KANNUR: Even as Sabarimala controversy rages on, Reshma Nishanth - a resident of Irinavu under Kannapuram police station limits-received numerous threats after she announced her decision to visit the hill shrine on Facebook Reshma - who is in her early thirties and claims to be a communist and a devotee - said she decided to visit Sabarimala after the apex court gave its verdict and that she has been observing the 41-day penance to visit Sabarimala on Vrishchikam 1 (November 17)."After I announced my decision on Sunday, I have been receiving threats. On Sunday evening a group of 50 people staged a protest in front of my house and started chanting the Lord's name, following which I filed a complaint with the district police chief," she said.Reshma said that she has been a devotee of Ayyappa since childhood and for the past many years she had observed the 41-day penance despite knowing that she would not be permitted to enter the temple."This time I decided to visit the temple and started my penance by wearing black clothes and observing celibacy as I have decided to visit Sabarimala come what may," she said, adding that a few other women have decided to accompany her."Others are silent now as they know how they too could be targeted like me," said Reshma, who added that communist ideology does not impede her pilgrimage."I am not a party worker, but I would say communism is about humanity and my devotion to Ayyappa can continue while I believe in communism," she said, adding that her pilgrimage is not a revolution but the realization of her devotion.The hype over menstruation has nothing to do with one's faith as it is just another biological process, she said. "It never makes a woman impure. I think the permission to visit Sabarimala is a matter of gender justice. So, more women would come forward to visit the shrine," she said.

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