KOCHI: A 12-member group from the women's organisation Manithi based in Tamil Nadu reached Pamba in Kerala, the foothills of the Lord Ayyappa Temple in Kerala,

to have darshan at

in the wee hours of Sunday. Even though they reached Pamba by 3.30am, the Ayyappa devotees blocked their entry to Sabarimala.

They reached Pamba without facing any major protests. Selvi, who is leading the 12-member group, said that out of 12 women, only six members will be carrying the Irumudikettu.

However, the temple authorities of Pamba Mahaganapathy Temple refused to perform the rituals for the women who are carrying the irumudikettu towards Sabarimala.

Among the 12 women, 11 are below 50 years of age.

Selvi added they are not avtivists but "are true devotees of Ayyappa".

The 12 members have reached Pamba by road from Chennai. On the way to the temple they faced protests at Kerala border near Theni. Around ten police vehicles had given them security to reach Pamba.

Since they reached in the wee hours, there was no protest at Nilackal. The police took them to Pamba without stopping at Nilackal.

The women's group are at Pamba Ganapathy Temple for performing the ritual to get irumudikettu and to trek towards the holly shrine. Group member Selvi said only six of them will be taking their irumudikettu to climb the holly steps at Sannidhanam.

The 12-member group of women are holding a dharna before Ganapathy temple at Pamba, as they have been blocked by Ayyappa devotees. Selvi said they are not ready to go back.

Hundreds of Ayyappa devotees are chanting Ayyappa mantras while blocking the trek of the women group as Selvi held discussions with the police officials.

The women's group are continuing their dharna as they are adamant that they should be given protection to trek the hill shrine.

But she alleged even though police "had assured us security, now they have backtracked from it".

Women, in the age group of 10-50 years, are traditionally barred from entering the Sabarimala temple. But the Supreme Court, through its September 28 landmark verdict, lifted the curb and permitted women of all age groups to offer prayers at the temple.

"We will continue the protest till we can visit the temple and offer prayers to Lord Ayyappa. Police asked us to go back, citing security reasons. But we will not go," Thilakavathi, one of the members of the group, told a television channel.

"Priests of the local temple at Pamba did not cooperate with us and declined to get our 'irumudikettu' (sacred offering to the God) ready as per custom. So we did it on our own," she said, adding that more members of their outfit would reach the state soon to visit Sabarimala.

Clad in the customary black dress, the women, led by the outfit's coordinator Selvi, insisted to the police that they want protection to offer prayers at the shrine.

As the news spread, a large number of devotees thronged Pamba, about five kilometres away from Sannidhanam (Sabarimala temple complex).

Police officials are now holding talks with the representatives of the outfit.

Anxiety had loomed large in and around Sabarimala temple for some days as 'Manithi', the outfit, had declared that a group of 50 women, all below the traditionally barred age of 50 years, would visit the shrine Sunday.

Selvy had told a Malayalam TV channel that the group comprised women from different states, including Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Karnataka besides Kerala.

She had also said they had already written to the office of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and informed him about their plan to trek to the hill temple.

Kerala had witnessed massive protests by devotees opposing the entry of girls and women in the 10-50 age group into the Sabarimala temple since the Kerala government decided to implement the September 28 verdict of the Supreme Court permitting women of all age groups there.

Over a dozen women have so far made unsuccessful attempts to trek the holy hills.

Four transgenders, who were earlier stopped from proceeding towards the Lord Ayyappa temple citing security reasons, offered prayers at the hill shrine under heavy police security earlier this week.

The Kerala high court earlier this month appointed a three-member committee, vesting them with powers to oversee law and order and other problems faced by pilgrims during the ongoing annual season.

With inputs from PTI