Under BJP manifesto love jihad comes into the spotlight again, this time for Kerala. Politicians are also deeming the Sabarimala issue to be a key one this poll season.

Towards the end of September 2018, the Supreme Court passed a verdict that shook some who are orthodox Hindus. In a 4-1 verdict, the Supreme Court struck down a rule that prevented women in the childbearing age of 10-50 (the menstruating age) to enter the Sabarimala Temple and offer their prayers. Until then women between […]

Kanakadurga, the 39-year-old woman who hit the headlines for entering the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala earlier this month, has been denied entry to her in-laws’ house. Her mother-in-law had allegedly assaulted her a week ago when she returned from the shrine. Following the assault, the government employee was admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College. After being […]

A picture speaks a million words. And, in the tension fraught atmosphere of the Sabarimala protests, nothing describes the schism between those who want no change and Constitutionalists  more, than the photo of a news cameraperson, Shajila Ali Fathima, holding her camera bravely, while men around her are heckling, hectoring, abusing, and threatening her. There […]

As the year 2019 began, January 2 marked the historic day when two women of under 50 years of age entered the controversial Sabarimala temple amid tight police protection. Bindu and Kanakadurga became the two revolutionary women who would be remembered forever for doing what several women aspired for after the Supreme Court judgment. In September […]

In an interview with news agency ANI on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about several issues like surgical strikes, the Rafale deal, Ram Mandir, demonetisation, loan waivers etc. However, his statements on women-centric issues like Sabarimala and Triple Talaq have created stir across social media. Let’s take a look at the women-specific statements PM […]

Lakhs of women from across Kerala formed a 620-km state-sponsored ‘Vanitha Mathil’ or ‘Women’s Wall’ today to endorse gender equality and social reforms. The ruling CPI(M) party is organising the event, along with over 176 other socio-political organisations, including the CPI, Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) and Kerala Pulayar Maha Sabha (KPMS), as per […]

2018 has been a fiercely empowering year for more reasons than one. Indian women, time and again, have proved their mettle despite the roadblocks that come their way. Here’s a recap on some of the most empowering moments by Indian women in 2018. Pooja Priyamvada and Namita Bhattacharya lighting their fathers’ pyres Pooja, a poet and […]

As the controversial temple of Kerala, Sabarimala, reopened on Monday at 5.30 pm for a day until November 6 midnight, there is great worry in the air as protesters strictly stand by disallowing women within the age group of 10-50 to enter the temple. Over 5000 visitors waited in long queues as police allowed only […]

Equality does not mean Sameness – A perspective on Sabarimala. On Mahavanmi, let’s understand what the 9 forms of the Devi wonderfully captures: the diversity of women. We may have been “othered” in one group historically, but not all women are the same. We don’t think the same way, we don’t dress, walk or talk […]