The Sabarimala temple women's entry issue has resurfaced in Kerala, leading to a political debate between the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress, as the Supreme Court is scheduled to consider review petitions related to its 2018 verdict.
The Supreme Court has announced that a nine-judge bench will begin final hearings on petitions related to discrimination against women in religions, including the Sabarimala Temple case, starting April 7.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold loss case arrested chief priest of the Lord Ayyappa temple, Kandararu Rajeevaru in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, sources said.
The Kerala High Court has directed the state police to register a criminal case and launch an investigation into the misappropriation of gold from a shrine's side frames or lintels.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has questioned Congress leaders regarding their alleged connections to the accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, dismissing claims of his own involvement and demanding answers about the accused's access to Sonia Gandhi.
President Droupadi Murmu offered prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala, becoming the first woman head of state to visit the shrine. She participated in traditional rituals and ceremonies during her visit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the ruling Left and Congress in Kerala, raising the Sabarimala gold loss issue and accusing the Congress of aligning with hardline elements. He urged voters to choose the BJP for development and good governance.
The Kerala High Court denied bail to former TDB president N Vasu and others accused in the Sabarimala gold loss case, citing laxity in the investigation and potential impediment to the probe if bail is granted.
The Supreme Court has refused to entertain pleas against the Kerala High Court order dismissing petitions challenging the Travancore Devaswom Board's decision to conduct a global conclave of Ayyappa devotees.
A controversy surrounding the gold-clad plates of the Dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala temple has ignited a political row in Kerala, with opposition parties alleging theft and demanding a comprehensive investigation into temple inventories and the role of a sponsor in the replating process.
Kerala Devaswom Minister alleges a conspiracy behind the 'missing' gold-coated pedestal of the Dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala temple, which was later found at a sponsor's relative's residence. The minister accuses the sponsor of staging a drama and misleading the public.
Sukumaran Nair said he had noted Natesan's remarks and that a decision would be taken after a meeting scheduled for January 21.
In a purported video which surfaced on social media, the accused man, reportedly a Tamil Nadu native, could be seen sitting on a platform atop the Ponnambalamedu Hills, located about four km from the Sabarimala temple, and chanting mantras and doing some rituals.
Devotees thronged the Sabarimala shrine in Pathanamthitta, Kerala, on Tuesday, January 7, 2024 to offer prayers.
Devotees have begun their pilgrimage to the Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha temple in Pathanamthitta, Kerala.
The terrorist duo David Colman Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana had planned to blast two major temples in Kerala -- the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple and Guruyaur Sreekrishna Swami temple -- to spread panic in the state and country, central intelligence sources told rediff.com.
The Travancore Devaswom Board has insured the Sabarimala Ayyappa shrine for a value of Rs 30 crore (Rs 300 million) and also introduced a free-of-cost accident insurance project for pilgrims visiting the holy place.
The first batch of police personnel had taken charge of the security on Saturday.
Police said the tantri came in person to give the second complaint to the Central Police Circle Inspector. The police have registered the second complaint.
Sabarimala Special Commissioner Rajendra Nair said a jeep had ploughed through the pilgrims, who were returning from 'makara samkrama pooja', using a narrow trekking path in a heavily forested hilly area, about 7km from Sabarimala hilltop shrine.
Though the government was for maintaining equal status for men and women, a separate season for women was necessary in view of the practical difficulties in providing facilities for women, when lakhs of devotees converge there during the pilgrimage season between November and January, it said.
Pandalam Royal family member Sasikumar Varma, one of the petitioners, said he was happy with the apex court's decision to review the September 28 verdict.
The Kerala government dubbed Desai's attempt to visit Sabarimala as a 'conspiracy'.
It is the first annual pilgrimage season at the hill temple after the coronavirus outbreak and authorities have decided to restrict the number of devotees to 1,000 per day and to 2,000 on weekends.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan made it clear that the Left government was with the believers.
The Travancore Devaswom Board, the apex temple body which manages the shrine, on Tuesday said a portion of the gold-plated roof would be opened on August 3 to take stock of the leak.
Bindu Ammini was one of the two women who entered the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala in January 2019 after the Supreme Court vedict permitted the entry of women of all ages into the shrine.
The base camps of Pamba and Nilackal witnessed intensified protests as the Lord Ayyappa temple opens for the five-day monthly pooja on Wednesday evening, for the first time after the landmark top court verdict.
The age of the girl, with 'irrumudikettu' (offerings to Lord Ayyappa) had been shown as 10 in the virtual queue booking.
The Left government in Kerala on Thursday withdrew a handbook for police personnel on duty at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala after the Bharatiya Janata Party raised a hue and cry over a mention in the book that all pilgrims can enter the temple.
'We will meet each villager in Kerala and chalk out a massive agitation plan to protect the Sabarimala temple.'
'Because of the Supreme Court judgment, I am being denied my freedom of religion.'
The Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala, on Thursday told the Kerala high court that the jaggery received by it had 'halal' mentioned on the packaging as they are also exported to Arab countries by the company supplying to them.
Meena said political parties should be responsible enough to decide to what extent they should use the Sabarimala issue during the campaign.
The famous Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala, opened for the annual Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season, is all set to receive more pilgrims now with the Kerala government deciding to allow more devotees for darshan by adhering to Covid-19 protocols.
'Comparing a men-only pilgrimage with past blots like sati or untouchability is propelled by politics, mischief and malevolence,' argues Sudhir Bisht.
Bindu Ammini was attacked by the member of a Hindu outfit using pepper or chilli spray outside the police commissionerate.
The annual festival, which used to attract millions of devotees from and outside the country to the hill shrine, begins on November 17 and concludes on January 15, 2023.
As the situation went out of control, police first used water cannon and then burst tear gas shells to disperse the unruly crowd.
'If enough people defy the law and insist on flouting fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution in the name of religion and custom, does that endow a bigoted, unjust demand with merit?', asks Shuma Raha.
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