Entry of women to Sabarimala

Sabarimala Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shasta, located in Pathanamthitta District, Kerala, India. Women and girls of reproductive age have traditionally not been permitted to worship there, as Shasta is a celibate deity. In 1991, the Kerala High Court upheld this practice, and from then on, women and girls between the ages of 10 and 50 were legally barred from entering the temple.

In September 2018, a landmark judgement of the Supreme Court of India ruled that all Hindu pilgrims, regardless of gender, could enter the temple. The Constitution bench of the Supreme Court held that "any exception placed on women because of biological differences violates the Constitution." Specifically, the court held that the ban violated the right to equality under Article 14 and the right to freedom of religion under Article 25.

This verdict led to protests by millions of Ayyappan devotees who opposed the verdict. A month later, about ten female activists attempted to enter the temple despite threats of physical assault but they were unsuccessful. On 2 January 2019, two women successfully entered the temple through a rear gate, prompting priests to close the shrine temporarily for purification rituals.