The holy hill-top shrine of Sabrimala will be opened today for the devotees at 5 pm, the pilgrims will be allowed to climb 18 holy steps after ‘Padi Puja' and have darshan. The state government is making sure that no stone left unturned for comfortable and hassle-free pilgrimage. The pilgrimage will go on for two months.
Kandararu mahesh Mohananaru will open the sanctum sanctorum, devotees have started to arrive at Nilackal and Pamba from kerala and different parts of the country, they would be allowed to leave the shrine only after 2 pm.
The state government of kerala has fortified the shrine, tight security would prevail throughout the two months long pilgrimage, the state government will supervise tight vigilance especially after honourable supreme court judgement of 2018 allowing menstruating women of 10-50 years age group, however in recent judgement the sc has referred the Sabrimala case to larger 7 judge bench for the verdict. The state government have decided to implement the sc judgement.
The government also decided not to give police protection to 10-50 years age group women while trekking the holy shrine. Several women groups have slammed the government’s decision though, the trekking of shrine is very difficult, as vehicles can carry devotees up to Pamba. The holy hill-top shrine is located in forest area of western Ghats in Patthanamthitta district of the state.
