Did Kerala govt lie about 51 women entering Sabarimala?

Initial investigation into the 51 names reveals a different story

Sabarimala temple in Kerala | AFP Sabarimala temple in Kerala | AFP

Kerala government's claim in the Supreme Court that 51 women of child-bearing age had entered Sabarimala during the ongoing season now looks suspicious. An initial investigation by Onmanorama revealed a different story. 

Onmanorama tried the numbers of 10 people given in the government affidavit. All the calls were answered by men. Except for three, the rest said no women from their families, or even their lady friends, had gone to Sabarimala. The three who admitted that women accompanied them to Sabarimala, however, added that the women were over 50 years of age.

In short, at least 10 of the 51 women the Kerala government claimed had entered Sabarimala had either not done so or were above 50. The government affidavit has shown the ages of all the 51 women as below 50.

READ: Kerala govt claims 51 women entered Sabarimala shrine

Thirumali of Chennai said his wife Seetha had gone with him to Sabarimala late in October. When her age was sought, he said 53. “If a lesser age has been printed, it is a mistake,” Thirumalai said. Saravanan, who is also from Chennai, had gone to Sabarimala in November with his mother. But she is 65. 

Vasanthiah from Andhra Pradesh was confused when he got the call from us. “I am not married and my mother had not gone to Sabarimala,” he said. When we told him that his number was in the affidavit, he suddenly remembered. “My aunty had gone. She booked through my number. But she is 59,” he said.

Paraljyothi from Chennai, Ramesh from Andhra Pradesh and Anand from Veloor in Tamil Nadu said they had gone to Sabarimala, but with men. “We were a men-only team, and we do this pilgrimage every year,” Paraljyothi. Ramesh and Anand, too, were with friends.

Three others—Sankar (Pondicherry), Sudarshan (Telangana) and Sambasiva Rao (Andhra Pradesh)—had no idea how their numbers appeared in the affidavit. “I am not married, and had never once gone to Sabarimala,” Sankar said. Sudarshan and Rao also echoed Sankar. 

A top government source, when contacted, said these people were only trying to protect their closed ones. “It is just survival instincts. They know the violence that had been unleashed in Kerala. They might fear something bad might happen to their women,” the source said.

The Kerala government has informed the Supreme Court that 51 young women had entered the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala since the apex court allowed women of all age groups to enter the hill shrine.

The government has listed the names of the 51 women, along with other details, including Aadhaar card and addresses. Most of the women are from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Goa. None of the names are from Kerala. 

However, the names of Kanakadurga and Bindu who recently walked into the sanctum sanctorum of the Sabarimala temple, despite huge protests from right-wing outfits, are missing from the list. This is because the list included the names of only those who booked darshan via online booking.

The Kerala government submitted the list in SC during the hearing on a plea seeking security for Kanakadurga and Bindu. The SC has directed the Kerala police to provide adequate security to two women.

However, Travancore Devaswom Board members K.P. Sankar Das and N. Vijayakumar said they have no data to back the state government's claim in the SC.

—Via Onmanorama