THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After protest by a few Hindu organisations, the executive officer’s order allowing women wearing churidar into the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple was shelved on Wednesday.
The temple authorities initially allowed churidar-clad women to enter the temple but later they were blocked by protestors who said it was a violation of the tradition. After hearing their complaint, chairman of the temple administrative committee K Haripal shelved the executive officer’s order.
Before the order was frozen, the East and West entrances of the temple saw some tense moments as protestors blocked the entry of churidar wearing women while police remained a passive spectator.
Several women had come without taking mundu, which is usually worn around churidar/pants, from home after coming to know of the relaxed dress code order. Women from other states expressed surprise at the protest while some of them were ready to comply.
Members of Kerala Brahmana Sabha, Sree Padmanabha Swamy Kshethra Bhaktajana Sevasamithy, Sree Padmanabha Swamy Kshethra Bhaktajana Sevasabha protested outside the temple. They held a a sit in protest at the West gate before shifting to the East gate.
Some of them got into a verbal tussle with temple security officials.
Based on a High Court directive, executive officer K N Satheesh disposed off a petition from Thiruvananthapuram native Riya Raji while allowing churidar-clad women into the temple from Wednesday. “I have merely implemented the directives of the High Court,” said Satheesh.