In a major victory for women devotees on the occasion of Hindu New Year Gudi Padwa, the Shani Shingnapur temple trust in Maharashtra on Friday allowed them inside the sanctum sanctorum. The decision came just minutes after a group of male devotees stormed the temple to hold 'Jal Pooja' on the occasion of Gudi Padwa, a major festival in Maharashtra.
The temple, where women were not allowed in the sanctum sanctorum, had recently banned even the male devotees from entering the temple.
Addressing a press conference Deepak Daramale, trustee of the temple said, "We have decided to allow women inside the temple. We will not make any differences between men and women. Our decision has nothing to do with men storming in to the temple today."
"We welcome the decision taken by the trust. It's a victory for women. This is a great achievement against gender inequality," said Bhumata Brigade activist Trupti Desai.
Trupti, who is leading an agitation to allow women inside temples, also thanked the Maharashtra government for implementing the Bombay High Court order. "Women should be allowed to pray at all the religious places," she added.
For the last couple of months she has been demanding an end to a centuries-old ban on women's entry into the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, where the idol of Lord Shani is placed on an open-air platform.
Recently, the Bombay High Court had observed that women should have equal access to places of worship. "There is no law, which prevents women for having equal access from entering a temple. If men are allowed then women should also be allowed," the court had said.
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