala Verdict, Kerala’s Women Say No Going Back
While the BJP seems to have lost the momentum it had built around the issue, activists say people have begun accepting the entry of women into the temple.
Communities were torn apart for party politics.
