Thousands of Ayyappa devotees, majority of them women, took out a Namajapa rally at Changanassery on Saturday protesting against the move by the State government and the Travancore Devaswom Board to implement a Supreme Court order permitting women of all age groups to Sabarimala.
The procession began from Vezhackattu Sree Krishna Temple at Mathumoola at 3.30 p.m. with the participants chanting Ayyappa prayers.
The procession was jointly organised by the Ayyappa Seva Samajom and religious and cultural organisations at Changanassery. Organisations of devotees were also present.
Traffic diverted
The police diverted traffic through Bypass Road to avoid traffic snarls in the town for about three hours in the afternoon.
The procession culminated at Mannam Junction near the headquarters of the Nair Service Society at Perunna. A public meeting was later held at Mannam Junction.
Kandararu Rajeevararu, Kandararu Mohanararu, Kandararu Mahesh Mohanararu, Sabarimala chief priests (tantris); P.G. Sasikumara Varma, Pandalam palace managing committee president; Harikumar Koickal, NSS director board member and Changanacherry taluk union president; Akkeeramon Kalidasan Bhattathirippad, All-India Brahmana Federation vice-president; Balakrishnan Master of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh; and Kodikunnil Suresh, MP, were among those who addressed the meeting.
To move apex court
Mr. Varma said Pandalam palace would move the Supreme Court seeking review of its order that had hurt the sentiments of Ayyappa devotees.
The verdict would affect the sanctity of the Sabarimala temple, Mr. Rajeevararu said adding that he suspected certain undercurrents behind the judgment.
Mr. Mohanararu and Mr. Mahesh said the ongoing agitation was to protect Sanatana Dharma. They said the Tantri family too would explore the possibility of filing a review petition before the apex court.
The chief priests and the Pandalam palace managing committee president later called on NSS general secretary G.Sukumaran Nair at the society headquarters at Perunna.
