Sabarimala women’s entry: Devaswom Board reverses stand, seeks protection of age-old temple rituals

Thiruvananthapuram: In an apparent alteration of its earlier stance, the Travancore Devaswom Board has decided to oppose the verdict permitting the entry of women, and to adopt a stand before the Supreme Court seeking the protection of rituals, customs and traditions.

Devaswom Board president K Jayakumar told a press conference that the decision of the Board is to oppose the Supreme Court’s order. The Board’s view is that the customs relating to women’s entry, which had existed for generations, should be maintained. He added that those concerned have been entrusted with informing the Supreme Court of this position.

He clarified that the Devaswom Board was constituted with the objective of safeguarding rituals and observances. Therefore, the Board had always held this stand regarding women’s entry.

The Supreme Court had directed that all parties concerned inform the court of their stand on the issue by March 15. It was in this context that the Devaswom Board convened a meeting on Monday. The meeting decided that it should adopt a position in support of the devotees. The Travancore Devaswom Board will not support the 2018 verdict permitting women’s entry, and will communicate this decision to the Supreme Court.

In 2020, when the Supreme Court considered petitions seeking a review of the women’s entry verdict, the Board’s counsel had taken the position that there was no need to review the judgment and had advanced arguments supporting that stand.

The present decision marks a departure from that position. In effect, the Board’s new stand moves towards seeking a review of the verdict.