Shani Temple Row

Upset over police action preventing women activists from entering the sacred platform of the Shani temple, activist Trupti Desai today said she would file an police complaint or FIR against Maharashtra Chief Minister if he fails to honour the Bombay High Court order facilitating entry of females at places of worship.

Temples in Maharashtra can no longer cite centuries-old traditions to ban the entry of women. The Bombay High Court ruled today that offering prayers at a temple "is the fundamental right of a woman and the government's fundamental duty to protect their (women) right."

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay High Court challenging the century-old tradition of prohibiting entry of women inside the core shrine area of Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.

Bhoomata Brigade leader Trupti Desai was today detained in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district while heading to the Shani Shingnapur temple where she had spearheaded a campaign last month against ban on female devotees entering the sacred platform.

Mediating on the issue of gender bias at Maharashtra's Shani Shingnapur temple, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar today claimed to have arrived at a solution that allows both men and women to have "darshan" of the deity some distance away.

Trupti Desai, spearheading the campaign seeking women's entry into the sanctum of Shani Shingnapur temple in Maharashtra, said she has been invited by spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar tomorrow to discuss the issue.

Activists campaigning for the entry of women into the inner sanctum of Maharashtra's Shani Shignapur temple and staff who have opposed the move, held a round of "positive" talks with both sides expecting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take the process forward.

Amid campaigns against ban on women from entering the 'chauthara' of Shani Shingnapur shrine and certain restrictions for them at Haji Ali dargah in Mumbai, famous Trimbakeshwar temple in Maharashtra has also come into spotlight for bar on female devotees offering prayers in the inner sanctum.

Upset over police action preventing women activists from entering the sacred platform of the Shani temple, activist Trupti Desai today said she would file an police complaint or FIR against Maharashtra Chief Minister if he fails to honour the Bombay High Court order facilitating entry of females at places of worship.

Temples in Maharashtra can no longer cite centuries-old traditions to ban the entry of women. The Bombay High Court ruled today that offering prayers at a temple "is the fundamental right of a woman and the government's fundamental duty to protect their (women) right."

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay High Court challenging the century-old tradition of prohibiting entry of women inside the core shrine area of Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.

Bhoomata Brigade leader Trupti Desai was today detained in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district while heading to the Shani Shingnapur temple where she had spearheaded a campaign last month against ban on female devotees entering the sacred platform.

Mediating on the issue of gender bias at Maharashtra's Shani Shingnapur temple, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar today claimed to have arrived at a solution that allows both men and women to have "darshan" of the deity some distance away.

Trupti Desai, spearheading the campaign seeking women's entry into the sanctum of Shani Shingnapur temple in Maharashtra, said she has been invited by spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar tomorrow to discuss the issue.

Activists campaigning for the entry of women into the inner sanctum of Maharashtra's Shani Shignapur temple and staff who have opposed the move, held a round of "positive" talks with both sides expecting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take the process forward.

Amid campaigns against ban on women from entering the 'chauthara' of Shani Shingnapur shrine and certain restrictions for them at Haji Ali dargah in Mumbai, famous Trimbakeshwar temple in Maharashtra has also come into spotlight for bar on female devotees offering prayers in the inner sanctum.