The Shani Shingnapur temple in Maharashtra is bracing for a showdown between women activists and villagers. While the activists are planning to storm the inner sanctum, the villagers said they will ensure that the age-old tradition disallowing women from the inner sanctum is not violated.
Section 37 has been imposed in the temple town to maintain law and order. Meanwhile, in an interesting turn of events, local women decided to take on the activists. They performed an abhishek at the shrine praying that 'sense prevails' on the activists and they don't insist on entering the temple sanctum.
Local women also formed a protective cordon around the temple. Around one thousand women led by Activist Tripti Desai are planning to march down from Pune to Shani Shingnapur.
Earlier this month, the temple trust, facing criticism for its stand and appointed a woman as its president.
"Women want equality, which was given in the Constitution of India on January 26. Hence we want to protest on this day," Desai said, as the agitation over certain restrictions on women at popular shrines such as Haji Ali in Mumbai and Sabrimala temple in Kerala reached Shani Shingnapur, about 300 kms from Mumbai.
The temple trust and most villagers have strongly opposed the plan, fearing the move might "anger" the Shani Dev. To foil the attempt, villagers have announced that they would form a human chain around the temple to "protect" the god from "being impure".
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