Sabarimala: News

Sabarimala temple's annual pilgrimage begins; what devotees need to know

The Sabarimala temple in Kerala will open its doors on Friday evening, marking the beginning of the annual Mandala-Makaravilakku festival.

28 Oct 2024

Kerala

Sabarimala pilgrims can carry 'flammable' coconuts on flights: Here's how

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has given special permission to Sabarimala Temple pilgrims to carry coconuts in their cabin baggage on flights.

16 Oct 2021

Kerala

Kerala: Sabarimala temple to reopen today; check details here

The Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple in Kerala will reopen on Saturday at 5 pm for Thula Masam pooja for a period of six days till October 21.

17 Jul 2021

Kerala

Kerala: Sabarimala temple reopens for pilgrims today amid COVID-19 restrictions

The Sabarimala temple of Lord Ayyappa in Kerala's Pathanamthitta reopened for pilgrims Saturday morning for the first time after the devastating second COVID-19 wave hit India.

Kerala activist's anticipatory bail plea rejected in semi-nude video case

Asserting that she was spreading obscenity, the Supreme Court on Friday dismissed an anticipatory bail plea of Kerala-based activist Rehana Fathima, in connection to a video which showed minor children painting on her semi-nude body.

Discrimination against women: SC will complete hearings in 10 days

A nine-judge constitutional bench, that was formed to hear pleas on religious discrimination faced by women, will not hear the matter for more than ten days, Chief Justice of India SA Bobde announced on Tuesday.

15 Jan 2020

Ranjan Gogoi

No, liberals aren't tolerant. They prefer ideological supremacy over democracy

The world is going through a tectonic shift. The Left has been defeated across most democratic platforms, but they control academia, campuses, media houses; influence the millennials and enjoy disproportionate power.

Sabarimala review: SC grants parties three-weeks' time to file suggestions

On Monday, a nine-judge constitutional bench of the Supreme Court began hearing pleas relating to discrimination that women face in places of worship like Sabarimala, mosques, and Parsi temples.

Woman who prayed at Sabarimala attacked with pepper spray

Bindu Ammini, who was one of two women to offer prayers at Sabarimala temple in January, was attacked by a Hindu Helpline activist outside the Kochi Police Commissioner's office on Tuesday.

Kerala Police stops 12-year-old girl from entering Sabarimala Temple

On the fourth day of the two-month-long Mandala-Makaravilakku Sabarimala pilgrimage season, a 12-year-old girl was stopped from entering the shrine of Lord Ayyappa.

Amid row over women's entry, Sabarimala opens for pilgrimage season

The gates of the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala opened on Saturday for the two-month-long Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.

13 Nov 2019

India

SC will pronounce verdict on Sabarimala, Rafale review pleas tomorrow

In his last working days as the Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi is hoping to end long-drawn and important legal battles.

#SabarimalaEffect: Muslim couple moves SC seeking women's entry into mosques

Seeking the Supreme Court's directive to allow women to enter mosques and offer prayers, a Muslim couple has moved the top court. The case has been listed for hearing on Tuesday.

Woman who entered Sabarimala returns home; her family moves out

Two weeks after she was allegedly assaulted by her mother-in-law for entering the Sabarimala temple, Kanaka Durga returned to her home in Angadipuram on Tuesday following a court order in her favor.

Sabarimala hearing: SC reserves verdict; temple board supports women's entry

The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, began hearing a clutch of petitions seeking a review of its September 28 verdict that allowed the entry of women of menstrual age to the Sabarimala temple.

Malayalam actor Kollam Thulasi surrenders for making anti-women provocative remark

Malayalam Actor Kollam Thulasi, who courted controversy over his anti-women provocative remark during the Sabarimala protest, surrendered before police today in Chavara, Kollam district.

Supreme Court to hear Sabarimala review petitions from February 6

On Thursday, the Supreme Court announced that it would hear the review petitions against its earlier verdict pertaining to women's entry to the Sabarimala temple on February 6.

22 Jan 2019

Kerala

Kanakadurga, woman who entered #SabarimalaTemple, disowned, thrown out by family

Kanakadurga, one of the first two women of menstrual age to enter Kerala's Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, was sent to a government-run shelter home after she was disowned and thrown out by her family.

Give 24x7 security to women who entered Sabarimala, orders SC

On Friday, the Supreme Court directed the Kerala government to give adequate security to Bindu and Kanaka Durga, the two women who entered Sabarimala temple on January 2.

Woman who entered Sabarimala disowned, attacked by family; hospitalized

Kanaka Durga, one of the two women who scripted history by becoming the first women of menstrual age to enter the Sabarimala temple in centuries, has been hospitalized after she was allegedly attacked by her mother-in-law.

Sabarimala: After dyeing hair grey, 36-year-old enters shrine, offers prayers

A 36-year-old woman has claimed she entered the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala and offered prayers to Lord Ayyappa.

05 Jan 2019

Sabarimala Temple

#Sabarimala: Bombs hurled at houses of Left leaders in Kerala

Violence erupted over the Sabarimala issue across Kerala yesterday night with bombs hurled at the house of Thalassery MLA and CPI(M) leader A N Shamseer among other places.

04 Jan 2019

Kerala

'Not afraid of BJP': Woman-journo assaulted during #SanghParivar #SabarimalaWomenEntry protest

A woman journalist in Thiruvananthapuram was allegedly attacked while covering a Sangh Parivar protest organized after two women, below 50, entered the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple on Wednesday.

03 Jan 2019

Lok Sabha

#SabarimalaTemple: Statewide bandh called after two-women enter holy shrine

The Sabarimala Karma Samiti (SKS) which is an umbrella organization of various Hindu outfits has called for a statewide bandh in Kerala after two women, in their 40s, entered the hilltop shrine of Lord Ayyappa in the early hours of Wednesday.

#SabarimalaRow: Temple reopened after purification; BJP calls for hartal

After a shutdown that lasted a bit over an hour, the Sabarimala temple has been reopened for devotees to visit.

02 Jan 2019

Mumbai

#Sabarimala: Women form human-chain in Mumbai to support 'Women's Wall'

Over 1,000 women formed a human chain in Mumbai to express solidarity with the 'Women's Wall' formed in Kerala as part of an initiative to uphold gender equality amid the row over the entry of females of certain ages in the Sabarimala temple.

#SabarimalaStandoff: Two women of menstrual age stopped 1km from shrine

A day after 11 women of menstrual age from a women's rights group were barred from making the climb to the Sabarimala temple, two more women had to turn back after violent protests from Ayyappa devotees.

#SabarimalaStandoff: Despite police deployment, women couldn't enter Ayyappa shrine

In yet another failed attempt, 11 women who were on their way to Sabarimala Temple in Kerala returned without paying respects to Lord Ayyappa.

23 Dec 2018

Kerala

Tension prevails in Pamba as 11 women attempt to trek

Tension prevailed at Pamba, the foothills of the Lord Ayyappa Temple in Kerala, this 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.

12 women headed to Sabarimala: Will they make history?

Since the Supreme Court, on September 28, struck down the ban on the entry of women aged 10-50 years to the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, not a single woman of the age group has been able to enter the temple.

18 Dec 2018

Kerala

Kerala: Hadiya's father joins BJP, says CPI(M) playing dirty politics

The father of Hadiya, a woman who had grabbed national headlines over allegations of 'love jihad', has joined the BJP.

16 Dec 2018

Kerala

Sabarimala: Four transgender persons denied entry, allegedly abused by cops

In the wee hours of Sunday, four transgender persons trying to gain entry to the Sabarimala temple were blocked by the Kerala police.

19 Nov 2018

Kerala

#SabarimalaRow: Many detained by police, BJP, RSS protest outside CM-house

Late on Sunday night, nearly 70 people were detained from the Sabarimala temple in Kerala triggering protests all over the state including the house of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

15 Nov 2018

Kerala

#SabarimalaRow: Opposition walks out of all-party meet over Kerala-govt's stance

Ahead of the Sabarimala temple's opening on Friday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called an all-party meeting on Thursday, but that did not go well.

#SabarimalaRow: SC admits review petitions, hearing on Jan 22

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court began hearing a batch of petitions challenging its September 28 verdict that quashed a ban on the entry of women aged 10-50 years to the 800-year-old Sabarimala temple.

550 women have registered for Sabarimala darshan ahead of reopening

The Sabarimala temple is slated to open its doors to devotees next week for the two-month-long 'mandalam-makaravilakku' pilgrimage season.

#SabarimalaTemple: Malayalam TV cameraman attacked by angry devotees

A cameraman of a Malayalam television news channel was attacked, allegedly by angry devotees at Sabarimala's Lord Ayyappa temple complex today, when he was filming a protest organized to prevent the entry of a woman, whom devotees suspected to be of menstrual age.

#SabarimalaRow: Situation tense on second day of opening, one injured

Following violent protests in October, the Sabarimala temple, on Monday, opened its gates to devotees for the second time since the Supreme Court lifted age restrictions on women's entry to the hill shrine.

#SabarimalaRow: Section 144 imposed ahead of temple's opening

In a bid to prevent the unrest which unfolded when the Sabarimala temple was opened to devotees in October, the Pathanamthitta district administration, on Friday, imposed Section 144 in four areas ahead of the temple's opening.

Sabarimala row: Why Young India needs to look beyond religion

The row over the Supreme Court's Sabarimala verdict has seen India sharply divided. Violence has erupted, and political parties have been quick to draw battle lines.

28 Oct 2018

Mayawati

#SabarimalaRow: Mayawati wants court to take cognizance against Shah's remarks

BSP President Mayawati Sunday condemned BJP chief Amit Shah's remarks on the Sabarimala verdict, saying the court should take cognizance of the "irresponsible and provocative statement".

#SabarimalaRow: Tantri family member Rahul Easwar arrested

On Sunday morning, Sabarimala tantri family member and activist Rahul Easwar was arrested by the Kerala Police in Kochi, in the crackdown on protesters demonstrating against the Supreme Court's Sabarimala verdict.

27 Oct 2018

Kerala

#SabarimalaRow: Kerala ashram, run Swami who supports SC verdict, attacked

In yet another incident of an outburst against the Supreme Court's Sabarimala verdict, an ashram founded by a preacher who supported the verdict was set ablaze, supposedly by enraged Ayyappa devotees, near Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala early on Saturday.

#SabarimalaVerdict: Supreme Court to hear review petitions on November 13

The Supreme Court has said that it will hear the 19 review petitions challenging its landmark verdict on the Sabarimala temple entry case on November 13.

#SabarimalaTemple: Security beefed up amid reports of entry of women

Security has been tightened at Sabarimala and other pilgrim centers connected to it amid reports that women in the menstrual age group are planning to visit the hill shrine on Monday, the last day of the "darshan".

#SabarimalaRow: SC to decide date for hearing of review petitions

The Supreme Court today said it would decide tomorrow as to when the petitions, seeking review of its Sabarimala verdict allowing entry of women of all age groups into the temple, will be listed for hearing.

Two-women prevented from climbing Sabarimala-hills. Will the row ever settle-down?

As the Sabarimala row in Kerala refuses to die down, Ayyappa devotees on Sunday prevented two Telugu-speaking women from climbing the holy hills.

Sabarimala fiasco: So, who won - religion, politics or women?

Religion is the last resort of cowards. Where logic ends, religion starts. And, in this time and age, we don't need religion.

#SabarimalaForAll: Two-women, on verge of scripting history, couldn't enter shrine

Two women (including a journalist) who were on the verge of scripting history as they started the trek to reach the Sabarimala temple of Lord Ayyappa in Kerala on Friday, returned midway.

SC didn't take tradition into consideration: Bhagwat on Sabarimala row

Amid ongoing protests at Sabarimala, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today said the Supreme Court verdict hasn't taken into consideration the nature and premise of the tradition that has been accepted by society and has given rise to "divisiveness" in society.

#SabarimalaRow: Woman journalist treks Sabarimala, forced to return by devotees

In the fierce attempts of Lord Ayyappa devotees to prevent women of all age groups from entering Sabarimala temple, a Delhi-based woman journalist was stopped midway, while she was trekking the Sabarimala Hill today.

#SabarimalaRow: Hartal begins in Kerala, special security arrangements in place

In yet another move to defy the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of the menstrual age group to enter the Sabarimala temple, Hindu outfits in Kerala called for a hartal.

Sabarimala opening: Temple doors opened amid attacks on journalists

Following the controversial Supreme Court verdict, the 800-year-old Sabarimala temple opened its gates to devotees on Wednesday at 5pm.

Sabarimala temple to be opened today; police clash with protesters

With the Sabarimala temple set to open its doors to devotees for the first time since the Supreme Court verdict allowing women's entry, Kerala is in a tense situation.

Sabarimala row: Protests against Supreme Court verdict continue in South

Members of the Opposition Congress and BJP in Kerala today staged demonstrations to express solidarity with Ayyappa devotees even as the CPI, the key partner in the CPI-M led LDF, said there was an attempt to "politicize" the Supreme Court order on Sabarimala.

RSS moved SC in 2006, seeking women's entry into Sabarimala

Kerala Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran today sought to turn the tables on RSS on the Sabarimala issue, claiming that Sangh leaders had moved Supreme Court in 2006, seeking entry of women into Lord Ayyappa's shrine.

Sabarimala verdict: Woman booked for casteist slur on CM Vijayan

A case has been filed by the Arunamala police in Kerala against a woman for using a casteist slur against CM Pinarayi Vijayan during one of the protests against the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict allowing the entry of women of all ages to the Sabarimala temple.

Petition filed in Supreme Court against the Sabarimala verdict

On Monday, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court challenging its earlier order allowing the entry of women of all ages to the ancient Sabarimala temple in Kerala.

SC Sabarimala-judgment: Women activists elated but concerned over ground reality

Women activists today hailed the Supreme Court judgment allowing entry of women into Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala in Kerala but expressed concern over its acceptance at the ground level.

19 Aug 2018

Tamil Nadu

#KeralaFloods: TN devotees end Sabarimala pilgrimage in local Ayyappa temples

With heavy rains and floods making the famous hill shrine of Sabarimala in Kerala out of bounds, several Ayyappa devotees from Tamil Nadu chose to end their pilgrimage at local temples in Chennai and elsewhere in the state.