Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government Monday said it was "impractical" to have separate queues for women at Sabarimala, though it decided to facilitate their visits to the Ayyappa temple by providing better facilities.
A high-power committee meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan discussed various arrangements to be made for women devotees, days after the Supreme Court opened the gate of the temple for women of all age.
On October 28, a five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra lifted the ban on entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine.
The Monday's meeting also held that it would be "impractical" to have separate queues for women at the 'sannidhanam', the temple complex.
"Worshippers have to wait for 8-10 hours in long queues for darshan and women devotees also need to be prepared for the same. We cannot do anything. Those who are prepared to wait for hours in long queues only (they) need to come," Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran told reporters after the meeting.
Women devotees would mostly be accompanied by their male relatives and other worshippers. In case of separate queues, there is a possibility of them getting separated from their family members, he said.
However, separate washrooms and bathing ghats would be provided for women worshippers, he said.
There were also plans to restrain devotees from staying back at the 'sannidhanam' after worship. They would
be encouraged to leave the shrine to avoid rush of pilgrims, he said.