NEW DELHI – Two women in southern India made history early Wednesday by entering a renowned Hindu temple where women of childbearing age have not been allowed for centuries. The shrine is dedicated to the deity Lord Ayappa, who is considered celibate, and tradition forbade women of menstruating age from entering. After the ruling, more than a dozen women between the ages of 10 and 50 attempted to enter the temple. “We are proud of these women who helped to implement the Supreme Court verdict,” he said. The controversy over Sabarimala is not the first time the entry of women in religious spaces has sparked debate in India.

Source: National Post January 02, 2019 15:22 UTC