The temple complex and nearby areas had witnessed violent protests by Ayyappa devotees against the entry of young women when it was opened for last month's poojas from October 17-22.
The Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala will reopen for monthly poojas on Monday. The Kerala Police has deployed nearly 2,300 security personnel, including 100 women and a 20-member commando team in and around the shrine and security has been tightened in the nearby areas of Sannidhanam, Pamba, Nilakkal, and Elavunkal in the backdrop of violent protests over entry of women of menstrual age last month. If necessary, around 30 women police personnel in the rank of circle inspector and sub-inspector and above the age of 50 would be deployed at 'Sannidhanam' (temple complex) for security, they said.
Meanwhile, the Pathanamthitta district collector in Kerala has imposed Section 144 of the CrPC in Sabarimala and nearby areas ahead of the Chithira Avittom Pooja. The hill shrine in Sabarimala will be open for devotees on November 5 and 6. Prohibitory orders will be in place from Saturday midnight till Tuesday midnight.
District collector PB Nooh said, "Section 144 has been imposed to maintain law order in Sabarimala and nearby areas. However, this will not affect normal pilgrimage. It's only that unlawful assembly by non-devotees will not be allowed. Prohibitory orders will come into effect from Saturday midnight at Nilakkal, Elavungal, Pamba and Sannidhanam."
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Comprehensive traffic arrangements have been made by the police in Pattanamthitta district. Private vehicles carrying pilgrims would be allowed to proceed only up to Nilackal, a base camp, police said.
Barricades have been erected at many places en route to Nilackal and police personnel are allowing vehicles only after checking.
The Kerala police has introduced online booking for pilgrims, which would enable them to conveniently choose the day and time of the 'darshan'.
According to officials, Kerala State Road Transport Corporation tickets are compulsory for all pilgrims, who reach for darshan by foot, to avail online tickets from Pamba at the foothills.
The shrine will open at 5 pm Monday for the "Sree Chitira Atta Thirunal" special puja slated for the next day, marking the birthday of last king of Travancore Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, and close at 10 pm on that day.
Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru and chief priest Unnikrishnan Namboodiri will jointly open the temple doors and light the lamp at the 'Sreekovil' (sanctum sanctorum).
NO BAR ON ENTRY OF JOURNALISTS, KERALA DGP LOKNATH BEHARA DISMISSES REPORTS ON MEDIA BEING RESTRAINED FROM ENTERING SHRINE
Dismissing reports that media was being restrained from going to Sabarimala, Kerala Director General of Police Loknath Behara said there was no bar on entry of journalists.
No restriction of any sort has been imposed on media persons, he said. "To ensure necessary protection to the media, we are not allowing them now. As soon as security arrangements are complete, media will be allowed in Sabarimala and nearby places."
During last month's pujas, media persons were attacked by a section of protesters and police had to face criticism.
PAINED AT THE HEAVY SECURITY IN AND AROUND SABARIMALA, SAYS PANDALAM ROYAL FAMILY
The Pandalam royal family, closely associated with the Ayyappa shrine, said it was "pained" at the heavy security in and around Sabarimala.
"Saddened that devotees will have to offer prayers at the shrine amid thick police cover," it said.
Protesting the apex court verdict, a 'prayer yagna' will be held, the family said.
LIKE POLICE, WE ARE ALSO PREPARED: ACTIVIST RAHUL EASHWAR
Activist Rahul Easwar, president of Ayyappa Dharma Sena that is among the outfits spearheading the protests, in a video message said, "Like police, we are also fully prepared".
Easwar, belonging to the Thazhamon family of Sabarimala thantris, was arrested twice last month — in connection with the protests in and and around Sabarimala against the government's decision to implement the court verdict and also for making certain remarks — and is out on bail.
KERALA BJP PRESIDENT RECEIVES DEATH THREAT, READY FOR TALKS WITH NSS TO RESOLVE ISSUE, SAYS GOVERNMENT
The BJP’s Kerala unit president P S Sreedharan Pillai has received a death threat, the party said on Saturday.
The letter, dated October 29, was sent to the party’s headquarters here and carries the name of a Keralite, Mohan K Nair.
He has said he would be reaching Kerala on November 1 and will be joining Pillai during the ‘Sabarimala protection rathyatra’ from Kasaragod, according to the release.
BJP leader K Surendran said DGP Loknath Behra has been informed of the threat.
BJP and various Hindu outfits are at war with the LDF-government over its decision to implement the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of menstrual age to enter the shrine.
Meanwhile, the state government said it was prepared to hold talks with the Nair Service Society (NSS), an outfit of the influential Nair community, which is against entry of young women into the hill shrine.
"The government is prepared to remove misunderstandings with NSS and has an open mind for talks with the outfit," Devaswom (temple administration) minister Kadakkampally Surendran told reporters.
DON'T DEPUTE YOUNG WOMEN JOURNALISTS TO SABARIMALA, HINDU OUTFITS URGE MEDIA HOUSES
Several Hindu outfits in Kerala agitating against entry of women of menstrual age into the famous Sabarimala Temple have urged media outlets not to depute women journalists to cover the issue as the Lord Ayyappa temple is set to open Monday for a special puja.
The 'appeal' was issued by Sabarimala Karma Samiti, a joint platform of right wing outfits, including the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Hindu Aikyavedi, ahead of the temple's brief opening, which will be the second time after the Supreme Court allowed entry of girls and women in the age group of 10-50 into it.
In its letter to editors, a copy of which was released to the media, the samiti said even the entry of women journalists belonging to this age group as part of their job was also likely to aggravate the situation.
"Recognising your right to support or oppose the devotees stand on this issue, we hope you will not take a stand which would aggravate the situation," it said.
The samiti said devotees belonging to all denominations in Kerala and other parts of the country and even abroad were on a path of 'unabated' agitation subsequent to the apex court judgment allowing entry to young women at the Sabarimala Temple against the wish of the large majority of devotees.
It alleged that even though the Supreme Court has decided to hear the review and writ petitions on the issue on November 13, the state government was intentionally ignoring the "mass movement" against the judgment and was trying to 'hastily' enforce it using police force.
"In such a situation, the devotees are left with no other choice but to continue with the peaceful agitation," it said.
The whole issue is about the adamant stand of the state government in forcibly bringing in young women aged between 10 and 50 years which is against the age-old traditions and customs of the Sabarimala Temple, the samiti said.
OPPOSITION LASH OUT OUT LDF-GOVT OVER ITS FAILURE TO HANDLE SABARIMALA ROW, SAYS EMERGENCY-LIKE SITUATION CREATED IN THE HOLY SITE
The heavy deployment of security and prohibitory orders ahead of the opening of the Sabarimala Temple has irked the BJP unit of Kerala.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Mullapally Ramachandran said the situation in Sabarimala was "explosive" and accused the CPI(M)-led LDF government of failure to handle it.
Thousands of police personnel had been deployed in Sabarimala which was akin to "challenging and suppressing" the devotees, he alleged.
The heavy deployment of security and prohibitory orders ahead of the opening of the Sabarimala Temple has irked the BJP unit of Kerala, who has said that an 'emergency-like' situation is being created in the holy site.
The party further stated that the excessive police deployment at the Sabarimala temple is 'undemocratic' and 'against the rule of law'.
Speaking to news agency ANI, General Secretary of BJP Kerala unit, K Surendran said; "why is the government doing this? This is an emergency like situation. This is undemocratic and against the rule of law."
He further asked the logic behind deploying a large number of police personnel in the area and imposing Section 144 in areas surrounding Sabarimala Temple. He also claimed that a peaceful atmosphere is prevailing in the temple, thus negating the need for additional deployment of forces.
BJP leader M T Ramesh said that if police tried to hinder devotees from visiting Sabarimala, it would lead to "serious repercussions".
The temple complex and nearby areas had witnessed violent protests by Ayyappa devotees against the entry of young women when it was opened for last month's poojas from October 17-22.
At least 12 women had made a vain attempt to trek the hills soon after the Supreme Court verdict permitting women in the 10-50 age group to offer prayers at the shrine.
Over 3,345 protesters who prevented women from entering the shrine have been arrested since October 26 while 517 cases have been registered at various police stations across Kerala.
On September 28, a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, headed by then chief justice Dipak Misra in a 4:1 judgment had lifted the centuries-old ban on the entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine.
