Only women wearing wet clothes can enter Trimbakeshwar

Nashik: Amid the campaign for gender equality, the Trimbakeshwar Devasthan Trust in Maharashtra has decided to allow women into the famous Lord Shiva temple's sanctum sanctorum for an hour everyday, but with a rider that they must wear wet cotton or silk clothes while offering prayers in the core area.

However, the women activists have refused to abide by the condition and have lodged a complaint with police against the trust members and local people for purposely obstructing their entry into the temple.

The trust took the decision at a meeting on Wednesday to allow women into the temple's 'garbha griha' sanctum sanctorum from Thursday from 6 to 7 am and with the conditions attached to it, Lalita Shinde, one of the temple trustees, said.

The decision was taken following an agitation by Pune-based Swarajya Sanghatana, headed by Vanita Gutte. However, Gutte and fellow-campaigners refused to enter the core area of the temple on Thursday morning with the condition of wearing wet clothes.

However, during that time several local priests wearing 'sovala' (silk clothing) entered the sanctum sanctorum to perform the puja. In the argument between the temple authorities and the activists, the time limit of 6-7 am got over, Shinde said.

Meanwhile, based on a complaint by Gutte that they were being obstructed from entering the temple, police last night registered offences against nearly 250 people, including members of the temple trust, some local priests and temple workers, under relevant sections, Trimbakeshwar police station in-charge Haribhau Kolhe said.

"We will have to check the footage of 45 CCTV cameras, other things to identify persons, against whom Swarajya Sanghatana chief Vanita Gutte has lodged complaint," he said. According to police, Gutte and other women activists left the holy town on Thursday.