Kolhapur: Yesterday, i.e. on 11th April, the trust at the historic Mahalaxmi temple in Kolhapur district under Maharashtra state allowed few women an unprecedented entry into the inner sanctum of this temple. It can be treated as the second victory of the women after their first victory to get entry in Shani Sinngnapur temple’s inner sanctum sanctorum, which was allowed last week.
It was seen that the higher judiciary in the State of Maharashtra, Bombay High court has recently slammed the temple authorities and made it clear through its ruling that Women cannot be stopped from entering the religious places and as such the trust authorities at the Shani Shingnapur temple made a decision to allow the women to enter its core area, by breaking its around four hundred years’ old tradition. It was also seen that the women’s activists earlier also commented that they would not stop with Shani Shingnapur temple only, but they will also claim further entries at the Mahalaxmi temple and other temples in other areas where tradition has not allowed them to enter those temples.
It was seen that in the traditional way which the temple was following earlier, the temple was always open for both men and women, but specially in inner sanctum/ ‘gabhara’ the women were not allowed to enter.
Moreover, it was seen, as told by Anil Deshmukh- Police inspector at Juna Rajwada Police Station, there was meeting held yesterday, on Monday where Police officials meet representatives of the various organisations, such as Paschim Maharashtra Devasthan Samiti (which manages this and various other temples in western Maharashtra) and the temple priests. While in the meeting, the priests/ ‘pandits’ and also the Samiti members decided not to oppose the entry of the women in the inner sanctum of the Mahalaxmi temple.
In the wake of the decision which was taken in the meeting, the trust from the Mahalaxmi temple finally allowed eight women to enter today, into the sanctum and they were also allowed to pray, as explained by the Police officials.
