Tension prevailed at Pamba, the foothills of the Lord Ayyappa Temple in Kerala, on Sunday morning as a group of 11 women, below the age of 50 years, tried to trek the hilltop shrine, even as devotees protested against the move.

Though they attempted to trek through the traditional forest path, about five kilometres from the temple complex, they could not go forward as devotees started ‘namajapa’ (chanting of hymns of the lord) protest against them.

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.

The women belong to the the Chennai-based Manithi outfit.

Also Read: Sabarimala tense again as devotees block women’s group from reaching temple

Here are the highlights:

6:10 pm IST Deliberate attempt of CM to destroy Sabarimala: BJP leader B Gopalakrishnan “This is a deliberate attempt of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to destroy Sabarimala Temple. No young lady from Kerala wants to go there because they’re all devotees of Lord Ayappa,” said BJP leader B Gopalakrishnan, according to news agency ANI.





2:10 pm IST Women devotees were stopped by other pilgrims: Shaji Sugunan, Special Officer, Law and Order, Pamba “11 women devotees had come to offer prayers at Sabarimala temple but they were stopped by other pilgrims. The women devotees have returned now. We can’t use force. It might create a law and order problem,” said Shaji Sugunan, Special Officer, Law and Order, Pamba.





1:39 pm IST We will come back again: Manithi outfit After being evicted from Pamba base camp, Manithi outfit member Selvi said “Police succumbed to ruffians. We will approach the Supreme Court. State failed again. We will come back again.”





1:02 pm IST Women taken to Nilakkal after protesters blocked path to Sabarimala Women devotees were taken to Nilakkal after they were blocked at Pamba base camp by the protesters.





12:24 pm IST ‘Naxal minded people are instigating women,’ says BJP’s Subramanian Swamy “Naxal minded people are instigating women. Today, there is fear of a turmoil. I think we must take them to be troublemakers probably inspired by Naxal forces who hate Hinduism. Action should be taken by the communist government,” said BJP’s Subramanian Swamy.





11:43 am IST Protestors sit in dharna outside Kerala CM’s residence A group of protestors are sitting in dharna outside Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s official residence Cliff House. Tension prevailed at Pamba, the foothills of the Lord Ayyappa Temple in Kerala, on Sunday morning as a group of 11 women below the age of 50 years, tried to trek the hilltop shrine, even as devotees protested against the move.





11:39 am IST Police assure to escort the group of women to hilltop shrine The Kerala police have said that they won’t use force against anyone and assured to take the group of women to the hilltop shrine. Meanwhile, the number of protestors are surging despite police suspending vehicular traffic to the temple.





11:35 am IST High Court- appointed panel refuses to interfere in Sabarimala standoff The Kerala police are in a fix as both the protesters and the women devotees are refusing to budge from their stand. Meanwhile, the high court-appointed panel has refused to interfere in the Sabarimala standoff.





11:29 am IST Police detain devotees protesting against women’s entry to Sabarimala Police have detain Lord Ayyappa devotees who were protesting against entry of women to Sabarimala.temple. #Kerala: Police at Pampa detains Lord Ayyappa devotees protesting against the entry of women devotees to #SabarimalaTemple. pic.twitter.com/fwmXZcICr4 — ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2018





11:23 am IST Police had said they will provide us with protection but now they’re refusing to do so: Woman devotee “We are here since 3.30 am. Police had said that they will provide us with protection but now they are not providing us protection to trek to the temple,” said Selvi, a member of the women’s devotees group which is currently at Pamba base camp to trek to Sabarimala temple.





11:15 am IST Lord Ayyappa devotees hold a protest before the group of women devotees Lord Ayyappa devotees are holding a protest before the group of women devotees who are gathered at Pamba base camp to trek to Sabarimala temple. Kerala: Lord Ayyappa devotees hold a protest before the group of women devotees who are gathered at Pampa base camp to trek to #SabarimalaTemple. pic.twitter.com/cviAP59DVF — ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2018





10:19 am IST Kerala CM committed to destroy Sabarimala: State BJP unit “It is a drama enacted by Manithi outfit, a group of non belivers, with the help of Kerala police,” said the Kerala BJP unit, adding “CM Pinarayi Vijayan was committed to destroy Sabarimala temple.”





9:49 am IST Kerala HC has appointed a committee to observe activities of Sabarimala temple: Devaswom minister “Kerala High Court has appointed a three-member committee including two judges to observe the activities of Sabarimala temple. The committee will take the decision and the government will implement it. The committee will take the decision and the government will implement it,” said Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran.





9:26 am IST Come what may, we will not allow dilution of age old customs: Hindu outfit woman leader “Come what may we will not allow dilution of age old customs. We are ready to die,” said Hindu Aikya Vedi chief KP Sasikala.





9:19 am IST Will not allow flouting the age old custom of Sabarimala: Pandalam royal family Pandalam royal family said they will not allow flouting the age old custom of the temple. The supreme priest and royals threatened to close the shrine when the women came close to the shrine.





9:07 am IST Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district magistrate extends Section 144 till December 27 Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district magistrate has extended Section 144 till December 27 to prevent unlawful gathering and protest between Elavungal and Sannidanam.





8:48 am IST ‘Please give us way, we will visit the temple and return back soon,’ say women devotees The group of women devotees who were prevented at the Pamba base camp in the early morning hours from trekking to SabarimalaTemple, said, “Please give us way, we will visit the temple and return back soon.” Kerala: Group of women devotees reached Pampa base camp in the early morning hours to trek to #SabarimalaTemple, said, "Please give us way, we will visit the temple and return back soon." pic.twitter.com/VqgTSXK5Aw — ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2018





8:35 am IST Had written to Kerala CM about plan to visit Sabarimala: Woman devotee One of the members of the of the Manithi outfit had said on Saturday that 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.





8:12 am IST As the standoff continues, police request protestors not to flout section 144 The standoff at the Pamba base camp continues with both sides refusing to budge.The police are requesting the protesters not to flout section 144.





7:59 am IST More members of outfit would reach Kerala soon to visit Sabarimala: Woman devotee “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,” Thilakavathi, member of the Manithi group said, adding that more members of their outfit would reach the state soon to visit Sabarimala.





7:47 am IST We will continue the protest till we can visit the temple: Woman devotee “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.





7:34 am IST Police form security ring around the women activists to ensure their safety The women, members of the Chennai-based “Manithi” outfit, are now squatting on the road. Police have thrown a security ring around them.





7:24 am IST Came after getting assurance from Kerala police: Women devotees Women devotees say they came after getting assurance from the Kerala police but they later refused to allow them to trek to the hilltop shrine. The standoff is affects the flow of pilgrims to Sabarimala. Being a Sunday, heavy rush is expected at the shrine today.





7:19 am IST Police temporarily suspend bus services to the shrine Fearing protests, the Kerala police have temporarily suspended the bus services. Meanwhile, the standoff continues as both sides are refusing to budge.





7:12 am IST Devotees defy Section 144 to block women devotees The devotees, who are protesting the entry of menstruating women to the shrine, defied Section 144 to block the women activists from visiting Sabarimala.





7:07 am IST Women activists blocked at Pamba base camp Women activists are blocked at Pamba base camp by the devotees. They insist to go ahead even as the police inform them about the volatile situation. As the news spread, a large number of devotees thronged Pamba, about five kilometres away from Sannidhanam (Sabarimala temple complex). Manithi leader l Vasanthi is also with the team of 11 women who attempted to trek to the hill shrine.





7:01 am IST Group of women blocked by devotees The group of women from Tamil nadu were prevented by angry devotees. Even though the women came with heavy police protection, the angry devotees converged in no time and blocked them, making the situation tense at Sabarimala.



