Sabarimala row: Story of defiance and devotees

Protests erupted across Kerala on Wednesday after two women in the hitherto banned age group entered the Sabarimala temple before dawn, with the Sabarimala Karma Samithi (SMS) calling for a state-wide shutdown on Thursday.

The temple was shut for an hour to conduct "purification rituals" after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan confirmed that Bindu and Kanaka Durga had 'darshan' at 3.30 a.m., having been stopped on December 24 by predominantly male pilgrims from entering the hill shrine.

The temple was reopened after an hour.