Summary:
The temple has been witnessing protests following the Supreme Court's September 28 order to permit women in the 10-50 age group to offer prayers at the Kerala shrine. Thousands of pilgrims entered the temple as temple tantri (head priest) Kandararu Rajeevaru and melshanti (chief priest) Unnikrishnan Namboothiri jointly opened the portals of the sanctum sanctorum around 5 pm. No special puja will be performed Monday, temple authorities earlier said, adding the doors will be closed at 10 pm. The police said Anju, a 30-year-old woman, had reached the base camp at Pamba along with her husband and two children. Several BJP leaders and Ayyappa Dharama Sena president Rahul Easwar reached 'Sannidhanam', the temple complex, in the evening..