Live: Sabarimala temple re-opens for 62 days; activist Rahul Easwar asks Trupti Desai to go back

Thiruvananthapuram: With the beginning of the two-month-long annual 'Mandala Makkaravillakku' season, the Sabarimala temple re-opened for devotees on Friday evening. 

The doors of the shrine were opened for the third time since the Supreme Court's September 28 verdict, which allowed women of all age group to offer prayers at the hilltop Lord Ayyappa temple. However, none could do so following stiff resistance from devotees and activists, opposing any change in the temple traditions.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up even as protests erupted opposing the entry of menstrual women into the Lord Ayyappa temple. Section 144, which prohibits assembly of more than 4 people in an area, has also been imposed in Nilakkal, Pamba and Sannidhanam.

Activist Trupti Desai, founder of the 'Bhumata Brigade', is slated to visit the temple later in the day. She earlier sought security from the Kerala government during her visit to the temple as she has been receiving death threats.

Last week, more than 500 young women registered for darshan in the online queue website of Kerala police.

The temple had witnessed a string of protests from devotees when it opened for monthly pujas for five days in October and two days early this month.

16 November 2018

19:36 IST

Amid over a 12-hour stand-off with devotees and others, including BJP workers, at the airport here vowing not to let her proceed to the Sabarimala shrine, activist Trupti Desai said police have asked her to return to Pune. "Protestors threatened taxi drivers from providing us services. Hotel staff was threatened of damage to hotels if rooms were given to us. It saddens me to see that ppl who call themselves Ayyappa devotees are abusing and threatening us," said Desai.

18:36 IST

Activist Trupti Desai will return to her hometown Pune tonight. She has been at the Kochi airport since morning as protesters did not allow her to proceed to Sabarimala Temple.

#Kerala: Visuals of Trupti Desai from Kochi airport; she will return to her hometown Pune tonight after protesters did not allow her to proceed to #SabarimalaTemple. pic.twitter.com/EUHG3CIH9U

— ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2018

17:43 IST

#Kerala: Devotees throng to #SabarimalaTemple as it opens for 62-day long Mandala Pooja-Magaravilaku annual pilgrimage season. pic.twitter.com/wzOcekQzbh

— ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2018

17:43 IST

Sabarimala Karma Samithi holds protest against Trupti Desai in #Kerala's Trivandrum. #SabarimalaTemple pic.twitter.com/cV6aNeZJoP

— ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2018

17:04 IST

Sabarimala Temple re-opens for 62-day long Mandala Pooja-Magaravilaku annual pilgrimage season.

#Kerala: #SabarimalaTemple opens for 62-day long Mandala Pooja-Magaravilaku annual pilgrimage season. pic.twitter.com/hTqqmVdzDg

— ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2018

17:03 IST

Visuals from Pamba in Pathanamthitta: Lord Ayyappa devotees throng base camp to begin trek to #SabarimalaTemple. Heavy security deployed in the area. #Kerala pic.twitter.com/G47MNETaPx

— ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2018

16:55 IST

"Trupti Desai should go back. She will have to step on our chests and walk over us if she wants to enter Sabarimala Temple, says activist Rahul Easwar protesting outside Kochi airport.

11:17 IST

Police tried to evacuate us from another gate but protesters were there as well. Protests being held here. Does this mean protesters are scared that we'll reach Sabarimala once we reach Nilakkal, or, are they trying to scare us? We won't return until we have 'darshan': Trupti Desai

11:17 IST

We reached Cochin Airport at 4:30 am. Protests were being held outside. We booked taxi two to three times but drivers have been threatened that their vehicle will be vandalised if they offer us a drive. Police have said that we can't go outside now: Trupti Desai

10:22 IST

Kochi: Trupti Desai, founder of Bhumata Brigade, having breakfast at Cochin International Airport as she hasn't been able to leave the airport yet due to protests being carried out against her visit to #Sabarimala Temple. #Kerala pic.twitter.com/ILDV7silTx

— ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2018

10:20 IST

Section 144, which prohibits assembly of more than four people in an area, has been imposed in Nilakkal, Pamba and Sannidhanam as temple will re-open in the evening.

10:20 IST

Protestors should not resort to violence. Once we reach there, we'll see what level of security state gives us. Even if the state doesn't give us any security, we'll still go, but I can be attacked. I have received so many threats of attack and killing: Trupti Desai

10:19 IST

Won't allow Trupti Desai to go out from the airport using police vehicle or other govt means. Airport taxies also won't take her. If she wants, she can use her own vehicle. There will be agitations all along her way even if she goes out from the airport: MN Gopi, BJP

10:17 IST

Kerala: Protesters gather outside Cochin International Airport. Trupti Desai, founder of Bhumata Brigade, has arrived at the airport from Pune. She had written to Kerala CM seeking security for her visit to #SabrimalaTemple on 17 November. pic.twitter.com/QbzdSZeyKa

— ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2018

10:17 IST

Over 3,700 persons have been arrested so far and 546 cases registered against various people for violence during protests across the state after the top court permitted women of all ages to pray at the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala.