Women have right to pray; hold talks to end temple row: Fadnavis

Around 1,500 women activists led by Bhumata Ranragini Brigade president Trupti Desai, and joined by a few men, who entered Ahmednagar district in a convoy of around 50 vehicles on Tuesday afternoon on their way to the temple, when were stopped by police near Supa. There could’ve been confrontation between protesters and temple authorities if they had reached the village.

“PTs:We must support women’s demand for equal rights to men’s for temple entry”. We also have received a notice from the police.

The sleepy town of Shani Shinganapur, also known as a village without doors and latches, woke up to a massive controversy over gender discrimination at the Shani temple. “Why is Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis permitting this?” asked Ms. Desai. This is a black day for women.

The women, who were planning to force their way to the section where a stone considered holy and representative of Lord Shani is installed, were stopped 40 km away, at a checkpoint in Supa.

And now reports suggest that scores of women have arrived on the scene and an agitation may happen soon.

However temple priests and residents nearby had opposed the move, and had said they would form a human chain around the temple to prevent the women from entering. Hence we want to protest on this day.

Bhumata Ranragini Brigade had on Monday threatened to storm the famous Shani Shingnapur Temple in Ahmednagar – if need be, from the sky route even via a helicopter.

“We have already booked a helicopter and if we are not permitted to enter from the open ground, we shall drop ladders from the chopper and descend”. She stated that the temple’s administration should adhere to the Indian Constitution and thus allow the women to enter the temple and offer their prayers.

But their efforts to control access to the temple have been made more hard by a tradition unique to Shani Shingnapur – the entire village has no doors or locks, due to the belief that Lord Shani will protect its inhabitants. A self-emerged (svayambhu) five-foot-high black stone stands on a platform and is worshipped as Lord Shanidev.

Under the temple’s traditions, women devotees are not permitted into the platform where prayers are offered to the deity.